Peanut Butter Porter
Lost Canoe Brewing, Snohomish
Style: Porter
Stats: 6.8 percent ABV, 20 IBU
Available: On tap at the brewery and at the Snohomish Brewfest
My thoughts: Ask anyone about Lost Canoe and the first thing they ask is, “Have you tried the Peanut Butter Porter?” It’s a beer that has captured the imagination of anyone who visits the fledgling Snohomish brewery.
As a brewery, it can be hard to differentiate yourself from the crowd. All the IPAs, pale ales and chocolate stouts tend to create a fog in the craft beer scene. So for Lost Canoe Brewing, it was serendipitous that this beer became its customers’ favorite.
The beer was somewhat of an accident. One of Lost Canoe’s brewers, Emily Langkow, said they decided to take a fairly standard porter and add some peanut butter extract near the end of the boil. The result was a porter that retained the roasty qualities of a quality porter while tasting slightly sweet without being cloying.
“We tried a bunch of different porters and different variations, but people went crazy for the peanut butter one,” Langkow said. “It just took off and really became our No. 1 beer.”
It took me a while to finally make it out to Lost Canoe to try a Peanut Butter Porter, but once I did, I understood the rave reviews. Though I’m not a huge “sweet” beer fan, the key to this one is the balance between the roastiness of the two-row and crystal malts and the sweetness of the peanut butter extract. The roasty characteristics carry through with a hint of peanut butter sweetness. The finish is mostly roasty.
The beer is always on tap, and the consistency is one of its strongest points. Langkow said they’ve poured out batches of the Peanut Butter Porter that didn’t taste right. The brewery recently switched to a 2-barrel system from a 1-barrel system, so dialing in those recipes has taken some work.
Lost Canoe will be the only brewery pouring full pints in the beer garden at this weekend’s Snohomish Brewfest. Staff will be pouring this beer, a hazy IPA and their blonde.
As for the Peanut Butter Porter, it’s not bad to stand out with something a little different in the land of IPAs.
From the brewery: Peanut Butter Porter is a robust porter with an unmistakable peanut butter flavor supported with chocolate, fruity and roasted notes, all combined in a crisp mouthfeel and clean finish.
More new releases
The Porter of Everett, At Large Brewing: A robust porter with hints of coffee and chocolate. Available on nitro tap at the Snohomish Brewfest.
Amygdala IPA, 5 Rights Brewing: New England IPA meets West Coast IPA in this beer constructed with the same hop profile as the brewery’s Northeast-style Juice Groove IPA but with a West Coast grain bill, mash regimen and yeast selection. Available on tap at the Snohomish Brewfest.
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