Merry Christmas!

I thought I would celebrate with something sweet, so I chose a Saranac Caramel Porter.  I’m assuming it’s sweet.  After all, it has caramel in the name.

Popping the top, I take a whiff.  Well, it definitely smells of caramel.  Artificially so, like it’s something added.  It overwhelms all the beer scents and puts me on my guard.

It smells, in fact, like caramel flavored coffee syrup, or perhaps caramel schnapps.  I’d been saving this and couldn’t wait to drink it, but now I’m kind of dreading the first swig.  Here’s hoping I’m wrong.

Tipping it up to my lips, I take a taste.

Exactly as I’d feared, it tastes like beer with caramel flavor added to it.  It’s not bad or unpleasant, but … not satisfying.

After half a bottle my stomach is feeling a bit unsettled.  Of course that could just be in my head.

According to the label it’s naturally flavored, but has caramel coloring added to it.  I wonder if it’s that “coloring” that I taste?  There is a definite artificial tang to the flavor.

Still, now that the bottle is gone, I have  to say I did enjoy it.  I hesitate to deem it groovy, however.

Let’s just say it’s “pretty good.”

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!  Be careful driving on that ice, stay warm, and have a safe new years.

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