3 Porters You'll Crave This Winter

Hunker down for the season with these malty, milky, and much-needed frosty beers.

Mary was one of the greatest loves of my life. She was as sweet as dark-amber syrup; she smelled like a chocolatier’s workshop; her kiss evoked memories of an early-morning coffee shop. But like every good catch, she left me, never to be seen again.

Mary, in this case, refers to Mary’s Maple Porter, a limited-release Brooklyn Brewery creation. It was named after a brewery employee, whose maple syrup from her Syracuse farm was used in this extraordinary brew.

It’s still my favorite of this style, a style that’s been around since the early 1700s, when porters tasted completely different. They were maltier, smokier (from the wood-/coal-fired grains), and often tasted like burnt sugar. Today’s roasty porters are reminiscent of iced coffee, milk or dark chocolate, and sometimes you’ll encounter one with spicy chilis.

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Though they can be difficult to find in Westchester, here are three to groove on:
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Rushing Duck Brewing (@rushingduck) on

Beanhead Coffee Porter

RushingDuck Brewing Co., Chester

A by-the-book porter elevated to intense coffee status as a result of a team-up with Java Love Coffee Roasting Co.’s roasted Guatemalan beans. It’s on the bitter side but sipping on this won’t bitter your mood. 
 

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Photo Courtesy Half Full Brewery

Rise & Shine

Half Full Brewery, Stamford

Skip your go-to iced coffee and rock with this porter, which is very much like drinking a better iced coffee. This collaboration with Rise Brewing Co.’s trending nitro cold brew results in a creamy-smooth mouthfeel.
 


Photo courtesy Sing Sing Kill Brewery

Mr. Trouble Coconut Porter

Sing Sing Kill Brewery, Ossining

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One of the new kids on the Westchester beer scene, SSKB just broke out this low-ABV porter that’s aged on five pounds of coconut flakes. It’s like drinking a liquefied Mounds bar.