Upland’s Bad Elmer’s Porter is an approachable example of an American Porter with a few minor problems. This brown-black brew with a medium cream-colored stand of head and moderate carbonation has an aroma of black malt sharpness with a background of chocolate. The flavor has an evident base malt backbone on which a somewhat low to moderate level of Chocolate and Brown malt richness and flavor is built. While the balance is towards the maltier side of things in this one, there is still a light to moderate hop bitterness behind the malt to help give at least some balance – as is appropriate for the style. There is a bit of a sulfur note that comes through in the middle and finish similar to what you’d see if Pils malt were used in the grain bill. The body of this brew is also a bit thin for the style. This is a quite refreshing brew, but the expectation for a porter would be for a considerably higher level of Brown malt and Chocolate malt complexity. Still, this is a nice effort and quite quaffable.
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Bad Elmer's Porter
Description
The porter style takes its name from the dock workers and street laborers of London who favored the style in the days when it was first developed in the 18th century. In the spirit of these hardworking men, Bad Elmer personifies the hardy settlers of the rugged and heavily wooded land of the Norman and Crawford Uplands of southern Indiana. Bad Elmer’s Porter is a medium-bodied beer, brewed with lots of roasted malt, giving it flavors of coffee, liquorice, and chocolate. This porter is characteristically dark but extremely smooth.
Judges Review
Aroma:
23 / 24
Appearance:
5 / 6
Flavor:
34 / 40
Mouthfeel:
7 / 10
Overall Impression:
17 / 20