Cheddar Totty Pot

Top Tastings 2008. Featured in BEER February 2009 as an ale to win lager drinkers.

ABV: 4.7%
Origin: Cheddar, Somerset, England
Website: www.cheddarales.co.uk

Cheddar Totty Pot

Established in 2006, this small brewery near the tourist hotspot of Cheddar Gorge soon won a reputation for good quality beers, including a bottle conditioned range. Its porter, Totty Pot, was originally a seasonal cask beer but became a permanent addition to the bottled range after winning festival prizes.

Brewed from Maris Otter pale and coloured malts, malted wheat and English hops, the beer pours near-black with a thick, mid-fawn head. There’s a restrained malty aroma with a hint of iron, heralding a full but tangy palate with dark malt, cola, caramel toffee and burnt rubber. There’s a note of cough sweets and light herby hops. A sugary notes in the swallow leads to a lightly roast, rooty hoppy finish with dark cake and sultanas. Despite its dark colour the beer has a light touch which is appealing and accessible without missing out on depth of flavour.

Short review from Top Tastings 2008, originally published on facebook January 2009: A flavourful bottle conditioned porter with a hint of bloody iron in a malty aroma, a full but tangy dark malt palate with notes of cola, caramel toffee, burnt rubber, cough sweets and a dusting of herby hops, and a sugary note kicking off a lightly roast rooty-hoppy finish with dark sultana cake. Review bottle from brewer.

Read more about this beer at ratebeer.com: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/cheddar-totty-pot/84290/