Staircase Porter - Bright Brewery

EazyR

Australia

3.83/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bright Brewery are one to watch as their last few releases have been fantastic and with winter here I thought I'd revisit this fine porter.

Lively, off white head, takes a while but eventually settles leaving no lace. The body is very dark with only the barest ruby highlight.

Big dose of roast and sweet chocolate fudge in the aroma with hints of figs and vanilla. There is a mineral bath salt quality and metallic touches of golden syrup and soy. The Goldings hops make themselves known with a slight spicy citrus.

The flavour is much fruitier than the aroma, with cherries on the approach atop creamy sweet malt flavours of chocolate and coffee. Dark plum becomes prominent in the mid palate followed by a firm roasted cocoa finish and slight metallic soy sauce edge.

Firm, syrupy mouth feel.

This is a complex yet drinkable porter.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 08:54:46 | More by EazyR

laituegonflable

Australia

4.13/5  rDev +22.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown colour, just hints of colour at the edges. Head is beige, small bubbles but fizzes away leaving a thin rim of foamy lace. Looks like a standard porter; not bad.

Smells pleasantly dark. Lots of cocoa nibs give a rich gooey chocolate note with minimal sweetness. Hint of vanilla bean and some wet bark, but mostly just thick roasty darkness; very nice indeed.

Taste starts out as expected, with lightly roasted grain giving mild dark bitterness upfront. Richer, chocolate notes take over, reminiscent of a great mudcake that just doesn't give a shit about sweetness because it's so gooey and rich and buttery. Just a few musty notes on the mid, but the chocolate character lasts to the back. Sort of fades our with an unfortunate sour spiced cola flavour, but enough of that dark, bitter chocolate remains to forgive it. Nice, rich porter notes.

Slick and smooth mouthfeel with a bit of a chalky texture on the back where the roasted malt does the whole astringency thing. Not bad though.

Note to other BAs who's reviewed this beer, do yourself a favour and grab an uninfected bottle, because I think this is a cracking good porter. Would match really well with chocolate fondant and fresh berries.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 02:26:11 | More by laituegonflable

lacqueredmouse

Australia

1.68/5  rDev -50%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

Pours a deep dark reddish-brown colour, with a frothy head of cream-coloured foam. Head stays on the edges of the glass in clumpy lacing. Body looks a bit thin, but not bad overall.

Wow, odd lactic acidity on the nose, almost smells like a wild or Flemish Red. Big vinous characters of dark vinegar and crushed citrus leaves. There might be other things in there, but they're overpowered by the acidity - this is just off.

Taste is similar, but bringing into the mix some rough dry chocolate on the back, which cuts through the acidity awkwardly. Yeah, the infection's just all through this - as much as I hate to review a beer not at its peak, there's something seriously wrong when you can even allow a beer at this stage of infection to get out to the public.

The other reviewers weren't kidding, there's something wrong with this beer. I can't believe that a lactic acidity was what they were going for here, and it must have been present at bottling time, which implies that they bottled it in full knowledge of its state.

Poor form, Bright. Maybe I'll try it again sometime when you've got your sanitation fixed up.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 09:35:53 | More by lacqueredmouse

dgilks

Australia

2.93/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Big fruity smell with hints of chocolate. As the initial aromas disappear a dusty, musty smell comes through. It's okay.

Quite a mild brown colour with a big, fluffy light tan head. Decent head retention. Effervescent.

Chocolatey and a bit fruity but with a slightly tart undertone. Possibly infected which reflect badly on the brewery. Very little roasty note. A bit thin.

Medium-low body with moderately-high carbonation. Not really to style.

The flavours aren't quite right and it isn't the best tasting beer I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2010 06:31:05 | More by dgilks

CrazyDavros

Australia

2.78/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours dark brown with a small tan head.
Nose shows masses of dark chocolate, sweet licquorice, roasted barley, and unfortunately, some salty vegemite. Very rich.
Flavours are overshadowed by that some salty, tangy vegemite note, almost sour. There's a fair bit of roasted barley in there and an assertive roasty bitterness follows. But its all partially ruined by that wierd, salty, tangy flavour.
Rich, creamy carbonation, but a little full-on.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2010 11:13:23 | More by CrazyDavros

jarmby1711

Australia

3.8/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ruby to teak witha creamy frothy head.The lace clings to the head and slides down the glass as you drink
Smells of coffee chocolate and cherries, just like the label says it will.
All the tastes that are in the smell are there along with a healthy kick of roasted grain.It benefits from swirling around in the mouthas this tends to soften the sharp bitter finish.
I would prefer it to be a little sweeter and not quite as bitter.
Not too oily or watery the bubbles lost in the dark colouring are apparent in the mouth.
This is a classy porter .
A bit more cherry sweetness and it would be superb

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2007 01:02:17 | More by jarmby1711

brendan13

Australia

3.68/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Very dark brown colour poured into a pint glass with a big thick inch or so of off white head that slowly falls away to just a thin whisp.
S - The smell is all roasted coffee and malty goodness. Very slight dark fruit hint hidden in the background.
T - Roasted coffee again but with a huge bitter dark chocolate, a bit too bitter in my opinion.
M - Smooth, heavy mouthfeel with low carbonation.
D - The richness of the coffee and chocolate maltiness limits it's drinkability as a session beer but as a beer to have a couple of on a cold winters night it's alright.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2007 09:53:39 | More by brendan13

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

smuggled back in a sock in my Dad's luggage, this is a real nice intro to Aussie micros. Dark, malty and very flavourful this is the opposite of the corny swill that is mostly seen on the shelves. I see this as a winter beer as it was snowing outside when I drank it. My folks visited the brewery and where suitably impressed.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2006 16:58:02 | More by canucklehead