Etna Old Grind Porter

Brewed by Etna Brewing Co.
Style: Porter
Etna, California USA

Serve in English pint, Stem glass

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Roasty light chocolate aroma. Deep brown color with a thin tan head. Sweet floral notes, followed by chocolate, roasted malt and hop. Very tasty, and the sort of ale that could be drunk any time. Most porters don’t work that way. This is a very inviting ale.

Pours a medium brown with considerable light passing through the body, much like a dark brown ale. This, coupled with the nitro-like head, doesn’t make this porter the most attractive thing to look at. The nose is your usual creamy roasted malts, heavy on the lactic qualities and not very deep. Flavor is a semi-spicy milk, vanilla bean and french roast coffee, with a burnt grain flavor showing up right before a slightly bitter finish. Nothing exceptional, but it doesn’t turn the stomach either.

Pours dark brown with a fizzy tan head. Smells of chocolate, coffee, some touches of spice and pepper. Tastes chocolate with a complimentary amount of bitterness but lacking in malt depth. Not a whole lot else going on. Mouthfeel is thin and watery with a chocolatey finish.

Bomber poured a clear dark brown with a small lingering tan head. Aromas of roasted malt, coffee, cocoa, light earthiness and light carmel. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of roasted malt, coffee, light cocoa and light carmel with a smooth roasty finish.

Bottle provided by Steve in trade and served in my Stone IRS snifter:

Pours a moderate brown hue with a fizzy tan head and very good lace. The aroma has notes of piney hops, chocolate, walnut, hints of smoke and grapefruit esters. The taste starts more bitter than expected with a citric zest and coffee supporting act. Mild chocolate and burnt malt background leads to a mild astrengent finish. The feel is fizzy and thin, even more than most porters. Good and quaffable but I have had better.

Very dark brown color. Medium tannish head. Aroma is chocolate and roasted malt. A medium bodied porter, Malts are roasted, chocolate and coffee, touches of dark fruit and vanilla. Hops are mildly bitter. Smooth taste, soft carbonation. Nice slightly burnt and bitter finish. A nice mild porter, sort of in the English style, more than the west coast verity. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter

Bottle. Rich dark mahogony beer with a tan head. Light roast and chocolate aroma. Roasty, coffee, caramel flavor with some backing bitterness. Medium-plus bodied. Roast and chocolate lingers with some backing bitterness.

Picked this up at the Liquor Barn in Redding California, shared the 22 oz bomber with Aurelius. Ruby red to dark brown pour with a thick, mocha colored head. Aroma is laces with bittersweet chocolate goodness. Flavor is very earthy with some clean dirt notes, a bit of day old coffee and a mild hoppy profile in the back end. Fades just a tad near the finish as it loses some of its luster and becomes a bit muttled, but still not a bad porter.

UPDATED: JUN 13, 2004 Bottle pours dark brown, mediocre sandy colored head, with slight lacing.   Heavy coffee and roasted malt aroma.   Forwardly roasted malts, slight coffee, but it quickly subsides by the finish.   Body and mouthfeel are somewhat thin.   Only wishing this one was more flavorful on the finish.   This one seemed to be more of a Dark Ale crossed with a Porter.   Not bad, but not as heavy for a Porter as I would have liked.

Some malt, otherwise no aroma. A lot of coffee in this porter. Light finish to it. Quite drinkable, almost session-like. Not overpowering in any aspect.