St. George Porter is a treat for the senses
Hampton, Virginia is within close proximity to Williamsburg, Yorktown, and other areas that were critical in the founding of the American nation. The region is immersed in patriotism but one company that stands in contrast to this patriotic tone and shifts allegience to the British is Hampton’s St. George Brewery. This brewing operation is named after an English saint and it produces many quality malt beverage products, mainly in the English brewing tradition. One of the darkest and most flavorful among them is St. George Porter, a hearty English brew.
Beer Bio:
Style:English Porter
Alcohol Level: 5.0 percent by volume
Calories: Unknown
Carbs: Unknown
St. George Porter pours to a very dark brown color with a roasted malt nose. A good pour will please the senses, for it will result in a good, frothy head of foam and will encourage the release of even more of the aromatic roasty notes, which include scents of chocolate and bread.
St. George Porter offers a roasty flavor with some coffee notes, caramel flavor, and a touch of chocolate- very much the way one would expect the beer to taste based on aroma. The beer finishes the way a good porter should, with a sensation of bitterness that includes tastes of floral/earthy hops. However, the flavor remains balanced overall. The flavor sensations constantly shift back and froth from sweet to bitter with each passing sip. This beer has a bitterness rating that stands at a moderate level of just 32 IBU.
This porter is one of the better porters I have sampled in a long time and it ranks as one of the best examples of an English porter I have tried in the past year. This porter is medium in body yet robust and quite drinkable. The caramel/chocolate/coffee flavors add to the complexity of this porter and improve its overall appeal. The more I drank out of my glass, the more I liked this beer. It offers complexity and great taste without going to extremes, making it a very good session beer.
St. George products are not distributed very far, so if you happen to be in the Hampton, Virginia area, I recommend paying a visit to this brewery or making a special trip to a nearby Virginia grocery store (or possibly a North Carolina store- the other state where St. George products are sold) and picking up a six- pack or a sampler of St. George products in bottled form. If you can only choose one, St. George Porter is the beer I recommend most highly. Even non- porter fans will be hooked on this complex yet highly drinkable brew.
Rating: 9 Cheers out of 10
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