Tasting Notes: Cheddar: Festive Totty

Cheddar: Festive Totty (England: Porter: 4.5% ABV)

Visual: Opaque black with a firm brown head which leaves creamy trails.

Nose: Slightly sharp and fresh. Light coffee elements. Old wooden soldiers.

Body: Lemon, lime sharp. Light texture. Honey and treacle back. Chocolate sweet centre and bitter rounding out. Cream, a big chunk of vanilla and cherry ending.

Finish: Slight burnt notes, chocolate and slight fudge notes. Lots of bitter at the end.

Conclusion: A balanced beer of sharpness and bitter with a nice sourness.

It’s got a decent amount going on – a very cool chocolate middle with lots of room to explore.

Despite this, it is not a beer I would go back to often. I can’t say quite why, it is proficient but something on the taste over the whole pint puts you off sampling another. The final harshness hides some of the subtler elements in a long drink.

Technically proficient, but somewhat lacking when it all gets put together, a pity.