With the weather finally cooling down a bit, it’s a great time to start considering heartier spirits. This week at my local liquor store, the guys behind the counter recommend Einstock’s Toasted porter. As usual for my reviews, I’ll go over the maker of the spirit first. From there, I get into my tasting notes on the drink, and, finally, conclude with some notes on how I plan to enjoy it.
Porters are a generally dark beer that comes in at a little higher alcohol content than, say, a Lager. This style of beer works great in cold, damp weather, which is exactly why I figured Einstock would do it well. Einstock, who makes their beer 60 miles South of the Arctic circle, has been breaking into the craft beer market in the US for the last several years, though this is the first time I’ve been able to get it in Miami. If you do find yourself up in the great white North, they offer brewery tours, and then you can enjoy this in a place that has reindeer, rather than my local iguanas.
For most beers, my tasting procedure is very simple. I chill the beer, open the can, and give it a good pour into a clean pint glass. From there, I give it a good smell and wait for the head to dissipate. For this porter, I didn’t get much head that needed to settle, and once it did, I got right to drinking.
The first thing I noticed about this beer is the color. In the glass, you would think it’s cola. That darkness makes me think there’s some richness in flavor, too. In terms of smell, this is really easy to get around porter. The only scent that stuck out to me is a mild nuttiness that invited me to sip.
Upon sipping this Toasted porter is a lot more drinkable than most porters, which often feel heavy on the palette. This one, on the other hand, has a deep nuttiness that makes sense given the smell, but also nice elements that might be almost floral if they were in a lighter beer like a lager. The carbonation does dissipate quickly, which I expect from a porter, and I wouldn’t let this beer sit too long without drinking it: that nuttiness will go stale if you let the beer get warm.
In terms of drinking this toasted porter, keep things simple. Drink it cold and out of a glass. I wouldn’t drink it from a can because it does smell so nice, and being in the can will keep a lot of that experience trapped in the top of the can.
While I had it by itself for this review, I’d very much enjoy this beer with red meat such as a steak or a burger. It would also pair very nicely with stews.
All in all, Einstock’s Toasted Porter is an excellent beer. If you find yourself ordering something hearty on a cool fall evening, pair it with this if you want a dark beer that won’t ruin your appetite for dinner.
Porters are a generally dark beer that comes in at a little higher alcohol content than, say, a Lager. This style of beer works great in cold, damp weather, which is exactly why I figured Einstock would do it well. Einstock, who makes their beer 60 miles South of the Arctic circle, has been breaking into the craft beer market in the US for the last several years, though this is the first time I’ve been able to get it in Miami. If you do find yourself up in the great white North, they offer brewery tours, and then you can enjoy this in a place that has reindeer, rather than my local iguanas.
For most beers, my tasting procedure is very simple. I chill the beer, open the can, and give it a good pour into a clean pint glass. From there, I give it a good smell and wait for the head to dissipate. For this porter, I didn’t get much head that needed to settle, and once it did, I got right to drinking.
The first thing I noticed about this beer is the color. In the glass, you would think it’s cola. That darkness makes me think there’s some richness in flavor, too. In terms of smell, this is really easy to get around porter. The only scent that stuck out to me is a mild nuttiness that invited me to sip.
Upon sipping this Toasted porter is a lot more drinkable than most porters, which often feel heavy on the palette. This one, on the other hand, has a deep nuttiness that makes sense given the smell, but also nice elements that might be almost floral if they were in a lighter beer like a lager. The carbonation does dissipate quickly, which I expect from a porter, and I wouldn’t let this beer sit too long without drinking it: that nuttiness will go stale if you let the beer get warm.
In terms of drinking this toasted porter, keep things simple. Drink it cold and out of a glass. I wouldn’t drink it from a can because it does smell so nice, and being in the can will keep a lot of that experience trapped in the top of the can.
While I had it by itself for this review, I’d very much enjoy this beer with red meat such as a steak or a burger. It would also pair very nicely with stews.
All in all, Einstock’s Toasted Porter is an excellent beer. If you find yourself ordering something hearty on a cool fall evening, pair it with this if you want a dark beer that won’t ruin your appetite for dinner.
