New Glarus Unplugged Old English Porter - rant

If I look at Rate Beer or Beer Advocate it seems I will be in a MAJOR minority on this one .

I tried this and it is one of the worst beers I have ever tasted - right up there with Lazy Mutt.

I've tasted a few English Porters and NONE of them tasted like this.

"Half of the batch went through a souring fermentation, in the traditional way, to promote the characteristic wine-like acidity. Yea - like chewing on aluminum. YUCH!

hmmmmm - My latest IPA that went down the drain with an infection - I could have said "Half of the batch went through a souring fermentation" and sold it.

I have a very high regard for New Glarus Brewery but this one - pull the plug on it.

One guy on Beer Advocate must have had my feelings but chenged it when the brew master contacted him.

I haven't tried this particular beer yet, but have brewed historical porters in the past. Regarding Brett, it can be surprising to the uninitiated - personally, I love it!

New Glarus is my favorite brewery, period. Now about this porter...

It had one of the most complex aromas I have ever smelled. The smoke, sourness and roastiness I have never found all in the same beer and it took me a few minuets of just smelling before I actually got around to tasting it. The flavor was not nearly as impressive, very sour which distracted you from the smoke and it finished with a sort of soapy twang. There was another big negative in the flavor, but I can't remember what adjective I was using to describe it. Honestly, I think this beer will better with a bit of age. It's rough around the edges but I think a soured porter has potential once everything comes together.

The guy on beer advocate simply said he thought it was infected, so Dan Carey contacted him to let him know that was intentional.

I think the problem was that I did not really know what "OLD" meant in an Old English Porter.

It means "Stale" or "sour". Now - in my brews I try to stay away from stale and sour. I guess some people like it. I can not stand it. So as a stale sour beer I guess it's a good one.

For me it is like trying to pick out good poop and bad poop - it's all tastes the same (not that I have actually tried it . . . bad example I guess) but my dog can tell.