Yards Brewing is one of the relatively younger craft breweries that I’ve been able to find more and more product from in recent months. From their clean pale ales this porter (based on Washington’s own recipe), the company has never let me down.
Dark, roasty and smooth this tavern porter is quite tasty and may be potent enough (7.5 % ABV) for you to cap your skull with a powdered wig and start your own little revolution.
Appearance
This Yards porter pours a dark grown with a mahogany edge. The large, light tan head faded slowly.
Aroma
A nice roasted malt base greets you along with subtle chocolates, molasses, a touch of vanilla and cigar tobacco. There’s a smoky char that envelops the beer, yet it’s still got a nice sweetness.
Taste
This is a smooth and tasty brew. The roasted malt (and light smoke) are the primary flavor, but it’s tempered nicely with the sweeter molasses (that shows more in the finish) and light chocolate presence. The beer is medium bodied with a smooth, slightly sweet finish. There’s not much of an alcohol presence behind the flavors that make up this beer — it’s hidden quite well.
Overall
This is a darn good porter. I enjoyed the smoky roast that it’s built off of, but it’s not nearly as sweet as some porters that I enjoy. I found that to be a nice change of pace and refreshing. The beer is easy (perhaps too easy) to drink despite the smokiness on the roast and the elevated ABV. I’ll definitely be looking for more of this in the Fall months later this year.
Rating: 3.5/5
