Beer Review: New Belgium’s Jessica’s Porter

By / May 16, 2008 /

We’ve come up with a new Friday feature here on The Egotist that has to be one of our best ideas to date. Our good friends at New Belgium and Flying Dog have both graciously volunteered to write beer reviews for us every Friday all summer long, alternating weeks. Without further ado, here’s the first review from New Belgium filling you up on the ins and outs of Jessica’s Porter. We’re thirsty.

Jessica’s Porter is the latest offering from New Belgium’s “Loose Lips” series, where any NBB employee is eligible to win the chance to create their own brew. The selection process has been democratic from the beginning; Brewmaster Peter Bouckaert mixes a “suicide” of different NBB beers, and the employee able to identify the beers and their percentage in the mix wins (and rightfully so).

Jessica’s Porter pours a classic black color, with hints of ruby red when held to the light. The head is slow to form and small. It becomes clear at the first sniff, that this is not going to be a conventional porter. The big, chalky-dark-malt-monster fails to rear its boney head. Instead, there is poise and gentleness. Certainly, the roasted chocolate malt is there, as well as the darker, black patent malt, but the malt does not play the leading role. Instead, there is an olfactory up-slope that sort of flies towards the top of your nose, bringing in yeasty-esters, a red-wine vinuousness, and… could there be… somewhere up in the cirrus clouds… some spice? (Of course there is, this is New Belgium, right?)

The beer sits upon the tongue like a contented toddler that is happy to be there: light, balanced, cuddly, and drinkable. Astringency livens up the game, pulling the lighter malts out of the fray and giving them room to show themselves on the palate. But the finish is where this beer shines. Cinnamon and Galangal (Thai ginger,) mingle with caramel and chocolate, and it all dries up refreshingly fast, like puddles after a light summer rain.

At 6.8% alcohol by volume, Jessica’s Porter is not for the faint-of-heart. But on an overcast, blustery day in Northern Colorado, it’s as welcome and cozy as a new fleece jacket.

Jessica’s Porter is available on tap at The Falling Rock in Denver and at the brewery in Fort Collins, in draft only.