Beachside Porter

Florida Beer Co.
Melbourne, FL

Available: FL, NY, IL, GA, AL

Florida Beer Co., the state’s largest craft brewer, was formed in 2005 when Indian River Beverage Corp., a Brevard County brewer since 1997, completed the acquisition of the assets of Ybor City Brewing Co. (which included Miami Brewing and Key West Brewery).

ABV: 5.76
ABW: 4.46
Color: 38.7
Bitterness: 15
Gravity: 1056

I warm immediately to this beer because of its color: a rich, dark brown, rather than jet black. Then there’s the round plum and raisin aroma, capped with notes of chocolate and a slight herbal aroma that approaches mint. In the body, there’s none of the sour edge that I associate with porters crafted along more traditional lines, but a smooth, very chocolaty body with light hints of candied fruit and, towards the finish, a touch of prune. For all its sweetness, though, it finishes just off-dry and mellow. A rich beef stew would be a nice accompaniment, or a not-too-sweet brownie.
- Stephen Beaumont

Can’t quite read whether the label says BeachsideBeachoide. Either way, this toffee-colored porter’s head lingers briefly and looks damned inviting. Marvelous toffee/fruit aroma, followed similarly in flavor with an added bite and bitterness of roasted malt. Medium light body is actually quite refreshing and I wouldn’t mind having this at beachside or at the secret place beer enthusiasts will know as Beachoide. Nice porter with a light yet flavorful twisted balance. “Reach for a Beachoide.”
- Charlie Papazian

Stephen Beaumont
Stephen Beaumont boarded his first plane at the age of 15 and hasn’t looked back since, obsessing about travel to the point that he gets nervous if he doesn’t have a ticket or two stacked on the corner of his desk. When he’s not running around in search of new taste experiences, he makes his home in Toronto, where a new cultural experience is only as far away as the next neighborhood.

Charlie Papazian
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.

Comments are closed here.