Cutthroat Porter

Now in their third decade of operation, Odell is still churning out well-crafted, highly individualistic brews for an ever-growing legion of fans. Their Cutthroat Porter is a dark and enticing brew, imbued with aromas redolent of cocoa, luscious caramel and café au lait emanating from the glass. Rick dug down past the strong coffee aroma and discovered pleasant notes of cacao nibs and Bailey’s Irish Cream laced with traces of treacle and molasses. In addition to the malt-driven aromatics, Tom picked up earthy, almost woodsy hop aromas floating over the intense coffee notes. Verging on being black, this deeply saturated brown porter shows flashes of ruby and garnet at the edges and sports a billowing beige head that refuses to fall. The aromas carry through into the flavor with loads of milk chocolate, toffee and espresso notes leading the way. Pete was favorably impressed by the sweet, chewy caramel and chocolate flavors and the drying effect of the rather pronounced hop bitterness, noting the brewer’s adroitness in balancing the competing elements. Though he liked the in-your-face dark roasted malt flavors, Tim was more impressed with the smoothness and overall rounded finish that suppressed some of the edgier French roast coffee notes. Cutthroat Porter displays exceptional balance with hop bitterness and dark coffee flavors meshing seamlessly with a succulent caramel and toffee sweetness. This rich, satisfying brew is just the thing to unwind with while watching the sun set (or rise, for that matter).