7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

On tap at the Southampton Arms, London on 22nd December 2205. Almost impenetrably black with tan foam and spot lacing. Rich coffee aroma. Tangy fruits and roasty malts in-mouth and a distinctly citrus fruit finish. Light to medium bodied with a zingy mouthfeel.

7.3

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7

7

Malty chocolate and light coffee. Slightly thin.

6.9

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Keg @ Vocation & Co, Hebden Bridge. Black with a small off-white head. Roasted malt nose, more subdued taste with hints of black IPA character here.

7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

440ml can at home. Black with a lively tan head. Aroma is pine, berries, coffee. Flavour is bitter coffee, berries

6.8

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

440ml can from The House of Trembling Madness. A black coloured pour with a healthy beige head on top. Roasty, malty, chocolate, vaguely hoppy, pine taste and aroma. Quite a bitter tasting porter, there is no way this is a Festive beer, absolutely no sweetness or spice. It's decent enough but not one I'd revisit.

7.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

440ml can. Poured a mostly clear dark brown colour with a lasting frothy tan head. The aroma is roasted malt, some caramel, grassy hops. The flavour is moderate liqourice bitter, light sweet, with a roasty, light toffee, light dank, grassy, earthy, light floral hop bitter palate and a lingering bitter finish. Medium bodied with average carbonation. More like a black IPA than a porter.

7.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

Can from the Low Cost Beer online shop. Pours black with a thin tan head. Aromas of light roast, cocoa and pine. Taste adds citrus and vanilla. Chocolate orange linger. Nice.

7.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

440ml can. Pours black with an enormous and dense beige head. Aroma of chocolate and roast malts. Taste is rich with chocolate and roast malts, some woody piney notes leading to a strong bitter finish, perhaps a hint of dark fruit too. Medium-full bodied, creamy smoothness. An excellent porter, though I feel it misses the brief; there's not even any Christmas spices so I don't see how this is festive in any way. How's it different to a normal porter?