No matter what the calendar says, if you ask me, it's always dark beer season. It doesn't matter if you need three coats because its so cold outside, or its so hot that camels are falling over. If I am able to find a brew so dark it can block the sun, I will give it a spin. Now I know some ''brew purists'' will say that you should drink what the season dictates, but those are the same people I will violently shove to the floor when its the middle of June and they are between me and a tasty stout or porter. Luckily, we are still on the fringes of dark brew season, and none of those purists were in the line of fire when the Dark Star Porter from Bluegrass Brewing Company crossed my path.

When poured, the Dark Star Porter takes on most of the typical characteristics one would expect from a quality porter. The coloration is dark brown, almost to the point of being black, with some deep mahogany on the very edges. A decent sized beige head forms on a moderate pour and leaves some spotty lacing throughout the session. The aroma department is about the same as the visual. Pretty typical, with no glaring mistakes. Very dark chocolates and coffee are the main players here, but underneath them are some more subtle hints of roasted malts, burnt brown sugar, cocoa, and even a bit of an alcohol sting on the nostrils.

As far as taste goes, once again, no surprises. The flavor train follows somewhat closely to the nose, with the coffee and chocolates doing a bit of a dark malted battle upfront, where the coffee comes out as a slight victor. Some caramel highlights come through occasionally, but they seem to blend in to the dry cocoa flavor as the glass gets lower. There is a slight bit of bitterness in the finish, and personally I had a hard time deciding if it was from the coffee taste, or some nicely disguised hops lurking in the background. Either way, its not a bad thing, and it plays in nicely to a dry, but not to the point of chalky, mouthfeel. The only thing I might change would be the carbonation level due to it being just slightly above what I prefer in a porter. Don't get me wrong though. It's not to the level of me sending it back if I find it in front of me again.

When you go through as many porters and stouts as I tend to do, it is always nice when one such as the Dark Star Porter finds its way into your glass. For me, it earned a spot on my list of highly sessionable porters, and I would gladly spend an evening on a patio or around a campfire with it as my only brew on hand. All levels of drinkers could enjoy it as either as a bridge beer for those looking to broaden their beer horizon, or as an easy drinking, full flavored session brew for those with a more honed palate. So hats off to Bluegrass Brewing Company. You guys really treated me well with my first experience of your lineup. Consider yourself on my radar now. I can't wait to see what else you have in store.