Samuel Adams Honey Porter – A Beer Review
May 19, 2009
I know its getting warm and I’m really trying to make the beer reviewing transition from stouts and porters to lighter beers to review like pale ales and perhaps some lagers. Still, I had this bottle of Samuel Adams Honey Porter sitting in the fridge and it really called to me tonight for some reason. Ever get that?
Anyway, I think Sam Adams generally makes some good beer so lets see what this honey porter is like!
As expected, this beer is a really dark color that is difficult to see through. As you can see in the picture, it creates foamy brownish head that reduces quickly to a foamy coating on the surface of the beer. There’s some lacing but not too much.
While the honey porter is typically dark, I was able to see some ’stuff’ floating around in there. Don’t know what that is but I imagine its something, don’t you? (That’s a trick question!)
The smell of this beer is really off the hook! You have no problem picking up on the honey that is in the brew, and honey is by far the most noticeable aroma to me. Don’t drink this stuff out in the woods, some bears might come after you!
This 5.5% ABV American Porter is pretty big on the roasted malt flavor which dominates the taste more so than the Scottish Heather honey, but the honey seems to sweeten the flavor just enough to balance out the malt. According to the label, Sam Adams used English Golding hops to ‘dry hop’ the beer. Not sure, but this leaves a dry and bitter aftertaste that I wasn’t overly crazy about and It left my mouth feeling sticky. There was a little bit of a hop bite in the taste as well. I think Bob might call this beer ‘chewy’ and there was a little bit of carbonation in the mix as well in spite of my fairly aggressive pour.
So while I enjoyed the overall flavor of the honey porter, I wasn’t thrilled by the aftertaste or the mouthfeel. I think this is a beer best enjoyed with some food rather than by itself like I had it, but I’d still put forth that this is a very interesting and different type of beer.
Rating: 
Have you tried this beer? What did you think? As you can see in the picture below, The Brew Club members Heather and Liz were somewhat puzzled by this beer. Hey Liz, nice computer monitor. Is that from 1986?
Heather and Liz seem confused.
Posted in 3 Star Reviews, Ales, All Brews Reviewed, American Beers, Bocks, Porters and Stouts
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May 20th, 2009 at 9:47 am
I have never been a huge fan of a strong honey flavor in beer. I bought a Sam Adams sampler containing two of these this past winter and didn’t like it at all. I probably would have rated it even lower than three stars.
Don’t get me wrong, I hold a TON of respect for Sam Adams and founder, Jim Koch. But besides the fact that I don’t care for honey too much, I don’t like hops in my porters, and dry hopping adds too much aroma and perceived flavor. I think I might have stuck a bottle or too in by ‘beer cellar’ (plastic shelf covered in a blanket in my basement) to let the malt gain character.
That computer monitor is wicked.
nate’s last blog post..Grass Roots Saison Ale by Great Lakes
May 20th, 2009 at 9:55 am
As you can tell from the picture, Heather and I weren’t too impressed with this beer… Like you said, the aroma was definitely a little on the strong side and the aftertaste wasn’t the best. I think Sam Adams definitely swung and missed with this brew.
As for the computer monitor… well, you know… I like to keep things original.. plus it gives a retro feel to my apt. =P
Liz – The Sports Bra Reports’s last blog post..Craziest Athletes – Top 5
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:48 am
Sam Adams was my first introduction to American ‘craft’ beers. It was twenty years ago and I was on a business trip to New York. I was blown away that there were American beers with flavour!
Subsequent trips to the US and to specialist beer shops in the UK have consolidated my view that the Sam Adams team produce thoughtful beers. Beers that have carefully considered recipes that reflect the seasons.
Sadly we don’t get too many of their beers over here, but I will certainly keep an eye out for this one.
Bob the Brit’s last blog post..Lost Rivers
May 22nd, 2009 at 5:01 pm
lol, i love that 1986 comment. Love this site too, keep up the good work.
I’ve had a few Samuel Smith beers on tap in London and they were excellent, but yet to try the bottles.
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Thanks for kind words Jim! We hope you pop in from time to time – you never know what retro stuff Liz is going to put on display for us!
Scott-TheBrewClub’s last blog post..Whats Your Favorite Mexican Beer?
May 23rd, 2009 at 8:06 am
You’re completely right in that the honey porter is a bit bitter and goes much better with food. I like the beer enough but I love Sam’s Black Lager. A little bit heftier of a taste and no bitterness. Thanks for stopping by! I don’t review beer every week but often enough.
Great site!
Andrea (Off Her Cork)’s last blog post..May 22nd, 2009: Dinner: Green all around
May 26th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Hey… I thought I was the only one who thought this beer was sticky; at least it made my mouth feel sticky when I was finished with it. The other people who were with me didn’t get this in the slightest… Good to know I’m not crazy! Regards!
Doug @ All Beer Blog’s last blog post..Beer News @ All Beer Blog
May 29th, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I think this beer is simply ok. Their holiday version of Porter is actually quite a bit better. That really is a pretty dark Porter…looks stoutish.
Michael Reinhardt’s last blog post..A Bittersweet Experience: Preliminary Thoughts on Ale in London
January 8th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
it tastes great i love it, it is my 2nd favorite beer, but do some soldering, it tastes just like burnt lead and it is kind of creeping me out, i hope there isnt any lead in it.
January 8th, 2010 at 7:06 pm
Mr. Lesage – ‘burnt lead’ is a flavor description I’ve never heard before!!!! I’m pretty sure there’s no lead in the beer though!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Beer Review – Kona Pipeline Porter