Taste of the Year-Meantime London Porter - January 2006
When I took my first sip of this mahogany brew, my eyes lit up, and so did the eyes of the others with whom I later shared it. That's just how damn good this porter really is.
I was fortunate enough to encounter the Meantime Porter during a 2005 panel tasting for All About Beer Magazine, and its appearance at my door made every bit of cross-border delivery grief I've experienced for the sake of my panel participation entirely worthwhile. Rich and nutty, lightly roasty and softly sweet on the nose, this is a beer that signals something special is on its way before the glass even approaches the mouth, and then follows through as the liquid hits the lips.
Full and malty-sweet in character, this is a porter perhaps overly gentle for historical purists, but in my estimation is spot on for a modern interpretation of the style. The 6.5% alcohol by volume never aggressively asserts its presence, and the roasty malt notes in the body are expertly balanced by plummy fruitiness and some dark chocolate appearing at the finish. There's even a whiff of smokiness along the way.
In my All About Beer Review, I noted that "This is an ale I'd be delighted to serve on its own or with a steak dinner, or even a roasted leg of lamb," and that's a statement I'm happy to stand behind. So's this: Meantime London Porter is one hell of an ale, and an easy pick for my 2005 Taste of the Year.
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