One of Brand's brewing contest winners, the one from 2016, a porter now widely sold in Albert Heijn supermarkets, which is where I got the bottle from. Tightly 'papery' lacing, fairly thick and frothy, pale yellowish beige, stable and persistently closed head over a clear, very dark mahogany brown beer with purple hue, darker (approaching black) and misty with sediment. Very malty aroma of butterscotch, soggy toasted brown bread, granola, toasted hazelnuts, brownies, nougat, dried prunes, hints of allspice, old pipe tobacco, raisins, black peppercorns, 'fondant' chocolate, cinnamon, honey cookies, dried blackcurrant, vague iron. Restrained in sweetness, some dried fig and old raisin, sourish undercurrent of roasted barley stretching throughout the palate, sharpish carbonation adding extra sourishness but calming down after a while; slick, bit resinous, rounded mouthfeel. Very nutty and caramelly malt body with toasted bitter as well as rather metallic edges - and with that sourishness quite emphatically continuing underneath. Black chocolatey effects in the finish, hint of coffee even, with some residual dried fruit-like sweetness and subtle phenolic notes (cloves); herbal, mildly spicy hop bitterish note accentuates the toasty bitterness. Nuttiness and chocolatey touches are highlighted by a warming alcohol glow, stronger than expected from a 6% ABV beer; all the while, that sourish undertone keeps continuing. Not a bad effort, especially in comparison with their attempt at saison; for what is essentially a mass-marketed 'macro porter' - the history of the style, the first mass-marketed style ever, seems to repeat itself - I must admit that I expected a lot worse. Close to a classic English robust porter, think Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter for example, clean and straightforward, but well-balanced and pleasant to drink if you like this style. Ideal introduction to the style, too, a very typical and accessible example which I may use to explain porter to non-geeks.

30cl bottle from a trade with bierkoning, thanks! A clear dark orange brown beer with a huge most good lasting beige head. Aroma of sweet chocolate, dark malt, lactose. Taste of mild roasted dark malt, some red fruits, plums, chocolate, lactose.

F: big, tan, good retention. C: dark with red hue against the light. A: roasted tones, toffee, toast, bit caramel, bit chocolate. T: roasted tones, chocolate, bit dark fruits, caramel, bit nutty, medium body and carbonation, not bad, 30cl bottle from AH HESSENPLEIN in Antwerpen.

Fles gedronken bij Inoven. Het is een diep donkerbruin bier met licht bruin schuim. Het heeft een een aroma van gebrand mout en karamel. De smaak is zoetig en gebrand.

Flesje gedeeld met Frans. Diep donkerbruin bier met beige schuim, schuim trekt meteen weg. Aroma van karamel. Smaak is zoet, houtig maar waterig. Weinig nasmaak.

Very dark brown with thin head. Aroma and flavour have some caramel sweetness. Some roasted malts, chocolate and treacle too. Overall a bit too sweet but very flavoursome.

Very solid and nicely drinkable. Lots of caramel, some licorice. Good that a macro is doing porters, well done Brand!

Zwart bier met schuim, gedronken tijdens een proefavond. Smaak is licht bitter en licht zoet met iets van chokolade, koffie en ietwat rook. Zou iets meer inhoud moeten hebben, is nu iets te waterig.