Shepherd Neame 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 Swan, Maidstone, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
ChrisE		03 Jan 2014	The first time that I have seen this year's porter on sale, so I had to have one, it was absolutely delicious so I had three.
Dosser		15 Jan 2013	A nice pint but lacks real flavour.
Pedro		26 Dec 2012
Pedro		25 Dec 2012
Pedro		18 Dec 2012	Crackin' form
Pedro		12 Dec 2010	Very moorish
ChrisE		11 Dec 2010	Dark, almost black beer with a yellowish creamy head, liquid liquorice.

Aylesford Bulls Rugby Club, Aylesford, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Tobes		08 Dec 2013

Stile Bridge, Marden, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Pedro	Not Tried	17 Jan 2013
Dosser		17 Jan 2013

Neptunes Hall, Broadstairs, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Blair		12 Dec 2012	It's back! I feared it would never return but here it is in top form.
Andrew		30 Dec 2006	The best pint of this I've had. Some blackcurrent and a hint of raspberry. The burnt malt was a bit subtler than I've had recently too.

The Dog & Gun, Maidstone, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Pedro		20 Dec 2011	Superb !
Pedro		18 Dec 2011	Had a bit of a wait but glorious when it eventually came on !

The Cock Inn, Boughton Monchelsea, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Pedro		11 Dec 2011	Well worth the wait ! especially as there are only 34 nine gallon casks done this year !

The Gatekeeper (formerly The New Inn), Etchinghill, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		24 Dec 2008	Continuing its early season form. 1st pint had really good choc but the second suffered a bit from being the last out of the barrel.

The Millers Arms, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		20 Dec 2008	Choccy flavour, Sheps yeast aroma. Lacked the depth and character of the half I had at the Bishops Finger a few days earlier, but still very drinkable stuff.
Andrew		20 Dec 2008	£3.05 a pint is a bit steep if you ask me - Shep's porter ain't that good! Anyway, the porter this year is much better than in previous years. It still has that weird powderiness to it but it has a bit of a fruity body now that perks it up a bit.
Andrew		15 Dec 2007	Black with a frothy short-lived head. Rich with some dark fruit but still that overpowering burnt powdery flavour to it.
Ian		27 Dec 2006	Some chocolate, but a bit powdery, no fruit to speak of and just a bit unintegrated with the flavours.
Andrew	Not Tried	27 Dec 2006
Ian		04 Mar 2006	There may have been other beers on, I guess Master Brew and Spitfire, but I went straight for this. Black beer with brown edges. Roasted malts are good tempered by a yeasty sourness. Quality beer that is just so different from all these bitters. I have fallen in love with these dark sour old ales/beers
Ian		29 Dec 2005	Fruity porter with dark black fruits. Blackcurrant and tangerine. Good porter. Good fruits. Attractive with some soft choc/coffee. Deep brown colour with thin beige lasting head. Good condition.

The Bishops Finger, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		17 Dec 2008	The porter was fresh, in beautiful full bodied condition. It sang as I drank it. Full, not sour, but with great Sheps yeast nose, choc in the middle and hoppy on finish. An unbelievable good combination. If Sheps keep going on like this, first a very good Late Red and then this spectacularly good porter. Then I may have to review my general opinion of them.

Prince of Wales, Herne Bay, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew	Not Tried	19 Jan 2008
Andrew		28 Dec 2007	The beer was in good condition. Strong bitterness with hints of coffee and blackcurrent.

Bush, Blackbird & Thrush, East Peckham, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		29 Dec 2007	Good porter as I recall

New Flying Horse, Wye, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		24 Dec 2007	Good condition on this beer. Blackcurrent with sharp bitter hop finish. Very nice.
Ian		24 Dec 2007	Very, very good. Nice mix of dark fruit and roasted flavours.
Andrew		24 Dec 2006	I know people who think this beer is very good. I must be missing something as to me it's just a black, slightly liquorish 1 dimensional beer.
Ian		12 Mar 2006	Black beer, sparse bubbly beige head. Slightly sour, dark roast malts with some dark fruit on the aroma. Molasses in fact. Slightly wet in mouth and some sourness. Finish has dry grainy burnt malts, with some very good dry hop. Little bit of toffee. I really like this beer.
Andrew		24 Dec 2005	Black with a slighly acrid taste to it.
Andrew		25 Dec 2004	A slightly sweet rather bland porter

Rose & Crown, Elham, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		20 Jan 2007	Black with a frothy head that didn't last the distance (which is standard with Kent's hard-water beers). A burnt flavour dominates with occasional hints of blackcurrant if you look for them. Not a complex beer by any stretch of the imagination.

Cinque Ports, Rye, East Sussex

Ringlestone Inn, Ringlestone, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		01 Jan 2007	Top of the new barrel. Very good porter in the 'plain porter' mold. Could have happily drunk it all day.
Andrew		01 Jan 2007	Tasted of vinegar so I took it back. They promptly changed the barrel and replaced my pints.
Ian		01 Jan 2007	I love fresh beer from a fresh barrel. It tastes so good. This was full and had some choc and a touch of dark plum I guess, but mostly a milk chocolate flavour. Nice.

White Hart, Canterbury, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Andrew		03 Feb 2006	Big bitter taste with slight liquorice flavour. Some sweet burnt malt and a rich liquorice finish

Memphis Bar (formerly The Oranges), Ashford, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Ian		12 Jan 2006	Very dark brown/black, no head. Sour, molasses, dark syrup, bitter choc, espresso coffee and some smooth dark fruit. Good