Terrapin “Dos Cocoas” Chocolate Porter
This little ditty comes from the most recent of the Side Project selections (vol. 4) that I’ve come across. It probably isn’t the newest, since I haven’t been to the beer store in a while, but it’s the newest to me. And turns out, I generally buy these “limited edition” from Terrapin and let them sit in the fridge for a while. In short, I’m a Johnny-Come-Lately but fortunately you guys don’t seem to mind. This one’s brewed with Ecuadorian cocoa, in both the powder and nib form. I don’t know what I nib is but it sounds delicious so let’s get to it.
The color, you guessed it dark, dark black. There is little head retention with this beer leaving only a few caramel colored bubbles scattered about. The nose has the characteristic smokey aroma associated with porters, which is further enhanced by the chocolate ingredients. The smell is very thin and unassuming, but still pretty inviting. The taste has a very dark, malty personality; which was to be expected, I mean it IS a porter. The smokey flavors rush over the front of the tongue then unfold and splash on the inside of the cheeks. At this point the cocoa flavors take over and finish the taste. There are mild chocolate undertones that lightly touch the back part of the palate and extend into the throat. Again the word “thin” comes to mind. I expected a fuller, rounder characteristic but got just the opposite. However, in this case it’s working. This isn’t a complex, oversized beer. Instead it’s subtle, refreshing and well-balanced despite it’s genre. I can’t say I’ve ever said a porter was refreshing, so this is proof there is a first time for everything. It finishes with a minor effervescent quality and mild smokey aftertaste. Another job well done by Terrapin, especially with another experimental brew.
Categories: Beer Reviews, Porter, Terrapin
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