I tried some stout porters with some Steins for my...

I tried some stout porters with some Steins for my birthday last weekend. We started with Black Butte Porter and Obsidian Stout from Deschutes, dark and darker.

Then we moved on to selections from Southern Tier’s Blackwater Series. Jahva, Choklat, and Creme Brulee. The names say it all. Jahva tasted like smooth, chocolaty espresso with a nice crema on top. The Choklat was like chocolate milk or hot cocoa gone cold. I was expecting to find unblended syrup on the bottom. And the Creme Brulee was — it was divisive. On one hand sweet and milky, on the other cloying and tooth decaying.

And we finished the night with a fresh bottle of the Abyss. Definitely darker and more complex than the beer that came before. Where the Blackwater beers hit one note and stuck with it, the Abyss is a bit harder to pin down. Roasted and chocolaty, yet dry and fruity. Definitely a good end for the night.