The debate on who invented the porter style of beer is heated. Do a quick search of “Ralph Harwood” and prepare to get lost in online comment threads full of finger pointing and righteous rightness. While the inventor of the style is disputed, it is clear that porter came about as a combination of three beers common in 1700’s England – ale, beer and strong beer. Some called it Three Threads, perhaps a riff on Three Thirds. It was also known as Entire, as in Entire-butt, or all from a single cask. Whatever the truth may be, Harwood Myth from Urban Chestnut is a classicly English-style porter.

(READ MORE: Urban Chestnut Announces Urban Research Brewery)

It pours deep black with a nougat colored head. I’ve been having far too much fun of late playing with the pour and how thick and meaty a head I can obtain. Harwood Myth has a head that reminds me of the top layer of a Snickers, you could eat it with a spoon. The aroma is malty like you would expect with a bit of smokiness wafting about. Drinking it brought out biscuity vanilla notes and unsweetened cocoa. There’s a mild bitterness but overall it’s very nicely balanced. A beer you could drink a lot of.

With all the chocolate milk and barrel-aged dark beers these days, it’s easy to lose sight of something like this, a traditional English-style porter. But Harwood Myth stands on its own, no need to dress it up with flavors and funky processing. Ralph Harwood would be proud.

Follow Niel on Twitter @WaveTrainLLC and Instagram @WaveTrainLLC

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