Ska Brewing Ten Pin Porter
I still have a few beers to go in the mixed six pack that I brought home from the Outer Banks a couple of weeks ago. This bottle of Ska Brewing Ten Pin Porter is brewed in Colorado — no where near OBX obviously. I picked up this brew for two reasons. Firstly, I was in the mood for a porter to balance out all of the IPAs that I had selected. And secondly, this would be only my second offering (the first being their Decadent Imperial IPA) from Ska Brewing that I’ve had the chance to enjoy — they don’t distribute to Virginia.
At any rate, Ten Pin Porter is a 5.5% ABV brew that’s made with six different malts plus a combination of Willamette and Perle hop varieties. The result is a pretty robust, though not too robust, little beer that packs a good amount of roasty malt character. I can see this one sitting comfortably in my fridge in the future, if the brewery decides to start shipping out this way.
Appearance
Ten Pin Porter pours with a massive stack of rocky, mocha colored foam atop dark brown liquid.
Aroma
An array of scents fill the nose softly: chocolate, light coffee, dark roast malt, grain and a distant leafy hop presence.
Taste
The beer arrives full on the palate, but quickly thins out a bit mid swallow. It’s got a good amount of coffee and chocolate with an earthy character. A light hop bitterness lingers gently in the lasting finish. Ten Pin Porter drinks smooth with a moderate robustness that is approachable and at 5.5% ABV it’s not going to knock you over after one or two.
Overall
I liked this brew. It’s not earthy shattering, but not every beer needs to be. Ten Pin Porter offers an accessible porter with just the right amount of robustness and dark malt flavors. It’s easy drinking and smooth. I just wish I had picked up more of it.
Rating: 3.75/5
