Two pigs exuberantly jump into the air, arms raised and legs flailing, in a scene of genuine celebration. That’s the first thing I notice on the front of the Porkslap Pale Ale can I grab from my fridge. I hope these pigs are celebrating a delicious beer.

To be honest, I was skeptical for a few different reasons. First, this beer comes in a can, which instantly makes me think of some of the worst beers around, like Keystone, Natural Light or the Dog Bite High Gravity Lager I reviewed a few weeks ago, which ended up mostly down the drain.

Secondly, it’s a pale ale, and I’m not a fan of the strong, hoppy flavor that is often associated with that type of beer. I had also never heard of the beer, and with the Porkslap name, I expected it to taste like bacon, bologna or some sort of smoked ham — which aren’t desirable flavors when it comes to beer.

But I was pleasantly surprised when I took a sip and it didn’t taste like meat of any kind. While the aroma of the beer isn’t particularly powerful, the flavors pack a serious punch.

The can definitely affects the taste but pouring it into a glass is a quick way to solve that problem. Don’t let the can fool you — this isn’t a cheap, light beer or a tall boy meant to get you really drunk. It’s quality stuff.

The hoppy flavor was definitely noticeable, but it didn’t dominate the flavor. A distinct, ginger taste overpowered the hoppy flavor and balanced the taste out nicely. It’s light, creamy and not extremely carbonated. Overall, it’s far more enjoyable than I expected it to be.

This beer is pretty unique, and the spicy ginger tones and nice finish are fantastic, especially for a local company that I hadn’t heard of. And while this beer doesn’t taste like pork, it would pair really well with some BBQ pulled pork.

Don’t let the pale ale title scare you away. The Porkslap is definitely worth a try.

Published on February 12, 2015 at 12:01 am

Contact: biglidde@syr.edu