Two by Two Porter

Tasting Summary

These comments are the opinion of the individual reviewer and represent what they thought of the beer on a particular day in a particular pub. If a review is less favourable, it may be because the beer suffered somewhere in the supply chain between them and the brewery.

The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	15 Jun 2026
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	14 Jun 2026
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	14 Jun 2026
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	13 Jun 2026
Philip Pirrip		11 Jun 2026	All condition lost
Hogan Sampling		11 Jun 2026	2nd beer of this visit: Now either its third or fourth night on and only momentary head and lacing before legging it out of the glass on this Newcastle porter. A chocolatey maltiness in its first hit. Its Maris Otter base malt, cocoa, chocolate, espresso and black malts giving rise to a smoky, roasted, malty biscuity dryness. Hints of cedar, mint, cream and vanilla from its American hop, Sabro, winning over. A hedgerow and red berry dry bitterness lingering with its fruity notes emerging from its UK East Kent Goldings hops. Again, not full of flavour as was noted on Tuesday’s sampling for my taste buds. Remaining thin-tasting and now minus conditioning.
Philip Pirrip		09 Jun 2026	Drank without really noticing
Hogan Sampling		09 Jun 2026	2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on since my last visit on Sunday and exhibiting a creamy head but its lacing not overly lasting on this Newcastle porter from this 2014-launched brewery originally set up on the outskirts in Wallsend, Tyneside, before the brewery moved in 2022 closer to the city centre to Morley's Yard in Byker and 1 to 2 miles east of Newcastle’s centre. A dry malty first bite. A smokiness rising with hints of a roasted, malty biscuity dryness from its mix of Maris Otter, forming its base malt, and joined by roasted grains, including cocoa, chocolate, espresso and black malts and sweet roasted crystals. Its creamy head lending it much appeal but this evaporated somewhat speedily, leaving touches of cocoa, espresso and roasted sweet malts on my palate. A malty bitterness prevailing with hints of cedar, mint, cream and vanilla from its American hop, Sabro, aiding its dry lingering fruity-dry finish. Its UK East Kent Goldings hops lending a hedgerow and red berry bitterness on its descent. Not overly flavoured for my taste buds and perhaps just a tad thin-tasting where more conditioning could have counteracted this.
Hogan Sampling		21 Apr 2026	2nd beer of this visit: Fourth day on for this Newcastle-brewed porter and just some head and lacing but not lasting. Its smoky first hit had returned from its first appearance on Saturday. A roasted biscuity, chocolatey and coffee-infused maltiness rising up. Cedar, mint, cream and vanilla all delighting my taste buds as aided most likely by Sabro hops. The likely addition of East Kent Goldings aiding a red berry-infused bitterness on its downwards exit. A little tired now on its fourth day with waning conditioning.
Philip Pirrip		21 Apr 2026	Holding up after several days on
Philip Pirrip		19 Apr 2026	Good condition 5%er but would have been better with more natural carbonation
Hogan Sampling		19 Apr 2026	2nd beer of this visit: Second day on for this Newcastle-brewed porter and still exhibiting good head and lacing and hanging around almost to the end. Not as smoky a first hit as the day before but more a dryness emerging. A malty, chocolatey and coffee-infused flavouring rising and emanating from its cocoa, espresso and roasted malts. Its likely Sabro hops lending it hints of cedar, mint, cream and vanilla, and its East Kent Goldings, at a guess, lending a hedgerow bitterness before its descent downwards with the odd red berry in on the act. Served in good nick and nicely matured from its appearance the day before.
Hogan Sampling		18 Apr 2026	2nd beer of this visit: This porter from the Byker-based brewery located in the East End of Newcastle and approximately two miles east of the city centre and where it relocated to in 2022 to expand its operation and following being set up in 2014 in Wallsend, Tyneside, was fresh on with very good head and lacing and hanging around almost to the end. A smoky first hit. A malty bitterness rising and likely to be from Maris Otter along with hints of cocoa, espresso and roasted sweet malts climbing. A hoppy presence emerging and most likely from Sabro hops. These are an aromatic American hop variety released in 2018 and unique for being derived from the Neomexicanus subspecies, a wild hop native to the mountains of New Mexico. They provided my taste buds with hints of cedar, mint, cream and vanilla. Likely UK varieties such as East Kent Goldings lending a hedgerow or two of berry fruits to tantalise my taste buds before joining the slide downwards. Served in good form but perhaps a tad too fresh.

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