Wednesday 3 November 2010

Anchor Porter Vs. Tesco Finest Traditional Porter

This is less a taste test, more a 'one bottle after another' evening.
I settled down to watch the new Star Trek movie finally and open up another in the latest Tesco Finest range. The Traditional Porter is produced and bottled by Harviestoun , Scotland and is 6% 330mls.
Colour wise its a very dark brown verging on black, nice light brown head that quickly goes. Aroma was chocolate and light coffee. Nice and smooth, again light coffee and chocolate malts, with a slight bitterness staying at the back of the throat. Enjoyable overall.

I then opened the Anchor  Porter  ,5.6%  355mls, and wow, what a difference, all round really. Immediate aroma is immensely enjoyable but i struggled to put a name to some of what i was getting. Creamy, sweet chocolate, almost treacly smell, lovely. Colour again is almost black with larger light brown head. Taste - quite malty, coffee bitterness but a full mouthful of flavour, sweet rich fruit. Extremely good beer, and i defiantly pick some more up when i next see them.

The Harviestoun porter was quite nice , nothing wrong with it but it is dwarfed by the Anchor, even with less abv it drinks much higher such is the flavour.


And the movie was quite good too.

2 comments:

  1. I'm 99% sure that the Tesco Finest Traditional Porter is actually relabelled Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, it's tastes just a thick and roasty.

    I've not tried Anchor Porter but I really like Old Engine Oil [baron rating 5/5]:

    http://theormskirkbaron.blogspot.com/2010/08/harviestoun-old-engine-oil.html

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  2. I saw that you'd made that connection recently, not tasted the Old Engine oil myself before, perhaps now i have ! I really quite liked it but next to the Anchor.... no contest.

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