McNeill's Pullman's Porter - McNeill's Brewery

Buebie

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Found a bomber at zipp's last night for $2.99, thought we'd give it a shot.

Hard pour into a wine glass. 2 inch light brown had, leaving a decent cap and thin streaks of lace.
black, no light penetration.
Aroma is muted, faint traces of roasted malt, orange rind and coffee. A good swirl doesn't do much, but let it warm and that seems too help.
First sip starts out mediocre, but again, let this warm and give it some to to roam around your palette and it really warms up.
Oats, bitter roasted grains providing both chocolate and coffee, more rind/ zested orange, hops that present with some aspirin and more roasted malts that finish pretty bitter.
Its never really sweet, but it definatly dry's out through the finish.
I had doubt's on this beer based on the price but its actually quite flavorful. It doesn't seem to follow the style well though. Its much more of a black epa/ pale ale.
It also is a tad husky and that is fairly nagging.

Overall glad I tried it, but mislabeled for the style. If your looking for a porter you may want to move along.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 03:22:54 | More by Buebie

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%

06-04-2013 07:10:54 | More by Kelp

Celtics76

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +6.4%

05-28-2013 21:28:00 | More by Celtics76

CesarLopes

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

04-21-2013 15:42:29 | More by CesarLopes

ebenicr

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%

03-09-2013 16:39:46 | More by ebenicr

NilocRellim

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the tap into a pint glass.

Dark black in colour with a clear reddish hue. Smells of toasty malts. Slightly more bitter throughout (more than most porters) with a hint of malt and an underlying roasted flavour. Bitter aftertaste.

Would I buy this beer again? Sure.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2013 04:46:11 | More by NilocRellim

Duff27

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -26.9%

07-23-2012 00:03:57 | More by Duff27

acurtis

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

03-11-2012 19:37:03 | More by acurtis

djrn2

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%

03-11-2012 17:08:28 | More by djrn2

jera1350

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Solid black body with a massive head of tan foam that retains well.

Surprisingly hoppy citrus in the nose with chocolate notes. Smells like a black ipa.

Hoppy bitterness, earthy and dry chocolate. Bitter hops all the way through.

A bit thin for the style otherwise smooth.

This fits the bill of a black ipa more than porter. A decent beer overall that is fairly priced.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 01:14:50 | More by jera1350

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.4/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bomber into a Duvel tulip. Thanks to vonschplieffen for sharing.

A: Clear, nearly black body with a finger of fine light brown head. Good retention, moderate lace. Nice.

S: Sweetly roast: honey, chocolate, coffee, and plenty of hops (a little citrusy, a lot earthy). Quite exuberant and pleasant.

T: Chocolate, lactose, and bitter hops. A little overly herbal and honeyed. Could use more malt.

M: Somewhat thin, but nicely carbonated.

O: Solid, interesting Porter. It has a lot going on, but ultimately its various elements don't quite cohere. Worth trying, but not one I'll be seeking out.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 21:56:00 | More by woosterbill

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Reviewed alongside Southampton Imperial Porter.

A: Dark brown with two-finger, off-white, frothy head that lasted a while. Nice lacing.

S: Sour lemon and roasted malt.

T: Moderate sweetness and moderate bitterness. Sour lemon, citrus, and orange like the nose. Fairly bitter. Subtle roasted quality to it. Too sour.

M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation. Somewhat smooth.

O: Slightly above average American porter. The head and mouthfeel were nice. A little too sour though in my opinion. Still, I liked this one better than the Southampton Imperial Porter.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 02:52:48 | More by SolipsismalCat

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up the McNeill's mix pack of bombers from bell.

Poured into a tulip pint glass, color is nice dark brown to black, very feint translucency; nice tan head about 3 fingers thick at first that dissipates to a nice frothy top with a good amount of lacing.

Smell was odd at first, somewhat sour or vinegary, but that warmed to a nice roast with feint chocolate notes.

Taste is solid, not too roasty or sweet, somewhat right down the middle of porters; light bitterness balances and cleans tongue well.

Mouthfeel is balanced, clean flavors good carbonation.

Overall, a nice porter, might be a touch out of freshness.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 23:06:26 | More by mvanaskie13

Elfastball7

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +19.7%

01-05-2012 04:28:07 | More by Elfastball7

zeff80

Missouri

3.9/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured out a dark brown color with a one-finger, khaki colored head of foam on the glass. It left sheets of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of chocolate and roasted malts.

T - It tasted of dark chocolate and roasted malt. There were nice toffee notes with just a touch of bitterness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This was a very nice porter. I enjoyed my first beer from McNeills.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 03:27:00 | More by zeff80

smithmd4

New York

3/5  rDev -20.2%

12-31-2011 07:37:24 | More by smithmd4

BierBliss

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-24-2011 19:39:24 | More by BierBliss

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.48/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: blackish brown, khaki 2 finger head, stunning lacing

S: orange peel, lemon zest, nuts, malt, raisins

T: orange peel, lemon zest, nutty,
hint of dry bitter/puckering finish

M: med/light body, semi-dry mouth

O: Like McNeill's but this is too citrusy
and light for my Porter-loving palate.
Almost like an IPA/porter.

SOLID, NOT MUST HAVE!

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 18:56:32 | More by BeerLover99

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

3/5  rDev -20.2%

11-22-2011 18:47:23 | More by Rochefort10nh

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap 11/13/2011 at Doherty’s East Ave Irish Pub in Pawtucket, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is faint but contains coffee roasted malts and a little bit of hops.

T: The taste starts out with a bitter-sweet roasted coffee bean flavor followed by a decent hops presence for the style. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: Tasty, goes down very easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a solid porter to drink for a long time.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2011 22:21:39 | More by TheManiacalOne

ElGallo

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-20-2011 04:31:42 | More by ElGallo

avalon07

South Carolina

3/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a thick, murky texture. There was a big, creamy, long-lasting head. Average lacing.

S: An almost unnoticeable aroma here, with just mild traces of malt, coffee, and hops.

T: Like the smell, the taste was irretrievably muted. There was a bit of malt, chocolate, coffee and mild hops, but they were all extremely dulled. A thin flavor.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a super dry, clean finish. Medium-bodied.

O: The flavor sinks this beer. It's far to bland to be called effective.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 14:34:26 | More by avalon07

hutch1377

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +6.4%

11-18-2011 14:33:33 | More by hutch1377

claspada

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a fairly hazy tawny brown color with reddish highlights. There is a big frothy cap of light brown foam appeared during the pour and settled slowly leaves some decent lacing.

Aromas begin with burnt toast and roasted malts with a bit of dark and lesser chocolate in the background.

The tastes initially yield moderate bitterness with a slight earthy hop presence mid-palate. The flavor profile is centered on the dark grains, malt and chocolate for the most part. Fairly heavy on burnt malt for my liking to be honest. Some licorice emerges as it warms as well which is also a deterrent for me.

The mouthfeel is fairly smooth and creamy, lots of carbonation with medium body. Light astringency from the dark grains. Helps to balance the slightly acrid malt bitterness throughout the finish.

Overall this was decent but forgettable. A bit too bitter and unbalanced to be a great sessionable porter for me. There are just better offerings available that come in 6-packs for me to ever need to revisit this. Although the price-point is fair, the flavors just aren’t redeeming enough to recommend or revisit.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 17:30:15 | More by claspada

metter98

New York

3.85/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is extremely dark amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high beige head that died down but consistently left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and thick lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of roasted malts in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of roasted malts along with some notes of chocolate and coffee and hints of licorice.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and smooth on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There are some hints of dryness in the finish.
O: The beer goes down smoothly and is very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 02:04:10 | More by metter98