La Quince Brewing Co

I almost passed over this porter, thinking it being “by the book” as a little too uninteresting. Am I getting to be too much of a beer snob to enjoy the simple things? No, but they do have to be particular things, like a black beer rather than not. In the end, I had to come back to a porter. Also, who am I kidding, I love things by the book. Those tentacles make me think the inspiration might have been 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea…did Captain Nemo have a homebrew kit on board? Maybe his roaming inspired nomad brewers La Quince and their collaborator of the moment Es Pop. Black, Bold & Bookish ahoy!

Dignified dark brown and a firm not-quite-beige head make the first impression. The aroma gives up mild coffee, fresh woodiness, the tiniest bit of winter wind. The flavor is much smokier than expected from a rule-following porter, although it isn’t as heavy as the average rauchbier. It takes a couple of sips for the coffee to make an appearance on the tongue, but it does amble up eventually. It’s a bitter and smoky beer, giving the impression of a traditional recipe, and has echoes of cold northern shores. A bit of coffee-drink sweetness develops over time, but with a heavy hand still on the medicinal or herbal fruit of the coffee tree. It’s pretty light, fairly easy to swallow, an easy-going drinking experience. With oddly warm temperatures, it’s a good choice for a dark beer for many, although I could always do with something heavier, lover of darkness that I am.

Supplier: Labirratorium
Price: €4.65