-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Porter
Harvey's Brewery
- From:
- Harvey's Brewery
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Porter
Ranked #75 - ABV:
- 4.8%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #19,817 - Avg:
- 3.78 | pDev: 11.11%
- Reviews:
- 29
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 05, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 05, 2002
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 0
Brewed to Henry Harvey's Porter recipe of 1859. Pale, crystal and black malts combine with a generous hop grist of Fuggles and Goldings. Full and rounded with roasted malts to the fore.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Sigmund from Norway
3.88/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
500 ml bottle, as Harvey's Porter, from Seven Cellars. ABV is 4.8%. Black colour, large tan head. Aroma of moderately roasted malts, chocolate and mild coffee. Smooth flavour, medium dry, with the same elements as the aroma, a hint of prunes. Noticeable bittering hops.
Dec 05, 2020Reviewed by vinicole from England
3.89/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.89/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle. Deep brown colour with a thin light tan head.
Vibrant sweet malt aroma. Mild milk chocolate with hints of coffee.
Tastes the same. Quite sweet. Stewed prunes. Finishes with a slight charred flavour.
Medium body. Soft carbonation.
Very pleasent.
Sep 29, 2019Vibrant sweet malt aroma. Mild milk chocolate with hints of coffee.
Tastes the same. Quite sweet. Stewed prunes. Finishes with a slight charred flavour.
Medium body. Soft carbonation.
Very pleasent.
Reviewed by Spike from England
4.21/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
From a 500ml bottle.
A very dark brown, almost black, ale with a superb crema head. Smells sweet, rich and malty. Taste is of dark toffee and medium roast coffee. Medium/light body, that coats the mouth, with prickly carbonation and a long, dry finish. The grain bill uses crystal and black malts to give a toasty, lightly bitter flavour. No chocolate malts so this is a rich, super malty porter in a traditional style. Tasty.
Oct 01, 2017A very dark brown, almost black, ale with a superb crema head. Smells sweet, rich and malty. Taste is of dark toffee and medium roast coffee. Medium/light body, that coats the mouth, with prickly carbonation and a long, dry finish. The grain bill uses crystal and black malts to give a toasty, lightly bitter flavour. No chocolate malts so this is a rich, super malty porter in a traditional style. Tasty.
Reviewed by DJ-Hophead from England
4.09/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
500 ml bottle, Hartley's, Ashtead - Pours jet black with a large tanned foamy head. Medium carbonation. Nice lacing. Aroma - bready/yeasty forefront, light coffee.dark chocolate background. Taste - roasted malts to the fore, light dark chocolate notes leading to a nice bitter full finish. Nice receation of a proper Victorian porter
Aug 24, 2016Reviewed by wl0307 from England
3.88/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Purchased at the Harveys Brewery Shop, coming in a small 275ml brown bottle, filtered; BB 03/2009, served cool in a straight pint glass.
A: pours a very dark brown colour with mahogany glows when seen against light, topped with a charming dark beige froth with relatively good retention.
S: sour-sweet and thick fruity-maltiness abounds, with light hints of smoked wood and sweet woodchips, sweet coffee, and Harvey's yeastiness behind the veil. Quite settled.
T: a mouthful of savoury-sweet jammy dark fruits and dark chocolates with a winey touch upfront is accompanied with hints of burned treacle or thick black sugar syrup and a "dry-ish sweet" herbal and chewy palate as a result of hops and roasted malts, before a quite aromatic aftertaste manifests itself that is reminiscent of burned walnuts mixed with coffee-flavoured toffee and raisins (or, like a burned, coffee-flavoured oatmeal biscuit with raisins and walnut bits inside?); at times, very light earthy bitterness of English hops seems to creep up and chase other flavour elements. Quite dry and bitter in the end (albeit not so much as the cask version) as much as lingeringly sour dark-fruity - just what one needs in a Porter...
M&D: a pretty moderate but reasonably delicious offering from Harveys in the bottled range, which is not fizzy at all and very well catered for during the bottling process, I think. Overall, this is a smooth, full-bodied, dry-ish Porter with a truly outstanding balance that I personally fancy a lot! If you're around Sussex in March, don't forget look out for the seasonal, cask version though.
Mar 20, 2009A: pours a very dark brown colour with mahogany glows when seen against light, topped with a charming dark beige froth with relatively good retention.
S: sour-sweet and thick fruity-maltiness abounds, with light hints of smoked wood and sweet woodchips, sweet coffee, and Harvey's yeastiness behind the veil. Quite settled.
T: a mouthful of savoury-sweet jammy dark fruits and dark chocolates with a winey touch upfront is accompanied with hints of burned treacle or thick black sugar syrup and a "dry-ish sweet" herbal and chewy palate as a result of hops and roasted malts, before a quite aromatic aftertaste manifests itself that is reminiscent of burned walnuts mixed with coffee-flavoured toffee and raisins (or, like a burned, coffee-flavoured oatmeal biscuit with raisins and walnut bits inside?); at times, very light earthy bitterness of English hops seems to creep up and chase other flavour elements. Quite dry and bitter in the end (albeit not so much as the cask version) as much as lingeringly sour dark-fruity - just what one needs in a Porter...
M&D: a pretty moderate but reasonably delicious offering from Harveys in the bottled range, which is not fizzy at all and very well catered for during the bottling process, I think. Overall, this is a smooth, full-bodied, dry-ish Porter with a truly outstanding balance that I personally fancy a lot! If you're around Sussex in March, don't forget look out for the seasonal, cask version though.
Reviewed by Ralphus from Canada (ON)
4.13/5 rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.13/5 rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Many Canadians are lucky to have a strong market for imports despite our limited population and large geographic dispersion. Harvey's porter is a good example of this - the last 10 reviews are from north of the border, in particular Ontario. My bottled sample is 500ml in size and looks just as dark as the beer itself.
There is some lacing here but the smell is somewhat muted. The beer though, is full of taste. Dark roasted malts, raisins, chocolate and coffee. This is not a watered down brew in any sense. There is silky smoothness as well, lapping around your tongue with just a hint of carbonation.
This was a great find and one that I think would age well. Stocking up while its around is a good idea.
Oct 05, 2008There is some lacing here but the smell is somewhat muted. The beer though, is full of taste. Dark roasted malts, raisins, chocolate and coffee. This is not a watered down brew in any sense. There is silky smoothness as well, lapping around your tongue with just a hint of carbonation.
This was a great find and one that I think would age well. Stocking up while its around is a good idea.
Reviewed by bobsy from Canada (ON)
3.88/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.88/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Wonderful dark pour, with a tan colored head, which slowly diminishes, with attractive lacing. The aroma is not overly strong, but suggests caramel malts. Flavour has a nice bitter chocolate hit, swiftly followed by smooth caramel. The finish is heavy on roasted malt. A well-balanced job in the taste department. At first a little watery on the palate, but a muted carbonation stirs up some creaminess, and actually becomes quite pleasant. Overall, a solid, but not spectacular, porter.
Rerated after drinking a bottle that had been sitting for a few months. Vinous notes are beginning to appear in the flavour, and the texture seems even smoother. Its aging well.
Jan 13, 2008Rerated after drinking a bottle that had been sitting for a few months. Vinous notes are beginning to appear in the flavour, and the texture seems even smoother. Its aging well.
Reviewed by crwills from Canada (ON)
3.8/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.8/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Not much stood out about this one until I tasted it -- dark brown, almost black pour, typical of the style. Mild malty aroma with hints of something darker, like maple syrup or molasses. Very low carbonation. The real surprise was in the flavour, where what struck me first (and throughout) was that it tasted like raisins. Lots and lots of raisins. Nobody else seemed to think so though. Anyway, in addition to the raisins, which I swear were there in droves, there was more dark malt, mild chocolate, hints of cappucino, and some fall-type fruits as well. Little hop presence to speak of, and a mild, slightly sweet aftertaste. Good, drinkable beer.
Jan 12, 2008Reviewed by allergictomacros from Canada (ON)
4.5/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.5/5 rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Looks pretty solid - dark, dark, dark mahogany with a rich creamy head leaving plenty of lace. Aromas of figs and cocoa and molasses come are prominent Flavour is coffee and green apple, with a moderate sweetness and a rich mouthfeel. Carbonation is very fine. Mouthfeel and drinkability is exceptional in this one. The flavour isn't especially heavy or in-your-face, which I take to be a good thing. Well balanced.
Jan 06, 2008Reviewed by BrewSomerville from Canada (ON)
3.75/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.75/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Aroma: Chocolate & sweet coffee. No hops on the nose.
Looks: Dark brown. Average sized beige head. Poor head retention. Good lace.
Taste: Dark chocolate, coffee, Tim Horton's Ice cap with chocolate milk in it. Very mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-full bodied. Slightly lower than average carbonation.
Dec 18, 2007Looks: Dark brown. Average sized beige head. Poor head retention. Good lace.
Taste: Dark chocolate, coffee, Tim Horton's Ice cap with chocolate milk in it. Very mild bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-full bodied. Slightly lower than average carbonation.
Reviewed by Phyl21ca from Canada (QC)
3.5/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle courtesy of Jerc: Poured a deep black color porter with a small foamy head with limited retention and no lacing. Aroma of roasted bitter malt with some light dry coffee notes. Taste is also dominated by some roasted coffee notes with some light sweet notes. Body is very average with some medium to low carbonation. No a lot of complexity in this beer but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Dec 17, 2007Reviewed by sstackho from Canada (ON)
3.78/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.78/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
500 mL bottle purchased from LCBO in Toronto for $3.70. Pours a black with a smal brown head that dissipates quickly. Roasted malt aroma, but not overly strong. First taste is very nice - thick and oatmealy. Stays a treat all the way down with its nice thick feel.
Nov 25, 2007Reviewed by TerryW from Canada (ON)
3.23/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.23/5 rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Very dark with a surprisingly short head, but it does give up a lot of lace top to bottom.
Fruit and malt most noticeable in the nose, some molasses and grass. Pleasant, but not a very distinct aroma.
First mouthful was very metallic, but then settled down to bitterness and chalk. Taste profile very similar to aroma. Some molasses and chocolate, and again, not a dominating presence. Overall mouthfeel is quite thin. Dry lingering finish.
Well made, but there's better examples out there.
Nov 23, 2007Fruit and malt most noticeable in the nose, some molasses and grass. Pleasant, but not a very distinct aroma.
First mouthful was very metallic, but then settled down to bitterness and chalk. Taste profile very similar to aroma. Some molasses and chocolate, and again, not a dominating presence. Overall mouthfeel is quite thin. Dry lingering finish.
Well made, but there's better examples out there.
Reviewed by CAMRAhardliner from Canada (ON)
4.15/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.15/5 rDev +9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a nearly black ruby color. The frothy tan cap lasts a very short while but leaves spectacular sheets of lace on the glass. The aroma is pleasantly roasty and bitter sweet. It smells like dark chocolate was actually added to this beer, a good sign for porters. The taste follows suite with great roasted, faintly astringent black malt flavors melding with lots of dark chocolate and some butterscotch. Slightly smokey and leathery flavors emerge as the beer warms. The finish is moderately bitter with a slight sourness. The mouthfeel is light and flawlessly carbonated, its like velvet on my tongue.
This is a good porter, try it.
Nov 22, 2007This is a good porter, try it.
Porter from Harvey's Brewery
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
35 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!