Once known as Narragansett "Dark", this American-style Porter has been brewed by Narragansett since 1916. This winter marks the first time this seasonal offering has ever been put into 16 oz. pint cans. Like Narragansett "Fest", their fall seasonal, this one has a price point that is hard to pass up $7.99 for 6 x 16 oz. cans! Cheers!

From the Narragansett site:

"Gansett Porter offers an extremely approachable craft experience that, unlike many of the other porters on the market, is not overly smoky or bitter. The Narragansett Porter has a deliciously mild chocolate flavor with just a hint of smokiness and hops to balance out the finish.."

Here we go...

Pour - deep, dark brown...almost black in appearance with an ultra-rich and thick looking off-white head on top. This ebony treat really looks great! 

Aroma - malted milk balls, caramel, Nestle Quik, bitter coffee with whiffs of dark fruit.

Taste - creamy smooth, full-bodied with plenty of rich, malty flavor. Plenty of dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roast coffee and caramel malt as well. I do taste a little of that smokiness they mention in the brewery's description and feel it adds a very nice touch to the finish of this beer. Along with that bit of smokiness comes a nice amount of hop bitterness that comes with the American-style porters. I am impressed by this beer. Another well-done seasonal offering from the folks at Narragansett.

Overall - I love porters, especially when they're well-rounded. This one embodies all the flavor profiles I like and also has a creamy mouthfeel, a bitter/smoky finish and is full-bodied and not light on the tongue whatsoever. Lots of rich, heart flavors and perfect for anyone who loves the style or dark beers in general.

Would I buy more of it? - I would. Like their "Fest", a six-pack of 16 oz. cans is going for about $8 here in New England. Very affordable for a quality brew.

Note - Some more about this particular beer from Narragansett...

The History: "The Porter has been a part of the Narragansett Brewing Company’s brewing tradition dating all the way back to 1916 (often found under the name “Narragansett Dark” in bars). In fact, the Porter helped ‘Gansett survive Prohibition because the brewery was given a patent by the US Government to brew it for medicinal purposes. Apparently, ‘Gansett Porter was believed to be the cure for whatever ailed you, and doctors would write prescriptions for it to help patients throughout New England with anemia and various other maladies.  Now the Porter is back and better than ever, and you don’t even need a prescription to get it.  So grab a 16oz pint can and enjoy!"