Meantime London Porter

Smell of coffee and tobaco, some bitterness, taste of coffee, a little watery, red-brown with no head

Another great effort from Meantime. Pours mahongany/red, with a frothy, tan head. Roasted malts, nuts, chocolate flavour, similar aroma with hints of coffee.

Bottle conditioned. Aimed originally at the American market, this and the IPA are becoming increasingly available in the UK. This is very much an American style beer. Tasty, pleasant, flavoursome, and quite clean. It’s a very enjoyable, slightly sweet, beer, that somehow lacks the grit, sweat, character and charm of the beers that make you gasp and swoon. It’s ticked all the right boxes, in all the right order. It’s in a sense, quite a commercially successful beer because it has managed to appeal to its target audience. It’s strong, without being too heady. Just strong enoiugh to give some body and weight, and to make the beer feel serious enough. It’s bitter, but not - thankfully - being too aggresive. It’s got dark chocolate and sweet coffee notes. It’s your American Porter by the numbers. It works. But it’s boring. Everything is where it is supposed to be. It tastes familiar and dull. It’s all quite expected and tidy and neatly done. It’s amazingly dull for such a tasty beer. It has none of the unexpected oddities and delights of the great beers - none of the surprising twists and novel turns. It has no originallity or spark. It is a mechanical beer. Well made, yes. But in a very plastic way. Do I enjoy drinking it? O yes. Very much. Do I think this is a great beer? No. Will I buy it again? Probably. Though I’d rather have the somewhat cheaper and more delightful cask version of Shepherd Neame’s Porter.

Dark brown color with a firm brown foam. Chocolate and coffee tones. Medium to light body with a bitter finish.

Bottled and on draft at Falling Rock. I like porters, but I usually don’t rave about porters. I love this beer, though. Great color, mouthfeel, aroma, and flavor. Probably what I would call too heavy to be true-to-style, but who cares? Chocolate. whole grain bread, a touch of sweetness, bitter like the carmelized juices on the outside of an herb-crusted rib roast. I only wish the brett-enhanced version would get here soon!

Bottled. Dark brown colour, brown head. Aroma is raosted malts, alcohol, slight leather and smoked wood. Flavour is roasted malts, alcohol, hops and roasted coffee. Pleasant mix.

Bottled. Dark brown, small but steady tan head. Smokey, roasted nose. Roasted, chocolaty flavor. Toasted aftertaste. Good balanced porter.

brown body with a light brown head.light aroma of toffee,coffee,chocolate,and roasted malts.flavor is the same with a bit of a milky/sour aftertaste.