ClubGonzo’s Hard Workin’ Porter

Hard Workin’ Porter by ClubGonzo, Baltic Porter, 9% ABV, 31.2 IBU.

ClubGonzo’s Hard Workin’ Porter, Batch 25

Hard Workin’ Porter in a TeKu.

This porter pours a black body with a medium brown,  head that laces the glass well.

Malty, sweet and strong aroma of massive milk chocolate, dark roasted malt, coffee, traces of hops, faint fruits and hints of alcohol. Very tempting!

Strong flavour of chocolate and chocolate sauce but with a dark roasted background with strong notes of coffee and slightly vegetal notes of coffee beans. I really like this chocolate/coffee balance, I often find such a beer to be dominated either by chocolate or coffee. There are also fruity notes and a bit too much alcohol. The alcohol is quite clean, but it’s a bit intrusive nonetheless.

The mouthfeel is excellent, it’s a full-bodied beer with a creamy and smooth, almost oily texture and with a soft carbonation.

Conclusion: an excellent beer with just a tad too much alcohol. 

Aroma:      7/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste:      7/10
Palate:     5/5
Overall:    14/20
Ratebeer score: 3.7/5.0

ClubGonzo’s Blame Canada

Blame Canada by ClubGonzo, Mead, 13% ABV.

ClubGonzo’s Blame Canada, based on floral honey and maple syrup.

Blame Canada looks stunning in the glass!

I really like the looks of this one: it’s crystal clear and it has a lovely medium copper colour.

Sweet and strong aroma of honey and maple syrup with caramel and brown sugar in the back.

The flavour is complex and strong, with pure honey and maple syrup in the front. Again caramel and brown sugar stays in the back, along with dark dried fruits and fortified wine. It’s quite alcoholic, but not overly so. It’s heavy sweet, the flavours are long-lasting and it has a lovely syrupy texture and full body.

Conclusion: A very nice mead. The maple syrup was a really good idea, it really adds a layer of complexity to the flavour profile. I’ll try this with pancakes sometime.

Aroma:      7/10
Appearance: 5/5
Taste:      7/10
Palate:     4/5
Overall:    13/20
Ratebeer score: 3.6/5.0