Cranky Reviews

The launch of The Keybell from the Collingwood dry dock in 1912.

It’s been quite a while since I sampled a Side Launch,* and I miss the boat.** But now  the boat is back, in the form of a vanilla porter. I was looking forward to this one, although I must admit, vanilla and I have not been on the best of terms. It’s not that I dislike vanilla, just to be clear, the problem isn’t vanilla, and it isn’t me either. The problem is a tad too much is way too much for me, so it’s gotta be just right or not at all. So Brewer’s beware, subtle and balanced is your call to arms.

Speaking of side launch, do you know what a side-eye is? Well I sure do, because every time I tell a Grand Dad joke my teenage granddaughter gives me the side eye. And if it’s a real bad one I get the sky-eye. ***

This Side Launch is front and center in my glass. Time to see if it gets a side-eye or a super suds sky high rating. Launching into a black on all sides porter pour, with a slim trim vanilla head. Definitely some vanilla in there, it’s dominating the nose, and has me concerned for this boat’s balance. I wonder if side launching ever sank a boat?**** Time for the taste test.

A mild malt roast classic with a bit of cocoa, a trace of café, and a tad of vanilla with a  touch of fuzz on this peach of a porter.  I was worried about too much v bean and not enough c bean but it’s a nice sweet porter. Watery and balanced, it’s an easy drinking dark.  A sweet mild porter that is actually big swigable.  I could handle a touch more porter and a touch less vanilla, but then it wouldn’t be a vanilla porter, would it.

This brew didn’t pull a unicorn and miss the boat. Not over the top vanilla, with a not understated porter, gives you a double negative vanilla porter that I’m positive is on the level.

*Editor’s Comment: The last Side Launch COMDB review, it was November 28^th, 2023. Their Dark Lager scored a super suds rating.