Although our collective agreement with the COMDB Translation Department is as restrictive as a straight jacket, it does have a few proverbial loopholes, and one is etymology. And I happen to know that our egghead Editor is an amateur etymologist of the first order, so I’m sure he’ll have a field day with Portage and Porter. *
As far as the beer goes, I could Google “porter” but I prefer a reference with a spine. Mirella’s beer bible ** tells us that porters originated in the 1700’s in London where they gained popularity and spawned a stronger version called a porter stout, the origins of stout beers.
Blackburn tell us that they brewed this beer for, and I quote “The backpackers, vagabonds, wanderers, hikers, trailblazers, trekkers, roamers, and specially the potagers.” Potagers? Of course, I have nothing against kitchen gardeners, feel free to plant some herbs if you have the thyme. Am I digressing? Rhetorical question. ***
A Johnny Cash man in black pour, right on the money. A slipstream of a head was there then gone. The aroma is cocoa predominant with roasted malt in a supporting role. It’s a Chocolate Porter with a capital “C”. Dark chocolate bitters follow with a flat dry finish and aftertaste. Consistent and balanced. Smooth middlin’ mouthfeel body with that dry dark chocolate bitter finish makes for an easy drinking porter. No coffee in this one to keep you awake at night. Blackburn should have added chocolate lovers to the list of people they brewed this for.
This tasty chocolate porter carries the day.
*Editor’s Comment: The origins of the word “porter” and its modern-day usage are fascinating. Stemming from Latin “portare” to carry comes the French verb “porter” which is to wear or carry. The English noun Porter originally referred to the occupation of one who carries things. Although it has been postulated that the origin of the beer’s name stems from the popularity of it with the Porters of London there is no evidence to support that theory.
**Editor’s Comment: The 2014 book Beerology by Mirella Amato is a great reference for anyone “who has ever experienced the pleasure of a pint”.
***Editor’s Comment: You should be the last one to poke fun at a typo. And note, they should have used the word “especially” rather than “specially”. “Especially” is used to highlight something that stands out or is more true than other things, while “specially” refers to something being made or done for a specific purpose. And while I’m at it, a rhetorical question does not require a question mark.
***Reviewer’s Comment: Your pedanticism knows no bounds.
***Editor’s Comment: The correct word would be pedantry to describe a trait. A pedanticism would be a piece of pedantry, and an awesome alliteration too.
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