Samuel Adams Honey Porter

I've never been a fan of any Sam Adams brews. I can't put my hand on what it is exactly but I will try the brews from time to time and still never feel the loyalty to buy them regularly. It's certainly not the brand name or the label, or any association, and I think it comes down to taste. I picked up a seasonal variety pack with all sorts of printed ribbons of excellence on it. The first one I tried was the Honey Porter because normally a lot of porters are a little too bitter to be truly enjoyable, I figured with a touch of sweetness this would be an easy sipper. I was right, this one has the obvious honey taste to it, it's a nice touch to counter the bitter bite and works well with this dark beer. Halfway through the glass, I started to grow used to the sweetness and really did not care for it, but I think this one is definitely a great beer to try because it balances texture, taste, and alcohol content very well.

Black Boss Porter

I found this a mile from my neighborhood, a Polish brew, deep dark and heavy in alcohol. This is probably the first random beer I picked up that after a few sips, I had to pour it down the drain. The one I picked up was pretty flat, barely carbonated, heavy on the bitter and sour at once with an obvious hint of probably rotten.