Copper Kettle Potbelly Porter

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 4 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

A vigorous pour into my 25cl tulip glass produces an initially three-finger thick, lightly browned, dark tan colored head. The beer is an almost perfect black color, but shows a brilliantly clear, deep, concentrated, ruby hue when held up to the light. The aroma has a surprising amount of fruit in it with notes of raisins, distinct dried fig and a touch of tart prune. Roast grain aromas are also here, but at a slightly secondary level; toasted whole grain bread, browned soda crackers, a touch of roast-derived tartness and some spent coffee ground roast notes are noticeable.

A slightly full mouthfeel is substantial thinned out by a more than usually burnt acid flavor that thins this beer out, especially in the finish. The roast derived, burnt acidity here accentuates some sour fruit notes reminiscent of prunes. This finishes with a roast grain bitterness and a touch of lingering astringency that is a bit like burnt barley husks. While perhaps not quite as fruit accented as the aroma suggests, there is still a fair amount of fruit flavors in this Porter; added to the prune notes are some fermented raisin notes and some lightly burnt dried fig flavors. The overall roast flavors definitely add flavors that are similar to coffee, at times these can be quite bright and clear (even if it gets a touch to harsh at others).

This has the promise of being a tasty Porter, a bit of attention to the beer PH (less acidic) and / or mash PH would lessen the acrid, burnt-acid notes that keep this beer from being great. I think there is a luscious, malt-driven body (and associated sweeter malt flavors) underneath the acidity, and I would definitely like this to be accented a bit more. I like the focus on fruit notes, it makes me wonder what yeast was used here as it is definitely not the typical, bland, American ale yeast strain (hopefully not an unintential infection on top of such a strain, but I wouldn't guess so as this is perfectly in line with a characterful English strain).