KATY VS. SASHA: Belle Hop Porter from Beyond the Pale Brewing Company

Katy and Sasha are the contributors for Ottawa Beer Events! They have distinctly different palates and in this segment they go head-to-head tasting Ottawa beer. This week they sample Belle Hop Porter from Beyond the Pale Brewing Company.

Katy:

I know we're clinging to those last four days of summer, hoping the leaves will stay green for a few more days (at least a weekend) more, but it's time to give in. The days are getting shorter, the sun is getting hard to find and aren't you getting a little tired of drinking session IPA after session IPA? When the weather changes beer seasons change and now is a great time to start bumping it up a notch and cozy in to those higher alcohol beers. Beyond the Pale's Belle Hop Porter is a great brew to snap you out of that seasonal mood swing and have you looking forward to the dark and complex world of cold season beers.

Belle Hop Porter pours a deep brown with mahogany highlights and a frothy mocha head that lingered in the glass. Aromas of roasted malt and dark chocolate were prominent with a slight green pepper note as it warms. The flavour is predominantly malt with an emphasis on coffee, roast and dark chocolate but there is a noticeable bitter hop at the end.

With a light body and hidden alcohol flavours this 7.8% ABV brew could be very easy to drink, especially if you're inside on a rainy day with Netflix.

 

Sasha:

I’m super excited to get back to our Head to Head series and what better way to kick it off than with Beyond the Pale’s Belle Hop Porter.

Mine poured a dark brown with a slight reddish tinge and a tan head that left behind a nice thick lacing on my glass. The espresso notes definitely take over the aroma along with just a hint of nut.

The taste consisted of deep coffee notes mixed with a hint of dark chocolate – almost like eating a chocolate covered espresso bean.

As it warms you just get a hint of booziness and the beer finishes off with a nice bitterness, a little nuttiness and toffee sweetness with the coffee taste lingering on the palate long after the last sip.

Overall a great choice for a cool fall evening or pretty much anytime at all – although at just shy of 8% ABV you might want to share it – or you might not!