YULETIDE CHERRY PORTER ~ BARLEY DAYS BREWERY

Sampled on draught, this porter poured deep ruby-brown/black with a sizeable off white head. The head soon dissipated and left a ring. The nose contained toasted malts, a touch of chocolate and cherry. The cherries smelled real, not artificial or like cough syrup (Ontario cherries were used and the beer in unfiltered). The taste is quite sweet, with notes of caramel coffee, chocolate, roasted malts, and cherry of course. The cherry lend a fruity sweetness but also a hint of tartness as well. The finish is semi-dry with lingering sweet with no discernable bitterness. The body is on the thinner side and the carbonation is light. This was a pleasant enough beer, the flavours worked well together but I was expecting something a little less subtle and more robust.

5.5% from Picton, Ontario