1872 Porter - Elland Brewery

GrittyMug345

Maine

4.72/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on cask at the NERAX @ Novare event in Portland, ME on 10/24/09. Poured into an imperial pint, a solidly black body with a coarse one finger head that settles to a thin, coffee colored veil. The nose is full of coffee and roasted malt, nice and acrid as well. The taste is...perfect! Smooth sweet malt with hints of bitter chocolate and a delicate hop finish, wow, this is probably the best porter I have had. Mouthfeel is very smooth, a little slick on the tongue, nice medium body, dry finish that leaves you wanting more, and more, and more! I went to this event planning to sample as many casks as I reasonably could, this beer changed my plans - once I tried it I had to try it two more times immediately after. Very, very good.

Serving type: cask

10-29-2009 13:44:22 | More by GrittyMug345

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%

02-24-2013 20:36:27 | More by Beerstorian

StJamesGate

New York

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On cask at the 2011 Belfast Beer Festival.

Opaque black with tan froth. Baker's chocolate and tar on the nose.
Molasses, sour dark malts and oily espresso beans up front with hint of black grape and ash, then blackberry and branch end.
Licorice end and dry smokey linger. Medium, chewy, good cling.

No joke - a serious dark beer with roasty meaty flavors. Maybe not heavy enough be an RIS, but some of the same notes. I can see where this is a throwback, because there's not many beers these days with so many unapologetically sharp edges.

Harsh, but worth it.

PS - American Porter? What kind of idiocy is that? It's based on a vintage English recipe, it doesn't get less American than that.

Serving type: cask

11-21-2011 11:40:50 | More by StJamesGate

ThirstyBird

Germany

4.15/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On cask at NERAX
Super dark brown/black with a thin dark tan head that settles to a loose skim. Smells of roasted malt, chocolate - you can get the bitter dryness on the nose as well.
The taste is full, Dark fruit, coffee, roasted malt. The bitter aftertaste really lingers and there is some sweetness witch joins in to make it very pleasurable. Medium body and super smooth. A very tasty and drinkable brew.

Serving type: cask

03-26-2010 16:24:25 | More by ThirstyBird

stcules

Italy

4.03/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Black color. Absolutely black. One inch of brownish foam, longstanding.
Roasted smell, with ash, burned, smoke, rucola, bitter herbs. Wow.
The taste too: bitter, herbal, lightly smoked. Then a good cappuccino. And in the end a strong bitterness, peristent, of roasted coffee.
Good.
A good definite bitterness, with a very long persistence in the mouth. Then smoke again, chicory, bitter chocolate.
Bitter aftertaste, long, roasted and burned.
Very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2005 15:07:35 | More by stcules

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

4.53/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Tried this beer on cask at the GBBF 05 by courtesy of David Sanders, the head brewer of this beer!

The beer looks very dark--from dark brown to almost black... with a thin, fluffy beer head...
The complex nose has leather, very dark chocolate, coffee beans, licorice... against a slightly smooth malty background.
The taste... wow... mouthful of rich chocolates, coffee, juicy roasted barley...leaving a dryish and thirst-quenching, intense finish along with a nice, chocolaty flavour in the background.
The mouthfeel is just sensational--extremely smooth, or almost creamy, and satisfyingly warmish with a deeply, spicy and licorice-like kickback in the long finish... This is a powerful but well-balanced, full-flavoured porter which any porter-goer should taste. Just brilliant~~ Three cheers to Mr. Sanders!!

Serving type: cask

08-05-2005 01:57:43 | More by wl0307