- Product Reviewed: Anheuser-Busch "Black & Tan" Porter
- Brewed By: Anheuser-Busch, Inc.; St. Louis, MO
- Form Reviewed: Bottle
- Original Posted to Usenet: December 23, 1995
- Style: Porter
Initial Impressions:
This is the second (and last) of the new Anheuser-Busch "American Originals" that I plan on reviewing to this forum, at least for the time being. Like the Faust Lager, I purchased the Black & Tan as a single bottle, and promptly took notes on the beer later the same evening. As I said in my review of the Faust, I applaud Anheuser-Busch in releasing this series, and sincerely hope that they stick to it and market the beers beyond the test markets in Seattle and Denver. I support this series for two distinct reasons. First, it represents an honest attempt by a major brewer to compete in the "craft" market, rather unlike the stealth micros that I so loathe. Second, these beers are not designed to compete on a level with my favorite breweries (e.g. Pike Place, Rogue, Big Time, Baltimore Brewing, Dominion, etc.) but more on a level with big contract brewers, such as Sam Adams (tm) and Pete's. Pike Place is not going to lose "market share" to Anheuser-Busch. In fact, I doubt that Sam Adams will lose market share to AB. My bet is that this honest attempt of AB to compete in the craft market will serve to broaden the market. The result? Less Miller High Life and more Miller Reserve Stout. Less Busch and more Faust Lager. Not a bad trade, even if it fails to benefit me directly.The "Black & Tan" claims to be a Porter, so that is what I will review it as. The American Originals series is supposedly based on old recipes from around the turn of the century that were gathering dust in the Anheuser-Busch archives. To quote from the bottle: "Based upon records and correspondence from Adolphus Busch and his son August A. Busch Sr." This quote offers an interesting, if slightly fanciful, illustration of a pair of AB mucky-mucks sitting around thinking and talking like beer geeks -- like us. Does this not slightly restore your faith in humanity?
Seriously, when I poured the beer into my pint glass, it was black in color, but not opaque. When I held it up to the light it appeared a beautiful deep garnet. A tan head formed quickly, and lingered.
Nose:
A nice maltiness served as a foundation for strong coffee notes. A nice surprise coming from a beer manufactured (and I am sure that is the relevant verb) by Anheuser-Busch.
Flavor:
Maltiness was the initial flavor encountered in the Black & Tan. This ceded to a fruity (yes! fruity!) middle and a roasty dry finish. A lingering roastiness capped off the experience.
Final Analysis:
I don't believe that I am about to say this, but in some ways this beer is too assertive for style. While the underlying maltiness and body suggest a brown porter, the roasted barley notes (and especially the dry roasty finish) conjure up memories of a fine Irish stout. Basically, the beer is too dry and stout-like for a porter. On different tack, the maltiness could have come out a bit more, and I would have appreciated some evidence that hops were used in this beer to an extent greater than a mere supporting role.Aside from these critiques, this is a decent beer. Not a great beer, but a decent beer. Again, like the Faust Lager, not a beer that I would purchase on a regular basis, but unlike the Faust Lager, I think that this beer competes well with the offerings of Sam Adams. Furthermore, I really like the label artwork for the American Original line. The labels are distinctive, and harkback an earlier era of the brewing industry. Which is not surprising, considering that AB claimed in their focus-group literature that the labels are the same as those used when these beers first appeared nearly one hundred years ago.
Rating:
(Good on my 5-star scale)Next Up:
Oasis Nileator Doppelbock
Wharf Rat Blackfriar Stout
Bell's Special Double Cream Stout
