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750ml

Brewed 6/1/06
Bottled 2/5/07

Bottle #150 of 672

I have here yet another great Short's beer from the man himself, hoppymeal. Thanks again Derek! Publican Porter is a monster that gurgles like motor oil out of its bottle and into my snifter. A dense head slowly rises to a fingers worth of height before just as slowly receding to a thin cap and thick collar. The head is so dark brown that it actually has that purple hue to it and ends up leaving many small spots of foam behind after each tip of the glass. The body? Well it's deep, dark, and completely black.

This beer smells amazing! Dark chocolate and cocoa leap from the bottle directly up and into my nose. Oats and moderately roasted barley all fit right into place and ratchet up the aroma even higher. Behind all these robust aromas there's layer upon layer of brown sugar, blackstrap molasses, anise, fudge, bitter roastiness, heavy cream and spent coffee grounds all in that order. This is a porter that's complex like no porter I've yet come across.

Everything I described in that paragraph above applies to the flavor. The roastiness and chocolate own this beer with all the other aspects swirling around and constantly changing. This beer is a piece of work in the bets way possible. A porter unlike any I've sampled in the past. The long finish leaves candied plum fruitiness behind. There isn't a hint of the 9.5% abv noticeable throughout the entire drink. I'm really digging Publican Porter.

The mouthfeel is as good as it gets and actually unexpected. Each sip is heavy on the tongue but perfectly velvety without a hint of stick. The mellow carbonation lets this brew glide right through the mouth.

I hate to sound cliché but there's no other way to describe this one. Publican Porter is dangerously drinkable. The big abv is nowhere to be found and this beer drinks like a dream.

I would love to get my hands on a couple more bottles of this nectar. I can't see it getting a whole lot better with age but I can see it staying at its peak awhile longer. Thanks for the treat Derek, again, a big thank you!

Reviewed: 1/5/09

Served In: Pint Glass

A big thanks to my buddy Kyle (Floydster) for sharing this one at the Ballast Point 12th Anniversary Fest. Bottle #191/672

Pours jet black with some head, good retention with some racing. A good, steady, ring around the glass.

The aroma is rather dull and not as intense as I would hope. Didn’t pick up much at first but as I started drinking, and as the beer warmed up a bit, I detected some dark roasted malts and bitter chocolate. Roasted barley was there too.

The taste is a step up from the aroma, more robust and bold. Dark bitter chocolate, roasted barley, coffee, dark fruits, and prunes. As it warms up, the malt profile enhances and becomes more intense with some toasted and multi-grain bread. Some berry flavors also develop.

Medium carbonation and smooth, yet still feels a tad thin—similar to most of the Short’s beers I have tried.

A good beer but from the other reviews and noise I’ve heard from this beer I expected a bit more.

Served In: Other