May 1st, 2006 by Andy
Ybor Gold’s Gaspar’s Porter poured a dark brownish color with a small white head that clung to the sides of the glass over time. The smell was the pleasant sweetness of malts with hints of espresso. Gaspar’s taste was surprisingly light with a date-like sweet flavor, which was complemented by a fruity finish.
As opposed to the hoppy bitterness of Pale Ales or IPAs, porters tend to rely heavily on malts for a sweet and toasty taste. As such, these beers tend to be much darker than their counterparts. This could be why I was a bit surprised by the less than deep darkness I was looking for when I poured this porter. The taste, however, matched the beer’s relative light color- it was friendly, in the sense that those new to porters would probably find this beer pleasant.
Unfortunately, I’ve enjoyed the fine taste of Smoked Porter from the Alaskan Brewing Company, where the taste is extremely bold and toasty. This is what a porter should taste like. If you are new to porters, give Ybor Gold’s Gaspar’s Porter a try. As for me, light porters are enjoyable; however, I’ll be passing on this friendly porter for more interesting tastes in the future.
