Harvest Moon Brewing Company in Belt, MT

Every Monday, we feature a new Montana microbrew review. Enjoy.

Whether you like or dislike the name of Harvest Moon Brewing Company’s Pigs Ass Porter (I have to say it’s a little odd ordering a Pigs Ass at the bar, even if the origins of the name come from the leftover mash being provided to local farmers to fatten up their pigs, which, when you think about it, doesn’t make the beer that much more appealing either), you’d be hard-pressed to find a beer quite as well-rounded and flavorful in a traditional London Porter style than this Belt, MT gem.  Pigs Ass Porter really does exemplify what can be created when a porter is more than just a watered down stout.

Pouring a thick, dark black, the Pigs Ass (see, it’s all just a little odd with the name, but I digress) looks like used motor oil without the thick, thick consistency.  The smell was rich, almost as if a hunk of a chocolate and coffee bar had been melted down and poured in the glass.  The taste was just what I was expecting from the nose and appearance: a very malty, nutty, dessert type beer that could compete with some of the better chocolate stouts I’ve sampled in the past.  Harvest Moon suggests serving the beer cool (46-48 degrees fahrenheit), and I couldn’t agree more.  The slight warmth really brought out the extra flavors that a chilled beer would likely mask.

Not surprisingly, this is a rather filling beer, and halfway through a pint, this sucker can become a meal in itself.  But while fighting through the second half of the glass, a subtle hint of late hops really starts to appear more and more as a nice compliment to the nutty, chocolate character.  This beer might be advertised as a porter, but it tastes more like a stout that has been dabbling in the art of a thin IPA.  Certainly something that makes this beer unique and tasty.

If you’re looking for a sipping beer that shows was a porter can really be made of, dive into a Pigs Ass (see, it really is odd) and get ready for a delightful meal of malt, chocolate, and just a tad bit of a hop bite.  Belt might not be known for much, but Pigs Ass is something the small town can be quite proud of.