Barley Days Yuletide Cherry Porter

Okay, I'm back. I've been pulled out of hiding to write in this beer blog again. Maybe it's due to the fact that I know there are at least two people that read this that don't have the same last name as me. Maybe it's also due to the fact that although I had been on a pretty good healthy streak since Christmas's "devastation of decadence" I had recently learned from CP24 that drinking a beer a day is good for you! They mentioned that it lowers your chance of high blood pressure and type 2 Diabetes. That's pretty awesome, eh? They also mentioned that people who had a beer a day while also maintaining a healthy "Mediterranean" style diet (tons of fruit and veg, some fish) actually ended up losing weight. There's probably issues with what they are saying and maybe that doesn't mean I should sit back with some fish and chips and let the brews ride in but it's gotten me to write this blog again. It's not like I stopped drinking beer, just took more of a break on the weekdays.

This beer, the Barley Days Yuletide Cherry Porter, is only available in 6 pack. Which, lets face it, is kind of a bitch. I don't necessarily want to try something if I have to commit to a higher price tag and more bottles of the stuff if I end up not liking this. However, I knew I was having some relatives over and we could share it so that gave me the chance to try something that sounded interesting. I am a fan of porters and I did really enjoy the Trafalgar Brewery Cherry Ale when I had it a few times last summer (totally light, totally sweet, totally unique!) I've also tried Barley Days' Harvest Gold Pale Ale and Wind & Sail Dark Ale which were both pretty great and I would highly recommend. So, I figured, lets give'r.

According to the Barley Days website, this beer's mix of English hops and malts with cherries is supposed to give it "lush flavour". Sounds alright to me.

It pours really dark with a light brown head. The one problem that I kept running into with this beer is that it foams up really easily. Not sure why that is, I may be a retard, but I haven't really dealt with a beer like this before where majority of the bottles I open I have a wicked foam problem.

First sip is really fizzy, that slightly metallic/smoky porter flavour soothes in. I can barely taste the cherry. Even in my mouth it feels like it turns instantly into foam just by a simple swish of the tongue. I feel like if this beer was not as fizzy it would be a bit more pleasant. It still is very nice, but mainly because I love a good porter and this one is quite drinkable.

Now I'm just trying it with some brie on crackers. The beer does taste a bit better. I'd say at this point that the cherry is detectable but it's almost like you have to think about it and find it as opposed to having it subtly present itself within the porter's overt darkness.

70 % : Tasty and drinkable but nothing stands out about this porter even though it is a cherry porter. The cherry flavour is really hidden and the beer is way too fizzy and foamy.