Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter

As one of the oldest breweries in all of England, and the only remaining independent brewery in Tadcaster (but still the smallest of the 3 breweries there), there's a lot going on behind the Samuel Smith name. There are quite a few different brews available from Samuel Smith, and their reputation is extremely high. Some interesting facts - according to the official Tadcaster website, they're still using the original well, sunk in 1758, to brew their ales and stouts. They use a strain of yeast that has remained unchanged since the early 1900's.

This is a dark British Porter. It pours an extremely dark brown, almost black in appearance. There is a small tan head, with little lacing on the glass. It's aroma is that of roast coffee, with hints of berries. It's a very attractive looking and smelling drink.

The taste is dominated by coffee flavors, but there is a somewhat muted sweet malt flavor as well. The finish is bitter, with a roast coffee bean aftertaste. The mouth feel is rich and creamy, with light carbonation. This beer is very similar in taste and feel to Guinness, but it has a much more balanced bitterness.

This is a very drinkable beer. Even though it's not a thirst-quencher, it is very flavorful, incredibly well balanced, and just tastes great. It was one of my favorite beers of the entire week, and I would rank it right up there with Duvel and Chimay for enjoyability. At $9.69 for a four pack, it's a bit pricey, but well worth it.

-Adam