Firestone Walker Reserve Porter: Officially called Walker’s Reserve, this porter is unreal from the first sip. There’s a lavish, velvety texture to it that inundates you with a complex variety of flavors. Notes of caramel and bitter chocolate are the easiest to find, but a deeper look reveals a hint of spice that leaves you with a fantastically dry finish. Despite its hearty character and intricate flavor, it is still in every respect a porter. Unlike extreme breweries that rely upon style hopping to make something unique, Firestone Walker manage to stay true to the style while still creating something genuinely fantastic .

Samuel Smith Taddy Porter: I’ve had to convince many a friend to try the Taddy Porter. My elevator pitch is, “It tastes like beer chocolate milk.” If someone isn’t excited by that premise, I don’t want to know them. The Taddy Porter is a classic example of an English porter. Brewed with well water, the Taddy Porter is sweet and satisfying. It doesn’t reveal flavors as layered and convoluted as the Reserve Porter, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a simple beer, for people who simply want one thing; an incredible brew.

In a Nutshell: Each fantastic in its own right, the SS Taddy Porter beats out the FW Reserve Porter for reasons far too complex to explain.

Verdict: I don’t know how to summarize this outcome. I love the Reserve Porter. I drink it with an ear to ear grin on my face. It’s wild, and different, while still being the exact beer I need it to be. However, I must choose the Taddy Porter, because unlike the Reserve, the Taddy Porter feels more like a drink for the soul, and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters to me.

Why? Because ice cold beer numbs your taste buds and doesn’t allow the beer to develop its full flavor potential. Ice cold anything numbs your taste buds, just like it will with any part of your body, that’s just what ice does. Drinking your beer at ice cold temperatures may be a great way to cool off but it’s also a great way to keep from fully tasting your beer.

Although the optimal temperature for each style of beer varies, a safe bet is to drink your beer when it’s slightly below room temperature, say around 50 to 60 degrees. This will ensure maximum sensation for your tongue and maximum enjoyment for you.

Don’t have a thermometer handy? Just set your beer on the counter for a few minutes after taking it out from the fridge and if you at a bar, avoid chilled glasses.

If you want to get more precise with the proper temperature from one style to another, there is a handy chart from Real Beer for the details.

• Fruit beers at 40-50° F.
• Wheat beers and pale lagers at 45-50° F.
• Pale ales and amber or dark lagers at 50-55° F.
• Strong ales, such as barley wines and Belgian ales, at 50-55° F.
• Dark ales, including porters and stouts, at 55-60° F.

As they suggest, the stronger the brew the closer to 60° degrees you want your beer to be.

Now, you’re probably thinking, “but I’ve tried warm beer before, it tasted gross.” You’re right, it probably was gross, especially if it was a light lager like Coors Light or Bud Light. Unfortunately here in America many major brewers put a premium on value over quality, which means they count on you never getting a proper taste of their light lagers. Beyond that though, the lower the alcohol in the beer the lower the temperature should and many light beers tend to be relatively light in the alcohol as well compared to many craft brews.