Barley Days Cherry Porter

Name: Yuletide Cherry Porter
Style: Porter
ABV: 5.5%
Serving: 341ml bottle
Brewery: Barley Days Brewery
Location: Prince Edward County, ON, Canada
Weblink: Barley Days

So, a few leftovers from Christmas indulgence. Got to get these drunk before we stock up on the summer brews! So Sunday afternoon, Pyropette concocting her delicious ribs and working up to superb, cheesy cornbread. Ah... what could be nicer with that than sipping at some more of Ontario's craft brewers' fine product?

The beer pours very dark, with only a hint of oaky brown at the edges, topped with a dense head of fine creamy-beige bubbles. The aroma is a pleasant, if slightly odd, combination of toasty, marmitey malt and maraschino cherry. The over-toasted malt bitterness (not a hop bitterness) carries through into the first sip, but rapidly gives way to a more coffee-tobacco feel. After this the cherry starts to make its presence felt, with a sharply sour red cherry taste coming through as the beer hits the back of your mouth. After swallowing the cherry slowly dissipates and is replaces by a wet oak and musty leather aftertaste. Now that, that I could live without. Up until this point I had been enjoying this beer. The sour fruit notes I'd usually associate with a lambic transplanted into a dark bitter, curious and very tasty. But that lingering hint of water-damaged library that finishes the drink isn't so pleasant. The solution? Keep sipping!

UPDATE: Feb. 6, 2011. Ok, so I know it has been a while since I wrote this, but I have finally managed to try this beer on tap... and what a revelation. Much, much, much better than the bottled variety, and it really does make me wonder about the abilities of the LCBO where it comes to beer sales. The beer was full-flavoured and sprightly. It still has the toasted malt tones, but these hedge more to the tobacco end of the scale. The cherry comes through smooth and powerful, with a mouth-filling sweet and sour cascade of red cherry goodness. And the finish? Pure cherry with a hint of coffee, no bookishness to be had anywhere...