Good evening all. The exams are finally over, so I've been whittling away the last few hours drinking a few interesting beers, including a couple of firm favourites like 77 Lager and Stone IPA. As per usual I've saved the best for last, which I shall reveal in the next blog post, but for the moment it's the turn of a beer that's completely new to me- Cutthroat Porter from Odell Brewing Co. I've had a few of their beers before but haven't had one in this particular style, so I'm looking forward to it already! Review after the pic....
Cutthroat Porter (5.0% ABV) pours a dark black colour with a light beige head that quickly dissolves to a patchy covering on the surface of the beer. The aroma is very subtle, with roasted malt, coffee and a hint of tobacco. The taste is much of the same, with roasted malt, coffee and a dark fruit flavour (predominantly blackcurrant). The mouthfeel is quite light and moderately carbonated. Unfortunately there's not a lot to talk about with this beer, but that doesn't make it bad at all. It's a lesson in subtlety and restraint which pays off very nicely, and considering the relatively low ABV percentage, there is still a lot of the porter/stout character you'd expect from a slightly stronger beer. The subtlety of this beer seems to be reflected in the other Odell beers I've tried before. I remember their IPA being quite flat and disappointing and Myrcenary, despite being an interesting idea in the context of brewing, wasn't particularly exciting either. I do hope to try more Odell beers, particularly their "Friek" lambic, but so far I keep getting the impression that this is a brewery with a lot of talent but a bit too much reserve.
Until next time....
