I’ve had a few of the Anderson Valley Brewing beers in the past, most notably their Solstice varieties, and have never been disappointed. Craving something dark and full while at a local shop the other day, I spied this bottle of the company’s Deep Enders Dark Porter. Having never had this particular product, I snatched one up quickly.
While it’s not as full as I was initially craving, Deep Enders still proved to be a flavorful porter that treated me just right while grilling the other night.
Appearance
They certainly got the “Dark” part of the beer’s name right. This porter pours a very dark brown with a deep garnet edge. The light brown cap of foam faded slowly to a patchy lacing.
Aroma
Smells like a porter to me. Dark, roasty malts, a bit of black coffee, subtle chocolates and a welcome hop presence round out the nose on this beer nicely.
Taste
I found this one to be quite smooth with a great roasted malt character. To accompany the roast notes, there’s some black coffee, as well. A slight dark chocolate component comes out more toward the lingering finish that also carries a slight hop bitterness as a nice counter to the sweetness of the brew.
Overall
Not a bad brew. It’s got a deep and full flavor while still remaining quite easy to drink. I love the roasted nature of the malts and the fairly smooth mouthfeel. I could drink this one any time of year.
Rating: 3.5/5
