Yards Brewing Co: General Washington Tavern Porter
One of the best things about Philadelphia is you don't have to wander around Independence Hall to experience history, you can just crack open a bottle of one of Yard's Ales of the Revolution. These beers are brewed to simulate what our founding fathers may have drank before, during, or after forming this great nation. This week we are taking a look at General (George) Washington's Tavern Porter.
According to the label, this molasses-based porter is made using a recipe that our first president used to keep his troops buzzed. Sure it sounds crazy, but I guess we're not British, so apparently it worked. The nose is kind of boozy, with some dark chocolate overtones. It pours a thin brown head, and has a surprising amount of carbonation, which makes this porter easily drinkable on a warm day, but maybe not a hot and humid day.
Did I mention this porter is Molasses-based? Yeah, you can taste the sweetness, but it's well balanced with a dry cocoa/coffee quality and a decent amount of hop character. At 7% ABV, this is definitely not a session beer, and should probably be reserved for special occasions, like preparing for a sneak attack on a brigade of Redcoats.
We're looking forward to reviewing the rest of the Ales of the Revolution series and just can't wait for the addition of future brews like Aaron Burr's Dueling Dunkel Weisse and Paul Revere's Midnight Ride Malt Liquor (40oz).