Looks:
Smell:
Taste:
Overall:
Description:
Deep, rich and roasty, this festive porter balances a smooth malty sweetness with an earthy hoppiness, this holiday classic has become a favorite among our winter seasonal brews. (Description provided by company)
Brewer:
Beer Style:
ABV:
5.80% ABV
Availability Frequency:
Winter
Containers Available:
bottle
draft
Locations Where Available:
nationwide
Store/Serve Temperature:
close to 55 degrees F
Comments
Doesn't quite set itself apart from the holiday pack
Samuel Adams Holiday Porter pours a rich chocolatey brown with about half an inch of light caramel head. It has a nutty, malty smell to it that’s quite pleasant. There’s a bit more hop taste coming through in the actual flavor of the beer. It’s a nice balance between the malt sweetness. The finish is pretty sharp, but not unpleasantly so. Overall a solid beer.
A Good Porter, One Step Too Far...
Pours put a very dark brown - almost black - with a light thin and full head. The head was disappointingly short-lived, though.
Lots of dark rich and roasted malt aromas - dark chocolate, coffee, along with some lighter malt flavors - toffee, nuts and caramel.
Lots of dark malt flavors as well, with a bit more of the darker burnt coffee-like flavors toward the finish. The sweeter caramel flavors are more toward the front, and the finish is moderate and stronger on the dark chocolate flavors. Some light and earthy holiday spices as well, but they are not too strong or assertive - they almost seem like a second thought.
A nice aroma, but the flavor seems a little bit like they took a (good, I must say) Porter and just added dash of nutmeg or ginger. They feel almost like an afterthought and don't necessarily work well (but don't get in the way) with the rest of the beer.