Samuel Adams Honey Porter
Samuel Adams Honey Porter is Jim Koch’s version of an English-style robust porter. The label touts a roasted malt flavor, traditional English hops, and dry-hopping with English Goldings hops. The interesting thing about this beer is that it is brewed with Scottish Heather honey.
It pours a dark brown color with ruby highlights, with a french-vanilla colored head. The head is substantial, and the lacing is excellent. There is a nice floral aroma, and the beer feels substantial on the palate. The initial taste is very nice, but there is a hint of a spicy bitterness at the finish that I found moderately unpleasant. I actually couldn’t tell whether it was a slight excess in hop bittering that bothered me, or whether it was a characteristic of heather coming from the beer via the honey.
A good, but not great, beer. I’d drink more.
