Collective Arts Brewing _ English Porter at 5.5% ABV | 25 IBU (C$3.29 at Quarry Park Calgary Co-Op, 473 ml, bottle date 10-Aug-2016, acquired 13-Oct-2016, reviewed 19-Oct-2016)
Appearance: near solid black with a hint of brown at the margins, one finger of creamy beige head, moderate retention and lacing. (4/5) Aroma: roasty malt, chocolate and coffee, citrus, earthy, berry. (8/10) Taste: moderate sweet, moderate bitter. (7/10) Medium-full body dropping off slightly watery, moderate carbonation, dry lightly bitter finish. (4/5)
A solid porter – actually, it’d be a halfway decent stout – from a brewer that continues to impress. Their pale and IPA were both good, and so’s this. The aromas lead out with dark chocolate and espresso notes, and there’s a significant hop presence here that doesn’t detract at all from the roasty malt goodness. In fact, the astringent roasted tones supplement the hop bitterness, making this seem more bitter than the 25 IBU would suggest. It’s a bit thin in the body, and could stand to be more aromatic, but still definitely worth a try. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
