All things have to come to an end and the season of porter is no different. The deep freeze has come here at the east end of Lake Ontario and autumns turning leave and harvest are long gone. Tripels, Christmas ales, imperial stouts and barley wine will be everything until the snow banks begin to recede under the stronger sun ten weeks or so from now.

Southern Tier's raspberry porter is one of the best fruited beers I've had. A strong true and jammy thick raspberry scent pops out from under the cap, the same taste melding with the cocoa roasty malts, soft water and cream yeast in the mouth. A cheesecake of a beer without being phony or overly sweet. The quality confirms again my ever growing suspicions about this brewer. Too many BAers fear small berries.