Brewery: Port Brewing Company
ABV: 10%
Serving method: 22-oz bottle in a pint glass
Born/Bottled/Shipped on: Bottled 9/1/11
As usual, as soon as I say one thing, something completely different happens to make me look foolish. I end 2011 by saying I probably won't be trying as many new beers this year, and then I start off 2012 with a record-setting month. This puts me on an absurd pace for 176 new beers this year, which I am fairly certain neither my wallet nor my liver could handle. I think I'll have to slow things down for February.
Santa's Little Helper is a very dark beer, practically solid black. It poured with about a finger and a half of thick, fluffy, caramel-colored head that lasted for quite a while before finally fading away, leaving a heavy lacing behind. This beer has a very strong aroma of roasted coffee and some toasty malts. There's also a noticeable alcohol aroma, presumably due to the potentially ass-kicking 10% ABV.
Well, in spite of the alcohol present in the aroma, it's not as strong in the flavor as I was expecting. Instead, there's just a faint alcohol taste with a bunch of roasted coffee flavors, some dark chocolate, and some very roasted malts. The carbonation here is very light, and the beer has a big mouthfeel, making it very thick and smooth feeling with each sip. The finish has a bitter punch, but the aftertaste doesn't linger very long.
Final thought - This is a tasty brew, but it is strong. It's very smooth, and it can be easy-drinking if you want it to be, but I wouldn't recommend it because you will end up feeling it quickly. Sit back, sip this baby slowly, and relax.
-Jon
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