Some beers behave exactly as expected, and then there are beers like Pica Porter , which seem to delight in unsettling those expectations from the very first glance. Discovered in a local micropub and already causing a quiet stir at the bar, this is a porter that refuses to conform. Labelled as dark, yet pouring brown. Promising weight, yet delivering something lighter. Carrying the stylistic name of porter, but laced with an unexpectedly assertive hop character. It is, in every sense, a contradiction worth exploring. First Encounter: A Porter That Doesn’t Quite Look the Part Visually, Pica Porter challenges the drinker immediately. Rather than the deep, opaque blackness one might expect, it presents as a chestnut brown, clearer, lighter, and subtly at odds with porter tradition. The body follows suit. It is thinner than many modern porters, lacking the heavy viscosity often associated with the style. Yet this is not a weakness; it feels intentional, part of a broader rethinkin...
The notebook of a renegade bartender and amateur drinking enthusiast with a passion for real ale, beer festivals, microbrewing, and pubs. Relentless rants on what to drink, while quaffing, scoffing and reviewing from both sides of the bar.