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Branch out, they said, try something new, get adventurous, expand your beer horizons, I was told.
So I did. And I found myself supping on a brew not normally known to make its way past my pie-hole.
I'm talking about porter, and not your normal porter either, it's Renaissance Brewing's Chocolate Thunder porter.
Renaissance is a multiple award-winning brewery based in Marlborough, set up by two expat Californians known for their high-quality and imaginative brews.
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Advertise with NZME.Their chocolate porter was like pouring a block of liquid Ghanaian chocolate down your throat. Man, was it chocolatey. And that's good.
Often when tasting a beer brewed with chocolate, honey or feijoa it's difficult to pick up on the subtle flavours, but not this number - it's chocolate overload - followed off by a strong malty finish.
Porter is not quite beer and not quite stout, and being honest, I have drunk very little porter in my time, so I don't feel I'm qualified to give it a rating.
However, online reviews from those better educated than I are very positive.
My beer guru tells me this porter is a bit of a curiosity and not your normal run-of-the mill dark beer but it certainly is flavoursome and would surely excite lovers of traditional English porters or stouts.
And there's nothing wrong with trying new things. I look forward to the next one.