Hoogstraten Poorter
07/08/06- Purchased at Bevmo in San Mateo, CA. Presentation- 750ml bottle, capped with an addition swingtop attached if you can't handle draining 25.4oz of 6% or so abv beer. No freshness dating, poured into my Stone RIS tulip. Appearance- Medium brown, maybe fig colored. Large and creamy head rises to the top of the glass. Takes three fillings to get the whole bottle in. Lacing is nice and patchy. Smell- Really not one that jumps out at your nose. More sweetness than I expected. Maybe a bit buttery. Almost like a nose of a Belgian Pale. Spices and maybe some powdered sugar to go along with a bit of malt. Taste- Porter? My first sip and many after had an odd somewhat metallic taste. I was trying to pinpoint the taste when my wife tasted it and said "Yuk, liver and onions". I tasted it again and she was right on about the liver part. I really does have an odd animal flesh taste. I got used to it and sucked the rest down. Malty..a bit, sugary and sweet...more so. If you really get into th swishing of the liquid you can pick up some berry type flavors...maybe some kind of currant. Mouthfeel- Fuller than would think by the abv. Medium carbonation level, somewhat creamy and smooth texture. Drinkability- For a porter I would not buy again, but for a beer just at that, it's a possibility. Rather odd tastes, but pretty good at that. Interesting for sure.