Beer Review: Anubis Porter

Tonight I am mostly drinking something dark, heavy and vaguely related to the micro-brewery that I keep banging on about. It's another warm-ish night and I feel like a beer. Willow has very kindly collected one from the kitchen so that I didn't even have to stand up. It's Anubis Porter from the Raw Brewing Company. I confess that I am rather looking forward to it.

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As one would expect from a beer named after the Ancient Egyptian God of Death, this is dark stuff. Mind you, it's also a Porter and, though it is the first I have reviewed, it is something that I know of them that they are dark. I bought it to round out a selection of small brewers' beers when I was given some cash to buy beers by Willow. Who really is excelling herself at this whole beer malarky lately. There's a big cinnamon coloured head and a deep malty aroma, almost chocolate, but definitely more malt. Deep brown rather than black, very stout.

At 5.2% ABV it's no slouch and the first taste does let you know that this is a hitter, more Muhammed Ali than Michael Jordan. It is pleasingly smokey on the taste-buds, giving way to a rich chocolate in taste that rolls around the edges and down the middle nicely. In many ways it's actually more reminiscent of chocolate than some of the double and triple chocolate stouts that are out there. Heavy on the malt, light coffee notes in the finishing moves and a nice dry finish that doesn't skimp on the depth. There is definitely some bittering of hops toward the end but I couldn't detect any of note on the nose.

It works well as one drinks through, rewarding sips rather than glugs, and retains the character that is suggested by the first taste. There's a biscuit quality that, bizarrely, puts me in mind of cabernet sauvignon red wine that I remember having when marking just to feel like a 'proper teacher' back in 2004, around Christmas time. The head remains for a long while and is quite the survivor but doesn't diminish the taste of the brew nor the enjoyment of it.

This is probably better served in the early spring or late autumn, just as the weather turns, and had with a good film on the TV and good company. It's very much a snuggling ale, not given to friends' company unless they too are couples. Yes, an ale for the lovers.