FULL CITY COFFEE PORTER ~ FORKED RIVER BREWING

Sampled on draught, this porter on nitro poured a deep opaque brown black with a generous creamy beige head. The head had good staying power, before settling into a cap and leaving light lacing. The nose had notes of chocolate, lots of roasted coffee (from First Crack Coffee Company), toasted bread, subtle malts, earthiness and a light nuttiness. Flavour had tons of espresso, with black coffee/hop bitterness. More subtle notes of caramel, molasses, dark toasted malts, chocolate and an earthiness were also to be found. The brew was abounding with flavour. The carbonation was gentle, the mouthfeel as creamy and the finish was dry with no lasting aftertaste. I very nice flavourful porter, enjoyed when the leaves were turning and their was a slight chill in the air.

5.5% from London, Ontario 32 IBU

GUY ON A BUFFALO ~ BLOCK 3

Guy on a Buffalo is an oddly named coffee porter from Block 3. Sampled from a bottle, the beer had a dark pour with a cap of off white head. The nose was robust and contained notes of chocolate, roasted malts and coffee. Taste was exactly as was expected based on the nose. The coffee the beer is brewed with is from Eco Café in St. Jacob’s Ontario. The coffee and the subtle sweetness are nicely balanced. The body was medium and the finish had a nice coffee bitterness to it. Quite a nice coffee porter. Photo from: Block 3
6.5 % from St. Jacob’s, Ontario 28 IBU
Malts: Maris Otter, Crystal 110, Carafoam, Chocolate, Carafa Special 1, Roasted Barley
Hops: Magnum

BRICKS & MORTAR COFFEE PORTER ~  LEFT FIELD BREWERY

Bricks and Mortar is a seasonal offering from Left Field. It is a collaboration with their neighbours Pilot Coffee Roasters. The name is a tribute to the area and the building the brewery is in. The brewery is located on the edge of what once was a large pit, where much of the clay for early Toronto Houses was sourced. The brewery buildings original use was part of the brick factory. 
Sampled on draught at the brewery, the beer poured a dark brown with a beige head, which left beautiful lacing. The aroma contained lots of dark coffee with roasted malts and a very subtle fruitiness. Whole freshly roasted Guatemala Gesha coffee beans are added near the end of the conditioning process using cold extraction to flavour. The taste has a bit of sweetness with coffee, roasted malts and subtle chocolate notes. There is a light fruit acidity and a little coffee bitterness found on the palette too. It is smooth and creamy with moderate carbonation and medium body. A nice winter sipper.

6% from Toronto, Ontario 40 IBU

photo courtesy of Left Field Brewing