Chocolate, charcoal, plums raisins and chalk in the nose. Opaque black body is topped by a generous, fine bubbled tan-brown head that coats the glass with lace and lasts throughout the tasting. Strong roasty component to a malt character that also offers plenty of cocoa. Sharp and tart undercurrent is perhaps a bit lactic? Sour fruit in the aftertaste. Dry medium body with gently prickly, long lasting effervescence. A very good porter that seems to have all the necessary elements but they just don’t quite come together for me. Perhaps the roasted character is a bit enthusiastic or the lactic quality was overly distracting. Shaker glass. Allowed to warm from fridge temperature. Bottle (bottle conditioned) purchased at the brewery in mid-June, 2008.

Bottle, 500 ml. A dark brown beer with no no head. Interesting ham aroma, almost like a smoked beer. A soft acidity, not really complex but quite good.

A deep dark porter with a thick collapsing off white head. Light chocolate malt in aroma, milkey and pleasant, powdery. In mouth , a nice clean bitter chocolate, grainy, lightsour notes. A bit thin but overall good porter. On tap at brewpub, April 2008.

En fût à la Ninkasi. Mousse brune abondante qui diminue mais qui reste. La bière est de couleur noir opaque. Au nez des arômes de chocolat noir, de café et de noix grillés se présentent. En bouche elle est légerte mais très goûteuse. On découvre tout d’abord un goût fumé qui laisse place à une légère torréfaction.

<b>Draught</b>. <i>At Vices et Versa</i>. Poured a near-opaque ruby-brown with an average tan lasting head. Solid deep roast aroma with raisin and faint cherry and mint, balanced by mild herbal bitterness. Same in the taste, nice and oily, also some molasses and peat to give it a unique tangy finish. Slick, oily body, not much carbonation, dry, roasty and lightly acidic in the finish. Really good stuff, heavy on the roast, light on the body, and drinkably dry.