Black Creek Porter

This beer is not exactly new to me. I had planned to review this beer last sunday but I purchased it on the friday and after having a few other beers I decided that I needed just one more and the Black Creek was the only one left. I do not regret this one bit. At the time I was absolutely floored by it but keep in mind that I had already drank five beers. Now, most beer connoisseurs will agree with me on this: the first few beers all taste great but after four, five, and onwards the flavour does not have as much of an impact and you almost prefer something more bland or light. Most beer connoisseurs will also agree with me that a porter is a dark and heavy beer - so not the kind of beer you want to finish a session with, especially a long session that leaves you pretty inebriated. I persevered though and did not regret it. It's not that it was a light beer, it was still heavy and dark but it tasted so delicious that it felt like the first beer. I knew I would be going back to this beer again and again and again. Hello my new Go-To Porter (I'll still love you Fuller's London Porter, but you've been somewhat replaced.)

I would say my first experience with the Black Creek Porter is a little unfair to use as a review. I'm going completely off memory and I already had quite a few beers. I like to review beers for this blog by being completely sober when I start the process and write my initial thoughts as I take my first few sips then expand from there. However, this sort of situation will happen again I'm sure because I love beer and I really don't mind drinking a really great beer multiple times.

According to the Black Creek Brewery website, the Porter was developed in the 1750s, has a heavier flavour and aroma and slightly sweeter taste, and the name probably originates in the belief that this drink was ideal for hard-working porters and labourers. Probably. That is kind of presumptuous. Oh well. The website also recommends having it on its own or with salty snacks. I almost copied and pasted the entire summary of the beer so you can see that they don't have a lot to say and that is really fine because if my memory serves me right (which it may not I was pretty drunk at the time) it is a great beer and words are not needed to describe its briliance. Also, another note, Black Creek also produces a Dark Ale, a Pale Ale, and an Indian Pale Ale. Must track down!

This stuff pours out dark brown but surprisingly clean looking with lots of carbonation and not a lot of head. First sip and it is definitely a keeper. What I love about this Porter is how it has just the right amount of flavour. First it zaps your tongue with carbonation and bitterness but doesn't overload you with too much nor does it overload with too much sweetness in the aftertaste. It's almost, dare I say, refreshing? Believe it or not, this may be the most refreshing porter I've had. Porters are similar to Stouts, which I reviewed in my last post, but they are a bit smoother and lighter.

My only complaint about this beer would be that it definitely nails the crisp, clean and refreshing take on a porter but it fails to bring anything superbly innovative in terms of other flavours. It's a great flavour, mind you, but one gets the feeling that it's somewhat standard in the flavour of a porter.

However, I just took a sip with a bite of a meatball sub (my dinner... I know I know) and the flavour gets a bit more interesting as it reacts to the food. Overall, I am enjoying this but I do not feel like I am trying something that is entirely unique or innovative, just delicious.

80 % : A great porter! Highly enjoyable! Crisp, refreshing and great with food! Just maybe not the most unique porter out there? Either way, it's still a delicious beer!