Einstock-Icelandic Toasted Porter
If there was a place that you wouldn’t think would have a beer scene, Iceland is one of those countries that springs to mind. A tiny island just beneath the Arctic Circle doesn’t really sound like a place that would make people brew good beer. But then, in a place where you can get 23 hour long nights in the coldest parts of the winter, what else is there to do but drink? At least make it a good beer, right? Enter Einstok, a brewery that simultaniously loves where they are from, but at the same time brews primarily English style ales. Their roster is pretty much comparable to one of the many English breweries out there. So how does this classic English style hold up being brewed by a people who used to be the conquerors of England? Let’s find out, shall we?
Style: Porter
Special ingredients: Icelandic roasted coffee
ABV: 6%
IBU: N/A
Temperature: around 40 degrees F
Glassware: Stout Glass
Appearance-This is pretty standard fare, if solid in it’s execution. It pours an inky black, like, say, an Icelandic winter. No light enters or escapes. I see no visible carbonation, but I assume there is some, based on it’s light, frothy just off-white head. It lingers pretty decently, but seems to dissipate disappointingly quickly.
Nose-They’re not kidding when they call this thing a “toasted” porter. The very first thing that hits you is the slightly burnt toasty quality to the thing. Underneath that there’s a fair amount of semi sweet chocolate, and just the barest hint of malt sweetness.
Palate-You know that huge toasty quality that I mentioned earlier? It almost feels nonexistent in the palate. Sure, you get a bunch of dark chocolate maltiness, but the roast is far more in the background than it is on the nose. I kind of wish that they would have emphasized that a bit more. Other than that, it’s pretty standard Porter fair. A nice mix of dark malts, with a slightly earthy hop note on the end.
Mouthfeel-If there’s anything that’s even more standard than the Palate, this is it. It’s nice and light for a dark beer, clocking in at 6 percent ABV. It’s quite drinkable. There’s a nice creamy quality to the middle, and the finish is nice and dry, but not cloying.
Overall-If you want an entry level porter this is a great one for you. I seem to be knocking it a bit in my review, but I actually respect a lot of breweries for making solid examples of style. In the age of breweries Imperialising everything and adding crazy ingredients and barrel aging, the new generations of beer drinkers and brewers still need good foundations to go off of.
So yeah, what do you think of this beer? Do you like it? do you hate it? send me a message or an ask if you had a different experience! There are always beers I love that the next person might not want to touch with a ten-foot pole. And as always, enjoy.
Skoal!
Website: http://einstokbeer.com/
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