To get the awful taste–or rather lack of taste–from that Santa’s Butt Porter assbrau out of mouth and out of mind, I headed over to local unnamed beer purveyor and picked up some Sierra Nevada Porter. I’ve had their porter before (of course) but I didn’t remember it too clearly. I doubt I shall again forget. It’s awesome. No surprise, because those fellahs know how to brew beer, dammit.

What we got goin’ on here is a nice 5.6% A.B.V., 2 kinds of hops and 4 kinds of malt. The malt character is what you’d expect–chocolate and hints of coffee crossed with burnt toast and a touch of caramel. What you didn’t expect was* how deep and pronounced the flavors are, and how subtly they change as you spend time with the beer. The first sips are crisp and have a nice hop bitterness. As the once-thick head dissipates and the beer starts to warm, the hops give way to rich, deep malt notes, the chocolaty action coming on strong by the end.

Overall? Fine beer as usual from the American Heroes at Sierra Nevada. Take that, Santa’s Ass.

*The Spanish Inquisition. Bam.