Pig & Porter Apparition Stout

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	16 Apr 2026
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	16 Apr 2026
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	14 Apr 2026
Philip Pirrip		14 Apr 2026	Well tired but acceptable on flavour still
Philip Pirrip		12 Apr 2026	Bulk standard stout. Drank without much noticing
Hogan Sampling		12 Apr 2026	2nd beer of this visit: Second day on and this Tunbridge Wells-brewed stout pouring a ruby brown and coming with a good head and lacing but not really lasting. A malty first hit aided by its malts including Maris Otter, Roasted Barley and Chocolate. A rising bitterness from its exclusively Willamette hops, named after the Willamette Valley in northwest Oregon, and bred as a high-yield American alternative to the classic English Fuggle hop. A chocolate-infused malty note winning over. A dry bitterness slithering downwards with just the merest of chocolatey notes joining in. Greatly more quaffable than the Oakham and Hook Norton collaboration, Hooked Up.
Hogan Sampling		11 Apr 2026	2nd beer of this visit: Fresh on was this Tunbridge Wells microbrewery’s* Kentish stout with good head and lacing to start with but not lasting all the way. A dry bitter but chocolatey first hit. A maltiness rising with just the merest hint of coffee but certainly not malty-sweet from its mix of Maris Otter, Roasted Barley, Chocolate malt, Flaked Barley, Oats, Crystal, Caragold, and Black malt. A healthy bitterness coming to the fore with subtle notes of elderberry, blackcurrant and hedgerow fruits aided by its Willamette hops**. Not a substantial mouthfeel by any means with just the faintest of chocolatey flavouring prevailing in its outflow of bitterness heading downwards. Perhaps still a touch too fresh for its head and lacing to have vanished soon after being poured on its first day on and in being rather thin-tasting. *Pig and Porter has been brewing on their own 10-barrel plant since 2013. **This is a classic American aroma hop that was released in 1971 by the United States Department of Agriculture's breeding program in Oregon. It was specifically developed as a high-yielding, American-grown alternative to the traditional English Fuggle hop.
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	12 Sep 2025
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	11 Sep 2025
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	11 Sep 2025
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	09 Sep 2025
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	09 Sep 2025
Philip Pirrip		07 Sep 2025	No apparent condition, making it a chore to finish
Hogan Sampling		07 Sep 2025	Also fresh on was this Tunbridge Wells' stout and head and lacing to start with but not managing to hold onto it. A dry smoky first bite. A good chocolatey maltiness rising from its depths and a moreishly dry bitterness from its US Willamette hops, derived from English Fuggle hops and noted for their woody incense and red berry hints, winning over and playing out.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	15 May 2025
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	15 May 2025
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	21 Nov 2024
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	21 Nov 2024
Hogan Sampling		19 Nov 2024	Good head and lacing still from first sampling Sunday. Malty flavours with a dry, moreish mouthfeel.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	17 Nov 2024
Hogan Sampling		17 Nov 2024	Good head and lacing. A smokey flavour with a dry, moreish mouthfeel. One half of it quickly became a pint on first sipping it.
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	13 Aug 2024
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	11 Aug 2024
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	11 Aug 2024
Hogan Sampling	Not Tried	10 Aug 2024
Hogan Sampling		09 Aug 2024	Good head but too sweet for more than a half.
Philip Pirrip	Not Tried	08 Aug 2024
Hogan Sampling		08 Aug 2024	Good head and flavours of tropical fruit such as mango and lychee.

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Who	Score	When	Notes
Magnus Greel		14 Sep 2024	Smooth sweet and creamy just how I like it.

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