The Swill: Samuel Adams Holiday Porter
The Still: Boston Beer Company
Boston, Massachutsetts
http://www.samueladams.com
The Drill: American Porter, 12oz bottle, 5.8% ABV, available in winter
The Spill: First introduced in 2004, the Holiday Porter is found in Sam Adams holiday variety 12-packs. Rich with dark malts, sweet coffee and chocolate flavors, this is a holiday treat. Similar to their Honey Porter but slightly less sweet, it's the kind of beer this drinker could easily order year-round. Brewed with five malts, including a trademarked German malt called Carafa, the porter blends sweetness and robustness into a rich, slightly creamy body, and finishes itself off with enough hops for a clean, punctuated finish.
Says Bill: I do wish I could get my hands on this on a regular basis, although the Honey Porter is just as good, if not slightly better. Sam Adams has often done a good job at following tradition closely in their beer crafting, and in the olden days, beer this good only came around during the holidays as well, when the brewers felt a little extra generous with their ingredients. I suppose it only makes sense that they hold it back in order to give us a little extra holiday cheer.
Refill?: Black Butte take note: this is a porter: 4 taps out of 5.