Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant
Novato, CA
Available: CA, OR, WA, AZ, NM, CO, PA, IL, NJ, MA, NV, TX, AR, MO, WI, MI, IN, SC, AL, NY, MD, VA, DC, BC
Named for owner Brendan Moylans’ daughter, Chelsea, this is an American take on the beer style that Dublin brewers brewed as their “porter style” until the mid-1970s.
ABV: 5.0
ABW: 4.1
Color: black
Bitterness: 42
Original gravity: 1052
Move over Guinness. Welcome Chelsea! It comes as no surprise that Moylan’s Chelsea porter is delicious; all Brendan’s beers are first class! Black as storm clouds over the Golden Gate, a slight reddish tint shows through, contrasting with a tanned head of miniscule bubbles. The nose is pure porter, more coffee latte than cocoa. A dry, balanced mouth feel and flavorful aftertaste beg for oysters on the half shell, Irish soda bread, farm fresh butter, or even coffee cake.
Deep rich cocoa aroma with a hint of coffee in both aroma and flavor. Live ale sentiment is complex and blissful. Dignified robust porter indeed. Smooth and lacking aggression. A beer for the evening’s long haul. Balanced malt and hop, with an engaging bite. Don your duck slippers for this brew. I think I’ll order some Chinese dumplings steamed or stuck on the pot. Another great session beer at 5 percent.
Founder of Merchant du Vin and the Pike Brewing Co., Charles Finkel is a pioneer in the marketing of craft beers in America.
Author of the New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, founder of the Great American Beer Festival and a Beer Examiner at www.examiner.com, Papazian is a leading voice in beer and brewing.
