A TALE OF TWO PORTERS

Lazy Boy Porter, a Porter by Lazy Boy Brewing

16 ounces on tap at Fritz European Fry House, served in Stella Artois chalice.

Lazy Boy Porter arrives black with a thick tan head. The head hangs around for quite some time. It leaves behind a thick wall of lacing as it is consumed.

The nose is dark roasted malts with a slight fruit edge. The tongue is a dark chocolate roast with a subtle smokiness that continues to linger on the long finish. The palate is firm and fair to the entire mouth.

This is a very good and solid porter. I would definitely drink this again.

It is accompanied by a basket of fried chicken strips and Belgian fries, as well as another small cone of fries. Dipping sauces include my two favorites—Spicy Curry Ketchup and Sweet Chili—as well as the slightly less spicy Honey Dijon.

*

I sit at the counter and enjoy my ale and my food, while I engage the child in conversation and look at the vinyl record art of Manticore Stencil Art adorning the main wall.

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Dave's Homebrew Porter, a Porter by Dave

Approximately 4.5 ounces served in Styrofoam cup.

Dave's Homebrew Porter is enjoyed in the company of Dave and a bunch of men who are also enjoying it. It made its trip in a two-liter A&W Rootbeer bottle that had been wrapped with "cold therapy" gel packs.

Its initial pour is a nice dark brown, almost black, with a thin tan head.

The aroma is of dark chocolate, coffee, and tree bark. The tongue is the same, with slightly more emphasis on tree bark and chocolate.

It becomes even more intriguing as it warms and it wears some additional flavors. I taste some sort of dark fruit—dates or prunes or raisins. I also encounter the slightest hint of a spice that I can't quite place.

This is nicely done and I hope to be able to enjoy it again.

*

I know that some of the enjoyment of this ale is the atmosphere in which I am present. The setting adds an element of "getting caught," as though I were in high school again. The Styrofoam cup and the A&W bottle add an element of mystique. I wish I could have more, but I will take this 4.5 ounces of porter goodness over any of the macrobrews that are also making rounds, which I do not participate in! Why ruin a good thing?