Atwater Shamans Porter

Bottle courtesy of Duane, not sure of the age: Pours a nearly opaque with dark brown edges and a thin froth of dark tan head. Aroma of sweet dark caramel and roasted malts with a touch of light fruity tartness. Starts lightly sweet and chocolatey but has a fruity tartness that points to an infection, although it seems fairly subtle. Finishes drier and roasty with some lingering dark chocolate and a hint of acidity. Without an infection, this would be a pretty good porter.

Nice pour, a nearly black, nearly solid dark brown with a tall, creamy brown head. Wish it’d hung around longer. The aroma is a bitter chocolate blended with Brazil nuts and some sweet roasted malts. Reads better than it smelled. The flavor is of roasted sweet malts, old coffee, chocolate, and a strong nutty bitterness. Reads better than it tasted. Finishes on a grainy, bitter note. Probably rated better than it merits.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp?PlaceID=3776>Binny’s Beverage Depot, Orland Park, IL<font size=-1>

Near black pour with a taller bubbly light tan head. Aromas of sourdough and sweet roasted malt. Dark roasted malt and tar flavors. A mild lactose type sweetness mid to late sip. Some pine sap, earthy malt and ripe dark fruit join in the mix. Somewhat weak as a baltic porter.

New arrival in Iowa City. A light khaki colored head topped a very black body. The aroma is walnuts with some light cheap chocolate and day old coffee. The taste is old coffee with some light milk chocolate in the finish. Nice and roasted with a thin body. I got lots of diacetyl on the second try.

Bottle. Poured a black color with a moderate brown frothy head that was lasting. Moderate roasted malty aroma. Medium to full body with smooth texture. Balanced sweet roasted malt flavor with a small bitter bite at the finish. Good porter.