The
name alone is a mouthful, even before the beer is. That's ok. I'd say it 10
times fast to get a bottle of this delicious brew. One of the things that
makes this beer special is that it is a bottle conditioned ale. Bottle
conditioning is the practice of adding yeast and fermentables to the bottle.
The yeast consumes oxygen in the bottle during fermentation, and this helps
to prevent oxidation, which can give beers a wet cardboard type off flavor.
Imported beers are particularly susceptible to this, as they have the added
disadvantage of spending time crossing the ocean in a cargo ship to get to
us. Lagers are not really appropriate for bottle conditioning, but ales
certainly are.
King and Barnes has a long history of brewing fine ales. The brewery dates
back to the early nineteenth century, and was refurbished in the nineteen
eighties. For their bottle conditioned porter, the brewery uses chocolate
and crystal malt as well as two row pale and a bit of wheat. Challenger and
Golding hops are employed.
Interestingly, this brew is a murky brown in color rather than the more
traditional black. A good head forms in my glass and I'm getting a very
rich, raisiny nose and some chocolate, reminds me of a Chunky Bar.
Wonderfully complex palate is full of raisin, prune, plum, and chocolate,
the latter being most noticeable in the finish. This would make a remarkable
dessert beer, perfect with chocolate cake or plum pudding.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft