My first ATS Beer review :)

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

As per Interest with in the community, I have decided to share with all of you my passion for beer. I've been saying I was going to start doing reviews for a while now, due to work, family, and my overburden of Hobbies I have been slacking off a little.

How ever, slacking off and enjoying a beer go hand in hand. Now that I'm not sanding a guitar, or dragging in a 5lb rainbow trout I have plenty of time to go forth and review.

Today's Beer is Called Black Death, Porter. It's brewed by a company called Russel Brewing company.

They have been around since 1995, but share many recipes with their sister company Fort Gary Brewery which has been bringing delicious unpasteurized micro brews to consumers since the 1930's.

Porter, is a dark beer originating in london in the 18th century, and is a descendant of Brown Ale. Traditionally they are well hopped, and made from brown malt. It shares many similarities with stout, and many differences.

Introducing Russel's Black Death Porter.


I will admit, the name entirely enticed me into this beer. I absolutely lust of dark hearty beer, and being a porter this beer was immediately attractive to me. The Name Black Death, immediately inspired thoughts of a deliciously contagious beer ready to make it's outbreak into the world.

I decided to enjoy this beer in a stout glass, as dark beer should be plenty of room for head, and a wide mouth to present the nose with it's aromatic pallet.


The pour.


This beer poured really smooth, as dark a beer as they come. How ever I was really disappointed in the head of this beer. It was really, light with a color similar to that of a mild oatmeal stout. This could be due to the fact the beer may have been slightly over chilled. I decided to have this beer at about 14C which is fairly typical of a porter.


Many of the porters I hold in high regard tend to have a lighter fluffier head, that lingers well into the first few sips. I found the head almost disappeared once I dove in for my first taste.

As far as the sent goes this porter is right up there. Very light aroma, not displeasing to the senses at all. You can smell the Malt, with an almost toasted marshmallow/coffee aroma.

As far as the taste goes, it's an average porter. Hints of coffee, mildly bitter, with a hint of caramel aftertaste. It feels nice in the mouth, very silky doesn't coat the tongue or throat.

All in all, it is a pleasant beer. I would absolutely drink it again, and though I may not recommend it to first time dark beer drinkers it is a nice beer. It doesn't sit heavy in your stomach, and it is more than palatable.

I think this beer would go very nice with beef, or salty foods as it would counteract some of it's bitterness.


Well ATS, this is my very first review. It was not my first choice as a review, and it's a tad rushed but I have to break the ice some how. I had begun work reviewing an Amber ale, but have seemed to lose my word file, and could not give it the appropriate review so many days later.

I do have a stout I will be reviewing another day. I am open to all requests and suggestions and would love to hear some feedback. My reviews will be more in depth as they go along. I am not sure of a rating system for the beer as my tastes are likely incredibly different than everyone else. This in part is why I would love to try some beers many of you enjoy so that I can perhaps give you a better understanding of my own experience.

Please enjoy responsibly,

Sincerely,

Hijinx.

reply to post by Hijinx


Nice I'm all for this reviewing idea, just a shame I doubt I can get that in the UK.

I noticed it is 6.5% too, is it too heavy to drink lots or would it still hold it's own as a session drink?
I love a good Porter myself nothing better than the dark side of alcohol, was the glass dry and clean?
I can tell you from experience any liquid, trace of soap or dirt will kill the head on a beer/ale very quickly. You probably knew that though right? Shame the head doesn't last so long.

Maybe a UK member should do some reviews on our own micro brewery alcohol here in good old blighty. We have plenty of quality beers and such.


S + F

Thank you for the review, the pictures were excellent and make me want to try it though I am not into very heavy stouts. I had to use a lot of lime in England with their stouts. I really enjoy ciders, and recently found Angry orchard which I LOVE!

So, great post and I hope you do some more!

Cheers!

reply to post by Hijinx


That was fantastic review.

It makes me want to go out and get one right now. . But, since all I have is Cognac, I'll have one of those instead.

Cheers.

Anyways,

You should put a marker of some kind in the title so that all of your reviews can be easily indexed and searched.

reply to post by Hijinx


Looks lovely that does! And 6.5%!!!!! Proper ale innit...

I don't want to go to work now.

RAY1990
reply to post by Hijinx

 

Nice I'm all for this reviewing idea, just a shame I doubt I can get that in the UK.

I noticed it is 6.5% too, is it too heavy to drink lots or would it still hold it's own as a session drink?
I love a good Porter myself nothing better than the dark side of alcohol, was the glass dry and clean?
I can tell you from experience any liquid, trace of soap or dirt will kill the head on a beer/ale very quickly. You probably knew that though right? Shame the head doesn't last so long.

Maybe a UK member should do some reviews on our own micro brewery alcohol here in good old blighty. We have plenty of quality beers and such.


S + F

Hey Mate! I'm happy you enjoyed the review, in fact I was wondering if it would be possible to get an "exchange" type thing going with some of the adult members, but I'm not sure if that would be okay with T&C, or if it's even legal. It's something I'd definitely have to look in to.

It is a 6.5, and it certainly doesn't taste like it. In fact the one of the porter I regularly drink is 8.5, so I will definitely review that for you guys as well. It's one of my favorites, and doesn't taste like some of the beers out west that are "high test."

I try to do my best to clean my glasses with hot water only. I avoid soup unless absolutely necessary, and do my best to make sure the glass is clean and dry with every pour. I would love to have more folks do their reviews as well.

Sorry I missed your first bit there. I will absolutely include this in further reviews. It's not as heavy as many stouts are, but it's no light beer. You could thoroughly enjoy more than a few of them, but it's not a chug a lug type beer at all. Definitely would go well with good friends and conversation.

UnifiedSerenity
Thank you for the review, the pictures were excellent and make me want to try it though I am not into very heavy stouts. I had to use a lot of lime in England with their stouts. I really enjoy ciders, and recently found Angry orchard which I LOVE!

So, great post and I hope you do some more!

Cheers!

Thank you!! I want to try and do one every week or two, when time and money allows it. I have dozens of pictures of various different beers I've tried as I've been thinking of this for a while, but I can't really do a good review after the fact.

Thank you for the interest

reply to post by Hijinx

Hey Mate! I'm happy you enjoyed the review, in fact I was wondering if it would be possible to get an "exchange" type thing going with some of the adult members, but I'm not sure if that would be okay with T&C, or if it's even legal. It's something I'd definitely have to look in to.

I'm not sure by the T&C's of the site but it is legal to send alcohol I have found after a little digging, I have read a few sites where it basically says shipping companies won't touch liquids but if you were to use a licensed vendor to ship your bottles etc you will be covered. Since they know licensed vendors will package them properly, just need to find a licensed vendor who will ship nationally or/and internationally.

Here's a link:
How to ship beer

I did enjoy the thread mate, it's inspired me to maybe do my own UK review. I already have a few brews in mind, so cheers and keep em coming.

Nice! Im looking forward to more of your reviews! I have a bevmo close to me, so I need to make a trip and try that beer! That would be awesome to ship beers to eachother! Thats a good idea, if it fits it ships!!!!!!!!!!

reply to post by Tylerdurden1


I wish you the best of luck in finding it. If you can not I have another suggestion for you, it's called Black Butte porter. It's very nice, and I know the Bevmos can get it.




I'd be happy to do a review for that one for you guys as well, it will have to wait a bit though. The next review will be about Fatguy stout as i got a deal when I bought the black death. So next time I'm going to buy beer, I could do that one or another all together. I do how ever recommend it if you enjoy dark beer. I like it better than the black death.

reply to post by Hijinx


I know many wine experts. The one thing they all have in common: they all think the rest are idiots.

Taste is subjective. So tell us your thoughts. I would bet all people would pick up at least part of what you describe should they try it themselves.

Nice. I like the images. I like a nice dark beer on a cold day.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Thanks Tex, I am not by any means trying to be an expert, and I totally understand what you mean. I know more than a few wine "experts," and half the time I think they are talking out their butts. I can pick up on some of it, and I do understand there are many tastes, textures and subtleties many may not be attuned to such as an "expert" would.

I intend this to be merely a representation of my experience .

Thank you for stopping by, I don't know if I will continue my future reviews in this thread, or start a master thread and put them all in there.

Thanks for the link!
The Black Death looks and sounds tasty. I could never drink the stouts until after I had my second child, but by the end of that pregnancy I had a Guinness waiting for me in the fridge. After getting home from the hospital, it was the best beer I ever had.

This one sounds like a much smoother easier version of a stout. I think I will have to go find one too. The black butte porter is also a pretty good one. Another good one is dirty bastard, I think, I will have to ask my husband when he gets home. He used to drink one once in awhile. They are actually heavier than a Guinness though so I never drank one by myself.

Thanks for sharing! Enjoy your next one.

reply to post by Hijinx


Part 2 can be found here www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by Hijinx


What's your feeling on Breckenridge Brewery and Flying Dog? I have been trying those out lately.

So far Breckenridge vanilla porter has been my favorite.

Someone mentioned something at the beer store today and said it was limited to 3 per customer. I want to say it started with an M. Like miserable or mystery. I am going crazy trying to remember.

He also mentioned Rez. I don't know if her was referring to Resin (which I picked up a pack of) or something else.

Sounds like my perfect beer.
Im stuck between Guiness Stout and Sierra Navdas torpedos Ipa.
Have to give it a try.

reply to post by overanocean


Ever have an "irish carbomb?"
About 1/3 a can of Guinness, a 3/4 shot of Jameson whiskey topped off with 1/4 Bailey's cream?
Pour the Guinness, drop the shot when you are ready. Finish fast.

I'm a fiend for those.

reply to post by overanocean


Guiness isn't the same outside of Ireland, there is just something different maybe it's psychological.

It is best from the Can with Widget though.

Try some other stouts, guinness is fairly unique.

reply to post by GogoVicMorrow


I love Irish Car bombs!!!

I actually introduced my mother to them over christmas it was pretty funny.

reply to post by GogoVicMorrow


Breckenbridge is #ing amazing!!!

I love Vanilla porter!! In Fact I don't think I have had a porter I have not liked.

How ever I really enjoy my Bitters so Stouts are still my favourite.