In the increasingly crowded shelves of a local bottle shop the way you market your beer, including the beer names and artwork, can make a huge difference in sales. Some breweries unfortunately still use sexist art and names, I for one refuse to drink any beer by a brewery that has offensive beer names/labels. I have seen a few people explain this away, insisting they don’t even notice label art and it has no effect on what beers they buy. This is probably BS, the artwork has a subconscious effect on everyone’s choices at the very least. I try to focus on the quality of the beer, but quality marketing can catch my eye and lead me to try something new. With this in mind it’s actually surprising that I haven’t reviewed any beers from Kelsen Brewing Company in Derry, NH yet. I’ve always been a big fan of fantasy novels from Tolkien to Jordan to Martin and beyond, so the swords, axes and dwarves are right up my alley. Recently I grabbed a bomber of Draken, Kelsen’s robust porter which is available year round on draft and in 750 mL bottles.
Kelsen Draken Robust Porter pours pitch black with a solid tan head. The scent is rich and bold roasted malt. The malts lead the flavor, touches of espresso, dark chocolate, caramel and raisin. There is enough hop character to add balance, some herbal and earthy notes along with a solid bitterness. Draken is full bodied with the rich mouthfeel you want in a robust porter, but with 6.8% ABV it isn’t going to put you under the table. The finish is crisp with some lingering roasted malt flavor. Kelsen Draken is a very good robust porter, tons of flavor and great drinkability. I really need to drink and review a few more of their beers in the near future! Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.
Greater Good Imperial Milk Porter pours pitch black with a solid khaki-colored head. the scent is mild, just a little roasted malt. The flavor is very malt forward, notes of black coffee, dark chocolate, burnt caramel and licorice. There is a hint of sweetness from the lactose, not as pronounced as some milk stouts. There are enough hops to add some balance, hints of grass and earth along with a touch of crispness in the finish. The beer is missing a little body, it doesn’t have that thick mouthfeel you expect from a big dark ale, but it drinks incredibly easy for a beer with 11% ABV. I can think of very few beers with double digit ABV that have no alcoholic flavor or burn, and this is one of them. The finish is dry with a little lingering malt flavor. Overall Imperial Milk Porter is a solid start for Greater Good, I like the concept of a brewery with all imperial beers and look forward to what they come up with next. Hoppy Boston score: 4.0/5.
RiverWalk Blackberry Porter pours pitch black with a massive purple-tined tan head. The aroma is mostly dark malts, roasty and sweet. The flavor is also malt forward, notes of milk chocolate, espresso and caramel. The blackberry flavor is subtle, enough to add complexity without being assertive. The beer has minimal hop flavor and just enough bitterness to crisp up the finish. Blackberry Porter is full bodied but drinks very easy for a beer with 8.5% ABV. The finish is rich with some lingering dark malt flavor. This is a really well made porter with an interesting twist, definitely a good beer for the upcoming winter months. Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.
Exhibit A The Cat’s Meow pours a hazy light orange with a small white head. The scent is a solid hit of hops, mostly citrus and tropical fruit. The flavor is also hop forward, notes of guava, grapefruit and mango along with a soft bitterness. There is just enough malt for balance, touches of crackers and honey. The Cat’s Meow is very easy to drink, that is one of the first things you notice as you try it, but at 6.5% ABV it packs a little punch. The finish is crisp and clean with a little lingering hop flavor. The flagship IPA is one of the most important beers for a new brewery, it will probably be the way that they introduce themselves to their customers, and this is a very nice start for Exhibit A. Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.
Exhibit A Demo Tape Five pours pitch black with a minimal tan head. The scent features some rich roasted malt. The flavor is malt forward, notes of milk chocolate, coffee and toffee. This is balanced by some mild hop flavor, earthy with a touch of bitterness. Demo Tape Five is full bodied but drinks easy and isn’t too boozy at 6.1% ABV. The finish is clean with a little lingering malt flavor. I am a huge fan or well made porters, especially when they focus on a solid recipe without the need of adjunct ingredients or huge ABVs. This is a very good beer and I’ve heard a rumor that it will soon become a regular part of the Exhibit A rotation (once they come up with a good name)! Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.
Ballast Point Homework Series #6 Robust Porter pours a deep brown with a solid khaki-colored head. The scent is a full hit of roasted malts. The beer is malt forward, notes of dark chocolate, coffee, toffee, plum and brown sugar. This is complemented by a touch of earthy hops that add balance and some late bitterness. The beer has a medium-full body but is smooth and easy to drink even though it packs some punch at 7.8% ABV. The finish is clean with some crisp hop bitterness and lingering malty flavor. I could definitely use this recipe as a basis for a future homebrew batch, I would probably make some adjustments to fit my personal preferences (and because I love to tinker), but this is a very good place to start. Hoppy Boston score: 4.25/5.
Trillium Pot and Kettle pours pitch black with a mild off-white head. The aroma is full of rich and dark roasted malt. The beer is very malt forward, notes of milk chocolate, caramel, espresso, date and tobacco. This is balanced by just a touch of earthy hops that add some late bitterness and help keep the beer from being sweet. The addition of oats means a full body, but the beer is pretty easy to drink at 7.5% ABV, you get just a hint of warming alcohol in the flavor. The finish is clean and dry with a little lingering dark malt flavor. I really enjoy Pot and Kettle, it is different than a lot of porters on the market but still delicious. On your next trip to Trillium to stock up on IPAs you should diversify a little and try a couple bottles of porter! Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.
RiverWalk Winter Porter pours pitch black with a mild tan head. The scent is a mixture of roasted malts and vanilla. The beer is very malt forward, notes of milk chocolate, espresso, caramel and molasses. The vanilla and cinnamon are present but subdued adding some pleasant complexity but letting the malt flavor shine. The hops are mild, just a little added bitterness and balance. Winter Porter is medium bodied and drinks pretty easy at 6.3% ABV. The finish is clean with some lingering roasted malt flavor. I really enjoyed Winter Porter, I understand why some of my fellow beer writers added it to their best of 2015 lists. I am also really glad that RiverWalk beers are readily available now so I can keep sampling their creations! Hoppy Boston score: 4.5/5.