In the world of better beer, nothing is more important than your own personal palate. You can sit and read reviews for days and days in search of a beer that is right up your alley, settle on one, seek it out and find it, and then get it home and be completely let down by it. I know I've done it before, and I am sure you have as well. In reality, it all comes down to personal preferences. I have made no secret that beers of the darker variety are the ones I tend to gravitate towards. I blame it on my love of rich and sweet flavors, and generally speaking those are the flavors found in a glass of glorious dark nectar. A nice example of one of these treats is the Road Dog Porter from Flying Dog Brewing Company.

In the glass, when held up to a light source, Road Dog is dark brown with a slight tint of red near the edges. Two fingers worth of light tan head form with a hard pour, and a nice cap remains throughout the session to provide some spotty lacing. As far as porters go, the standard aromas are definitely here. Lots of chocolate, roasted malts, and cocoa powder greet you upfront, and laying just beneath them are some lighter notes of earthy coffee, sweet licorice, and faint toffee. With some deliberate digging you might even pick up on a hint of fig from time to time, but think of it as a bonus rather than a requirement.

When going in for the first taste, rest easy as there are no surprises waiting for you. The flavor train follows very closely to the nose, with the cocoa powder being slightly more dominant in the taste department. The coffee flavor has a bit of bitterness and bite to it, and provides some good balance to the sweet chocolate taste that follows close behind it. The licorice and toffee are both there as well but unlike in the nose, the hunt for them is a little more involved. The carbonation is a little above the range of average, and the mouthfeel is maybe a shade thin, but combined they end up creating a high level of drinkability.

You have heard us use the term ''session beer'' here on BrewChief.com on countless occasions, but here is a case where it could not be more fitting. Going through several of them in one sitting is not only acceptable, but I highly recommend it. Beginners could really benefit from it as a great example of what beer on our side of the battle can taste like, while the more advanced drinkers can put down their magnifying glasses and simply toss back a tasty brew. Truth be told, I have been drinking Road Dog all day long, and you would all be wise to set aside an afternoon and evening to do the same.

As an added bonus, after a bit of research I found that Flying Dog actually had to go to court and battle the Colorado state liquor board over the phrase ''Good Beer. No Shit.'' that appears on the label of Road Dog. I have no clue what the state liquor boards problems was, and apparently the court thought the same. After a 5 year battle, Flying Dog won. I guess the truth really shall set you free.