#exportindiaporter

Brewery: The Kernel

Style: Export India Porter

ABV: 5.8%

Hops: Summit & Cascade

Colour: Incredibly Dark Amber/Brown, Almost Black, Orange-Mahogany Head

This style of beer is why, to me, craft beer is so interesting. The relationship between an Export India Porter and a Porter is what an IPA is to a Pale Ale, it is a higher ABV with more hop additions. Therefore this style is close to a Black IPA but because it is based on a Porter it becomes an Export India Porter. The blurring of styles creates beers that are so complex and interesting with rich histories, which also creates real beer nerds. (Not sure if thats a good or bad thing, but thats beside the point.)

Kernel (based just down the road from Brew By Numbers in Bermondsey, London) have made a solid beer here, based on a Barclay Perkins recipe from 1855 but changed the hops from English variations to American Variations, Summit and Cascade, which give this beer a much fresher, citrusy character than a porter would ever have, whilst maintaining a coffee/cocoa/smoky body.

On the nose you get hit by the citrusy hops dominated by an orange note, complimented with hints of rose and a big whack of cocoa.  It has quite a light body due to a higher level of carbonation to keep the drink refreshing and not so heavy, which really entices out the hop character of this beer. The rose and orange pokes out as well as a beautiful nutty caramel note that sweetens the bitterness of the orangey hops. With a loving huge hit of smoky cocoa, this beer is reminiscent of Turkish Delight, coated in cocoa. Similar in both flavour and texture. I’d suggest this beer to someone who wanted to start getting into heavy, darker and more complex beers comprising of darker roasted malts and much higher ABVs (Brewdogs Cocoa Psycho comes to mind). 

Kernel have not gone too heavy on the coffee, caramel and cocoa notes but they are still present and relatively hard-hitting, balanced with the delicate orangey bitterness and rose notes from the hops. The Export India Porter gets:

7.8/10