Pecan Pie Porter

“Finally an extra delicious beer for your pie hole!” declares the copy on the remarkably ugly and curiously-hued 473mL can of Pecan Pie Porter, a 5.6% alcohol brew from Guelph, Ontario. PPP is the brainchild of Double Trouble Brewing Co., which is, to my mind, one of the unsung and innovative beer builders in this great province. This beer is brewed, apparently, with “natural pecan flavour”.

PPP has the almost sickeningly sweet, nutty and caramel aroma of a pecan pie, supplemented with a whiff of a dessert coffee. Compared to the heartily unhealthy nose, the flavour is only a fairly sweet imitation. Notes of pecan are prevalent, but they are preceded by java and coffee elements. The back end is where the pecan is really turned loose, though it is cunningly balanced against a bitter coffee presence.

Pecan Pie Porter is definitely a dessert beer. However, it fares very well compared to other similarly situated pudding-themed brews—such as Banana Bread Beer or Maple Butter Tart Ale. Too sweet by a mile, but at least measured against a bitter backdrop, PPP is a novelty beer that has some revisitation value.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.