Before I go any further, this review is only half a review of Allgates Portersque. In fact it’s a review of my tasting notes from memory, so as a beer review it can be taken with a pinch of salt!

I’ve really enjoyed writing this belated series on the 2009 Sainsbury’s Beer Competition, and I’m hoping that there will be a few people eager to find out which beer we think deserved to win the contest. Anywhere, on with the story…

For my birthday my girlfriend bought me a Moleskine notebook, one of the smaller sized ones that just about fits in the back pocket of Levi’s and is covered in thick black leather.

It sat unused whilst I filled up other pads and scraps of paper with the types of daily notes that I sometimes like to jot down, lists that never get completed and what not. And then I started writing intensely about beer for this blog, having a few bottles of ale a week and penning simple tasting notes. At last I had the perfect use for my overpriced notebook and quickly got to work copying into it my beer notes across from the back of receipts and various other cleverly recycled artefacts (I got most done one productive afternoon on holiday this year whilst sipping on Mythos!)

The Moleskine Affair: beer reviews are easier if you actually write them in the notebook

It’s been a life saver really, it even has a small filing section at the back for storing any notes that I still scribble onto post-its or the back of used envelopes, for copying up at a later date.

But every now and then one slips through the net. I flick through the pages searching for that beer that I know I’ve drunk but just can’t remember enough about to write up from memory, and it’s not there, nowhere to be found. On this occasion the beer is All Gates Porteresque.

I’m flipping through the pages searching for the list of Sainsbury’s Beer Competition beers – it has to come after that, right? Sainsbury’s beers…Sainsbury’s beer, right, there we go! Birds & Bees, Shropshire Lass, Chaos Theory, Hambleton Ales…. and then its Saltaire festival, questions to ask Leeds Brewery, some odd Belgian beers from BeerMerchants…and back to the Sainsbury’s beers: Bretwalda, Dogma, Williams IPA, Woild Mold…

Allgates was the only porter or stout in the final 15 of the Sainsbury's Beer Competition

Nope it’s not there, not anywhere. I don’t think it’s anywhere in the house (I’ve been searching desperately for my car insurance certificate this week and in the process of tearing the house apart I find probably 25 beer tastings on envelopes, receipts, utility bills, the kitchen notice board, bus tickets…anything made of paper has a beer review or tasting notes on it but not a sign of All Gates Porteresque!

So, in order to finish this Sainsbury’s series I’ve no choice but to try from memory. So it’s a porter, yeah? Well yes, although  didn’t think it was overly rich or heavy, something I tend to associate darker beers with. I think it’s fair to say that most people follow the perception that the lighter the ale in colour the lighter it will be in texture and body. So for a porter, Porteresque isn’t too heavy. And it’s smoky. Well actually no it’s not, it was roasty, it’s more like coffee beans and baking than burnt and chargrilled. And that’s about all I can say!

A big apology to one of Wigan’s finest brewers, watch this space!

I fully intend to get a bottle at the earliest opportunity and update this. I already know which beer I’m going to pick to win and unfortunately losing the Allgates review doesn’t affect that decision, but I remember this being a nice beer, just not enough to bowl over some of it’s competitors. A second opinion is required!