It may seem hard to believe. But for the longest time I seem to have had much better luck with beer from Alabama when I lived in Rhode Island than I did after moving to the south. Odd that, since Georgia, the state I moved to in 2001, is next-door neighbor to Alabama.

Back in the late nineties, I received bottles of Birmingham Brewing’s Red Mountain Red Ale and Golden Ale from Beer Across America. These were tasty enough brews, if a bit average by even the day’s standards, but then what do you want from a red ale and a golden ale anyway. The brewery closed its doors in 1998 and I never saw any Red Mountain beers in Georgia.

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen many Alabama craft beers at all in Georgia. I found out why on various trips traveling through the Yellowhammer State: there haven’t been a lot of craft beers in Alabama to begin with. Indeed, until 2009 it was illegal to sell beer stronger than 6% alcohol by volume in the state.

Even a trip to Birmingham to visit the first brewpub there, Montgomery Brewing Company, bore bitter fruit. They were hosting a party and closed to other customers. When I pleaded against their good nature for a tour and tasting I found none, even after explaining I had come all the way there just to try their beers. Not long after, they went out of business. If you ignore your base customers, such is bound to happen.

Hopefully, that’s all changing. I had heard good things about Gadsden’s Back Forty Brewing Company, and the other day I happened to spy their Kudzu Porter at Total Wine. This beer wasn’t on the shelves the last time I visited a few weeks ago, so it must have arrived recently. The “Best By” date on the bottle was 7/28/13, but the beer tasted exceedingly fresh, so I can only assume that that was the bottling date.

From the label:

This medium-bodied Porter is brewed with a unique blend of roasted malts and fresh hops. Chocolate, smoky notes are abundant throughout and the citrus aroma provides a refreshing twist to this old world beer style. Careful, it will grow on you!

Specs:

Alcohol Content by Volume:5.5%

Hops: Centennial

Malts: Munich, Crystal, Chocolate & Black malts

IBU: 42

Back Forty Kudzu Porter pours to a dark brownish to light black color with a thick creamy tan head formation and a very gentle roasty nose. Taking a sip, I love the medium roastiness of this beer, the subtle hints of licorice, the chocolate and coffee undertones. Everything here is restrained and balanced, right on into the grassy, herbal hop aroma in the finish. The hops provide a light bitterness along with the roasted malt bitterness to finish this one very dry indeed.

Don’t look to be hit over the head, but do expect a sublime symphony of subtle components all working together towards a common goal. It’s really delicious, and reminds me of my old favorite Catamount Porter from days gone by, if a bit lighter. A bit higher than average in price at $9.99 a six-pack, but considering this is the first good experience I’ve had with beer from Alabama in, oh, 15 years, I’m willing to overlook that.

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