Far West Brewing Co.
Redmond, WA
Available: WA
A hearty, dark beer with rich coffee, chocolate and caramel flavors. This complex porter was a 2005 medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival.
Alcohol (vol.): 6.2%
Color: Black
Bitterness: 42
Original Gravity: 1.064
A jet-black beer with ruby highlights and a name that recalls the first 18th-century London porter, a mix of three beers: pale, brown and “stale” (old) ales. It has an enticing aroma of roasted grain, burn fruit, licorice and peppery hops. Bitter fruit, dark grain and bitter hops fill the mouth, while the finish has a rich, malty sweetness that balances the tart fruit and spicy hops, but it finally becomes dry and bitter. Wonderfully refreshing.
With a friendly blond head, deep mahogany color and a wondrous roasty bouquet, this is a beer to remember. A porter among the best, and a proper 22-ounce measure to ensure the satisfaction that only such richness and roast malt character can guarantee. Definitely worth a trip to Seattle and down to Redmond, at the south end of beautiful Lake Washington.
Creamy and pleasingly sweet, with cocoa, malted milk balls and caramel. Subtle smoke, black licorice and espresso add intrigue. Liquid dessert. Drinks like a warm, comfortable blanket on a bitterly cold day.
Roger Protz is the author of Complete Guide to World Beer and 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. He is a respected beer authority and editor of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
Fred Eckhardt lives, writes about and drinks beer in Portland, OR. He is the author of The Essentials of Beer and Sake (USA).
John Hansell is an equal-opportunity drinker. He writes about beer, wine and spirits. He is the creator, publisher & editor of Malt Advocate, a magazine for the whisky enthusiast.
