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.
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.
ReplyDeleteI'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
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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