Sleeman Fine Porter

Manul · Post by **Manul** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 6:22 pm

Well... it turns out the guys from Sleeman can actually brew a real beer when they really want to. I just picked up a six pack of this seasonal from Weston/401 store and was pleasantly surprised. Really good balance between malt and hops and, I think, at this point it's quite an unique offering on the Ontario beer scene.

mds · Post by **mds** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 6:38 pm

I saw this at the LCBO today but I didn't pick it up because I was a bit skeptical. Maybe I'll give it a shot though.

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 10:11 pm

There's a review of it over at ratebeer already....doesn't look promising but I'll get a six to see if Sleeman can pull one out of the corn for once.

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 12:01 am

That was my review and I didn't care for it, but to each their own. On another note, I have 5 sleeman porter available for trade

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 1:12 am

tupalev wrote:On another note, I have 5 sleeman porter available for trade

I'll take one or two of those.

tupalev · Post by **tupalev** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 12:40 pm

I'll set one (or two) aside for you Greg, and Jercraigs has one as well. 3 (or 2) left.

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 2:28 pm

tupalev wrote:I'll set one (or two) aside for you Greg, and Jercraigs has one as well. 3 (or 2) left.

OK, thanks. If you end up with 5 people interested, I'll take one bottle. Otherwise, I'll take two.

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 3:33 pm

Picked up the sleeman porter and it had a little card in the box congratulating me on my purchase as a "connoisseur"....that I will appreciate this once a year beer.....we'll see tonight. It also indicates that each year in november Sleeman will produce a "different" beer from great granpa Sleeman's recipie book...so I assume it will not neccesarily be a porter next year but some other style of beer.

Good marketing ploy....using an annual page from Great Granpap's book...at 83 pages plus there has to a be a beer that hits the spot of every beer geek.

If you like a bitter porter with a pronounced "charred" grain taste this is your daisy.

old faithful · Post by **old faithful** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 6:57 pm

I found some today at Queen's Quay. I like it, it reminds me of a number of Porters as sold on the eve of the microbrewery resurgence. That is, slightly acidic, dry, bitter. The old Molson Porter was something like this. The acidity (not sure if it derives from hops or yeast) offers a bracing lift, this would be good with food or snacks. The "middle" seems a bit lacking but then this is not a stout, it is a Porter, which historically was weaker and lighter-bodied than extra stout Porter. I think the recreation probably is close to the 19th century beer which John Sleeman sought to emulate even if (and I don't know) the specification in the family recipe book wasn't followed in every particular.

This would be good in pints, in quantity; I wonder if a draft version will appear.

By the way, after my first bottle, I opened a second and mixed it 2:1 with Wellington County Imperial Stout. Now there's your extra stout porter.

joey_capps · Post by **joey_capps** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 8:30 pm

Anyone or five in the Hamilton area up to splitting a six pack. Can't bring myself to purchase more than one or two.

Joe.

Radek · Post by **Radek** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:26 pm

I got one for you at home, do not buy if you do not have to.

Manul · Post by **Manul** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 7:29 am

You got it "old faithful" this is a porter it's not a stout - it's supposed to be lighter.

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:19 am

You got it "old faithful" this is a porter it's not a stout - it's supposed to be lighter.

Style guidelines from the Beer Judge Certification Progarm text book:

12B. Robust Porter
Aroma: Roasty aroma (often with a lightly burnt, black malt character) should be noticeable and may be moderately strong. Optionally may also show some additional malt character in support (grainy, bready, toffee-like, caramelly, chocolate, coffee, rich, and/or sweet). Hop aroma low to high (US or UK varieties). Some American versions may be dry-hopped. Fruity esters are moderate to none. Diacetyl low to none.

Appearance: Medium brown to very dark brown, often with ruby- or garnet-like highlights. Can approach black in color. Clarity may be difficult to discern in such a dark beer, but when not opaque will be clear (particularly when held up to the light). Full, tan-colored head with moderately good head retention.

Flavor: Moderately strong malt flavor usually features a lightly burnt, black malt character (and sometimes chocolate and/or coffee flavors) with a bit of roasty dryness in the finish. Overall flavor may finish from dry to medium-sweet, depending on grist composition, hop bittering level, and attenuation. May have a sharp character from dark roasted grains, although should not be overly acrid, burnt or harsh. Medium to high bitterness, which can be accentuated by the roasted malt. Hop flavor can vary from low to moderately high (US or UK varieties, typically), and balances the roasted malt flavors. Diacetyl low to none. Fruity esters moderate to none.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body. Moderately low to moderately high carbonation. Stronger versions may have a slight alcohol warmth. May have a slight astringency from roasted grains, although this character should not be strong.

Overall Impression: A substantial, malty dark ale with a complex and flavorful roasty character.

History: Stronger, hoppier and/or roastier version of porter designed as either a historical throwback or an American interpretation of the style. Traditional versions will have a more subtle hop character (often English), while modern versions may be considerably more aggressive. Both types are equally valid.

Comments: Although a rather broad style open to brewer interpretation, it may be distinguished from Stout as lacking a strong roasted barley character. It differs from a brown porter in that a black patent or roasted grain character is usually present, and it can be stronger in alcohol. Roast intensity and malt flavors can also vary significantly. May or may not have a strong hop character, and may or may not have significant fermentation by-products; thus may seem to have an "American" or "English" character.

Ingredients: May contain several malts, prominently dark roasted malts and grains, which often include black patent malt (chocolate malt and/or roasted barley may also be used in some versions). Hops are used for bittering, flavor and/or aroma, and are frequently UK or US varieties. Water with moderate to high carbonate hardness is typical. Ale yeast can either be clean US versions or characterful English varieties.

Vital Statistics:OG FG IBUs SRM ABV
1.048 - 1.065 1.012 - 1.016 25 - 50+ 22 - 35+ 4.8 - 6%

Commercial Examples: Anchor Porter, Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter, Sierra Nevada Porter, Bell's Porter, Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper, Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Portland Haystack Black Porter, Avery New World Porter, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, Redhook Blackhook Porter

At 5.5 % the Sleeman porter has put itself in the "robust Porter" catagory. It seems to adequately conform to most of the requirements but it lacks in the overall impression...it lacks complexity and seems one dimensional (mostly burnt-bitter missing the nutty, chocolate, coffee complexity)

...so Kudos to Sleeman for a great effort...the only issue I have with it is that it lacks the mellow, smooth drinkability for a session ale. That may come with aging ...perhaps a few months in the cellar will make the sharp edges drop off.

It isn't a fair comparison (I know)... but if you can, taste it against a fullers porter or a wychwood or a mill Street porter...this will expose the complexity issue.

At any rate I will keep a six in the cellar and I'm inclined to buy a 12 for sipping with friends this fall and winter. That's a step up...I rarely ever buy a Sleeman product.

Steve Beaumont · Post by **Steve Beaumont** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 11:36 am

FWIW, here's the press release for the porter. Although I have yet to taste the beer, comments made thus far incline me to believe it is fashioned in the traditional British style, as suggested by the press release, rather than the more modern robust style. As such, some astringency and a slight "charred" character would be very much true to style.

John Sleeman Presents…Page 68 of the Familyy Recipe Book
The Re-Launch of An Historic Beer...Sleeman Fine Porter

Guelph, ON – November 1, 2004 – The rush is on as Sleeman Breweries Ltd. (TSX: ALE) today announced the launch of Sleeman Fine Porter, the first in a new series of limited-supply, seasonal brews called the John Sleeman Presents series. Each holiday season, John Sleeman, together with the Sleeman Brewmaster, will go back to the original family recipe book to select a unique, great-tasting brew which will be produced in limited batches to enable Canadian beer lovers to sample some of the great beers from the past.

This yearâ€™s selection, Sleeman Fine Porter, is based on page 68 of the original recipe book. The brew pays homage to the original Porters of Great Britain – dating back to the early 1700s at the beginning of tthe industrial revolution. Great Grandfather to John Sleeman, George Sleeman, first brewed the Porter way back in the 1800s.

â€œWe introduced the John Sleeman Presents series because we really wanted to go back to our â€˜brewing rootsâ€™ and let beer lovers sample some of the finest brews from the original Sleeman family recipe book,â€

pootz · Post by **pootz** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 12:30 pm

SB said:

comments made thus far incline me to believe it is fashioned in the traditional British style, as suggested by the press release, rather than the more modern robust style. As such, some astringency and a slight "charred" character would be very much true to style.

From the BJCP Robust guidelines:

Moderately strong malt flavor usually features a lightly burnt, black malt character (and sometimes chocolate and/or coffee flavors) with a bit of roasty dryness in the finish. Overall flavor may finish from dry to medium-sweet, depending on grist composition, hop bittering level, and attenuation. May have a sharp character from dark roasted grains, although should not be overly acrid, burnt or harsh.

From the BJCP "Brown Porter" guidelines:

Malt flavor includes a mild to moderate roastiness (frequently with a chocolate character) and often a significant caramel, nutty, and/or toffee character. May have other secondary flavors such as coffee, licorice, biscuits or toast in support. Should not have a significant black malt character (acrid, burnt, or harsh roasted flavors), although small amounts may contribute a bitter chocolate complexity. English hop flavor moderate to none. Medium-low to medium hop bitterness will vary the balance from slightly malty to slightly bitter. Usually fairly well attenuated, although somewhat sweet versions exist. Diacetyl should be moderately low to none. Moderate to low fruity esters

You could be right. This porter seems to have flavor characteristics from both sub catagories however going by a the judging standard it's ABV bumps it into the robust category (just barely). I like it but it but it has some small faults and we have to assess on balance between a standard and some personal bias....mine just happens to be towards a more malty caramel-coffee pronounced smooth porters....Fuller's is pretty much the standard
for this.

The Sleeman offering is a good one....I look forward to reading your review Steve......will you be posting it on your site?