Porter beers have a long and sorted history. Originally the poor man’s pint, porter was also the first beer aged directly at the brewery and delivered to the pub fit to drink. Fast forward a few centuries and porter has become one of the most diverse styles of beer available today. From dry to sweet, hoppy to malty, and sessionable to imperial, ithere are endless possibilities when it comes to porter. Last week, New York’s Blind Tiger Ale House celebrated these historical suds with their first “style event” of 2011.

“We will be serving 14 porters on draught! This should prove to be a exceptionally dynamic event – with the porter style represented from breweries around the globe and ABVs all over the map as well. Draft list: Fullers London Porter, Sinebrychoff Porter, Avery New World Porter, Hopfenstark Baltic Porter De L’Ancrier, Nogne Porter, Captain Lawrence Imperial Smoked Porter, Stone Smoked Porter, Victory Baltic Thunder, Brooklyn Cookie Jar Porter, J.W. Lees Manchester Star 1884 on Cask, Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter, Smuttynose Robust Porter, Founders Porter, Bayerischer Bahnhof Porticus”

We tasted several porters throughout the night, opting to reach for some imported and unique brews and pass on the tried and true staples. For example, instead of reaching for one of my staple beers, Stone Smoked Porter, I had a chance to sample the Captain Lawrence Imperial Smoked Porter. This is the base beer for their Smoke from the Oak series, but the un-aged version easily stood up on its own. The 12% ABV porter was rich and meaty, and we actually preferred this version more than the barrel aged variations, finding it more appropriate for the chaotic bar atmosphere than it’s multi-faceted siblings.

Another fantastic brew was the Baltic Porter De L’Ancrier from Quebec’s Hopfenstark brewery. Hiding its 8% alcohol well, the De L’Ancrier was incredibly dry with a unique tart character uncommon in modern porters. Instead of the big milk chocolate we have become accustomed to, there were apples, raisins and bitter chocolate flavors along with hints of tobacco and ash. Both complex and balanced, the De L’Ancrier was an excellent example of the breath of the porter style. This one is well worth seeking out.

Also notable was the Nogne O Porter. While widely distributed here on the east coast, and available at most better craft beer stores, it is still always a treat to find on tap. Nogne O brews these impeccably cohesive beers… masterfully balancing the malt, hops and yeast. Their porter is no exception. While there are no outlandish flavors or fancy brewing tricks, it is a rock solid, easy drinking, and slightly hoppy (for European standards) porter. For me, there is a certain enjoyment to exceptionally crafted, balanced beers – something I also relish in Hill Farmstead’s beers – and Nogne O are masters and finding that ideal. If you have passed on this beer before, I suggest you pick one up next time you are in the store.

Oh, and there were wings… the Blind Tiger makes awesome wings which go great with porter.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM PORTER NIGHT AT BLIND TIGER ON FLICKR

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Goose Island Night at Blind Tiger Ale House

New York’s Craft Beer community was at it again this week as brewmaster Greg Hall took over 30+ lines at Bleecker St’s Blind Tiger Ale House for a very impressive Goose Island night. Greg brought a collection of rare brews, seasonal offerings and brew pub exclusives to the event, showcasing both the breath of his operation as well as a glimpse into the future of the Brewery.

While Blind Tiger Events can be a tight squeeze, we managed to find a good spot near the bar and run through a bevy of petite half-pours. From lambics to wheats to an array of IPAs and imperial stouts, each beer showed a unique complexity. Personal standouts for the night included the Pepe Nero, a black saison that combined the hearty body and drinkability of a black IPA but backed with more caramel hints and peppercorn spice rather than hoppiness. It’s Fulton Wood polar opposite, the White City was also quite nice. An imperial white, the White City held a strong even body along with lots of herbal hints of rosemary and time and a bit of citrus. This is an awesome beer for food pairing.

And finally, the night capped off with the much hyped Goose Island Night Stalker, in incredibly complex Imperial Stout based on their famed Bourbon County Stout. Here, however, the oak aging is traded for a massive amount of dry hopping which results in a complicated mixture of earthy bitterness, chocolate and heavy malt notes. This beer is best to be hunted down, sipped and savored.

Also noted by our crew was the Goose Island IPA served on Nitro which gave it a delicious smooth, creamy appeal as well as their biscuit-y Brew 4000 (described as tasting like the scent of a brewery) and the Midway IPA, a halfway point between an Imperial IPA and a traditional IPA. The only noted miss of the night was the Lex, a sweet lambic which – to me – aligned more with a Lindeman’s Framboise than a traditional lambic and I missed some of the complex funk and tartness.

Barry Wasser (@BitzyBrew) - http://craftbrewadvocate.com

Patrick Devine - http://pscookingfortwo.blogspot.com/