Traditional Porter (Tesco’s Finest) [By @SpectreUK]

Brewed by the Harviestoun Brewery, in Scotland, this 6% volume Traditional Porter is packaged in a 330ml bottle and branded as one of Tesco’s Finest. The label states that this porter is a “Modern twist to a 19^th Century classic”, claiming it has rich chocolate and coffee flavours. This beer certainly has a chocolate smell to it on opening, but with only a hint of coffee, which suited me after the last coffee beer I tried. The ingredients included barley, hops, and yeast, but there was no reference to coffee or chocolate, which made me wonder how the brewers may have exploited the taste from the barley and hops. This Traditional Porter has a smooth dark, almost black, texture that reminded me of the chocolate stouts I have tried in the past. Indeed the beer initially tasted like a mild chocolate stout, giving me that warming filling feeling a good rich stout can lend to. The early chocolate hit was then balanced by the bitterness from the hops and a hint of coffee. The affluent dark chocolate flavour with the bitterness and mild coffee followed through to the aftertaste, leaving a pleasant tingle in my mouth and making me wish the bottle had been a little larger. This is a gloriously strong porter, of which I will definitely hunt out again. It would go equally well with a meat and gravy meal or for an after dinner treat with a side of dark chocolate. Indulge in this Traditional Porter; after all, it’s one of Tesco’s Finest!

By Spectre