Porters — Firestone Walker vs. Elysian

Firestone Robust Porter
ABV 5.9%

Color: Clear brown/orange.
Aroma: Hops, both floral and citrus.
Flavor: Citrus hops first, then sweet malts, then subtle roasty malts. A bit thin.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Malty
Finish: Nice, mellow coffee.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good

Elysian Perseus Porter
ABV 5.4%

Color: Clear dark brown/red.
Aroma: Funky, stinky cheese and coffee beans.
Flavor: Sweet malts, then nice roasted coffee.
Hops vs. Malts (Hoppy, Malty or Balanced): Balanced
Finish: Bitter chocolate hoppiness.
Overall (Fantastic, Good, Mediocre or Bad): Good +

Winner by unanimous decision: Elysian. Perseus is ripped. I mean, look at those pecs. The dude's spent some time in the gym. Despite his imposing physique, the Perseus didn't win this battle with brute force. It was a nice combination of balanced hops and malts and a fuller, richer body that led him to victory. The Firestone is no slouch itself, but when compared to the Elysian, it just came across a bit too thin and simple. As a matter of fact, I'm not sure that either of us would have guessed it was a porter in a blind tasting. It had a surprisingly hoppy aroma that might cause you to think Pale Ale, followed by a surprisingly sweet flavor that might lead you to conclude Amber.

On a side note, the Firestone paired marvelously with our smoky and spicy beef tacos while the Perseus was a bit too strong and didn't really add much to the flavors. So, drink the Firestone with food (we think it would go well with BBQ meats as well) and have some Perseus before or after dinner (or both!)