Smuttynose Brewing Company - Smuttynose Robust Porter

The second Smuttynose beer that graduated from the Big Beer Series to six-packs, the Robust Porter brings you right back to 19th century London. This hearty, mahogany colored ale is brewed to evoke the dark, full-bodied ales that were a favorite of dockworkers and warehousemen (hence the name "Porter") in 19th century London. It is a good bet that when Dickens' Mr. Pickwick sat down for a pint, he would have been drinking an ale much like this. Brewed with 2 row pale, carastan, dark crystal, special B and chocolate malts, we found it to be a well-balanced, full-bodied beer that is both smooth and very drinkable. The cascade hops used are done so sparingly, appropriately so for this style. There are subtle notes of coffee and chocolate throughout. The finish has a slight bitterness with a hint of cocoa.

Smuttynose Robust Porter Ice Cream

Don't discount this one until you've tried it! The well-roasted malt barley used to make stouts and porters imparts a rich flavor that is a perfect marriage with many desserts. In addition to ice cream, stouts and porters have traditionally been used to accentuate spice cakes, honey breads, and they were born to complement chocolate mousse!

8 eggs, separated
1 cup superfine sugar
1 cup Smuttynose Robust Porter
1 ½ cups light cream whipped w/ 1 ½ cups heavy cream

Whisk yolks, sugar and your porter together until thick and mixture forms ribbons when whisk is lifted. Fold in whipped creams. Whisk egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into mixture. Pour into container and freeze, or use ice-cream maker. Serves 8 adults, four children, or my mom.

Dear Murl,

I was kickin' back in my favorite blues bar, the New Dolphin Inn, last weekend and decided to venture out and try one of several malt liquors that were on hand behind the bar. Several things followed my consumption of a couple of tall boys: I found rhythm and became a dancing machine, my dance partners looked considerably better than they had only hours before, and I woke the next morning (or perhaps early afternoon) feeling as though I'd been beaten up side the head repeatedly with a large, blunt instrument. My question is a simple one. What the hell is a "malt liquor"? Is it different from beer and why don't I ever want to have one again?

Steve Carson

San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Yo Stevo!

Good question. There seems to be much confusion with respect to the difference between a malt liquors and malt beverages. To answer your question, I've got to first let you know that the phrase, "malt liquor" is really just another marketing tool used to describe a category of beers that could be described as "fortified Bud". All malt liquors are also malt beverages. In many states, any malted beverage above 4 % alcohol by volume cannot be labeled as "Beer".

Now, as for the products you see in the store that have become to be known as "malt liquors", they really don't fit neatly into any style like stout, porter, ale, or any of the other style descriptors that could be used instead of the word "beer". So, the phrase malt liquor was developed.

Your basic Cobra Malt Liquors and Old English 800s of the world are brewed with more fermentables such as sugars and adjunct grains like rice and corn. Bottom line? Cheaply produced, high-octane rocket fuel that would serve you equally as effective and perhaps more kindly the next morning as a rust remover rather than a social lubricant. Bit of trivia on the two above mentioned products: Old English originally got its name as it used to contain 8 % alcohol by volume. Cobra got its name after product research uncovered excessive consumption of the product to serve as an effective repellent towards the obviously highly intelligent reptile.

Woof!

Murl.