Mogli - Caldera Brewing Company

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.25/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a brandy snifter.

A: Dark brown, cream-coloured head that fades fast.

S: Musty beans, smoked(?) chocolate malt. Not that great.

T: Woah. Hugely sweet, creamy, and immensely tasty and complex. Smoke? Yes, nice porter. Strong? Yes, imperial porter. Chocolate? Sure, but it's bittersweet and not overwhelming. Bourbon-oak-vanilla sweetness. The aftertaste is bitter dark chocolate and lingeringly interesting.

M: Rich, smooth, and delectable with a hint of bite.

O: Everyone else liked it more than I did, but this was damn tasty and does what it does well. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 06:37:18 | More by AgentMunky

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.06/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

This poured out as a deep brown color with a nice brown head on top. The retention is very thin and there is a scattered lacing. The smell of the beer is very nice, plenty chocolate on the nose, not much of the oak barrel on the nose though. Sweet milky chocolate sweetness. The taste is also chocolatey, reminds me of Southern Tier Choklat a little. The mouthfeel is smooth, drinkable, dry rich finish. Overall it's a decent brew, probably not worth the price tag in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 02:26:42 | More by Knapp85

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an Elysian snifter. Pours a dark, nearly opaque brown with a fine two finger light brown head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of rich chocolate with very light toasted malt and a hint of vanilla. Nice. Flavor follows, with nice high quality chocolate, vanilla and toasted malt, faint oakiness. Finishes somewhat dry with faint hops. Medium bodied with appropriate creaminess, nice mouthfeel. I've had a lot of excellent chocolate ales before, but this is one of the best presentations of chocolate experience, very reminiscent of dark chocolate syrup on vanilla ice cream. Nicely done and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 03:22:59 | More by LiquidAmber

kojevergas

California

3.5/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at my local SoCal beer store. Reviewed live. Expectations are high; I liked the rauchbier this brewery put out and the description sounds tasty - "Oak Aged Imperial Porter Brewed with Chocolate." 8.5% ABV confirmed. 1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with waxed-over pressure cap served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California.

Served after a period of rest following its removal from the fridge; I don't like my porters too cold - especially when they're oak aged. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a two finger dark khaki colour head of nice cream, good thickness, and good (~5-6+ minute) retention for the high ABV. Body colour is a solid dark black; nontransparent and opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Appealing if typical for the style. I'm looking forward to trying it. No overt flaws are obvious in the appearance.

Sm: Evocative cocoa dusting, chocolate malt, a bit of roast, vanilla (bordering on artificial), and buried background oak. Malty sweetness. A pleasant aroma of moderate strength. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. Complex and inviting. I'm excited to try it. I'm not blown away, but it's appealing.

T: Cocoa powder is prominent, with a bit of slightly artificial sweet vanilla. Chocolate malt and dark malts comprise the foundation. Caramel. The oak is really buried and not at all evocative or interesting; there's no oaky vanilla or toasted character at all; that's disappointing. No yeast character or alcohol comes through. It's got a nice body to it, but there isn't much complexity, subtlety, or even depth of flavour here. It's nice across the board, but there's nothing unique or special here. What little oak there is comes off as more oak chips than oak barrel; is this the case? I'd like more roast. There's some sarsparilla-esque notes here too; sort of a vague cola note that plays well with the vanilla.

I do get more oak as it warms, but never enough to really impress.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Full-bodied. Good carbonation. Good thickness. Adequately supports the flavour profile. Complements the flavour profile well.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable. A tasty imperial porter, but admittedly not the best I've had. Like it, don't love it. I doubt I'd get it again at this pricetag, but I'm glad I got to try it. Another solid brew from Caldera. Hides its ABV well. My biggest issue was just the lack of complexity; there's ample room to do more here - especially with oak aging.

High B-

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 01:56:38 | More by kojevergas

tectactoe

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to Tim for bringing this one to share. Hadn't heard much of Caldera, but I'll never turn down a beer that I haven't had before (especially from Oregon). The pour was mostly black with a super deep, ruby-red only showing itself when held directly in front of the light. The nice, khaki colored cap sits pretty foamy around a half-inch and lasts for a decently long time.

Very nice, "porter-like" aroma up front - I know, such a great description, right? Light coffee beans, tons of sweet chocolate, and seemingly heaps of cocoa powder. I thought the absence of bourbon was strange, but then I realized that this was merely "oak aged" and not necessarily from a bourbon barrel. Still, the oak notes were fairly subdued and could easily be missed. Some dark raisins reside in the back, but chocolate is the real star of the show. The more this warms up, the more it begins to smell like pure baker's chocolate. So sweet, rich, creamy, and savory. I was smelling the empty bottle long after this one was gone.

It came as no surprise when I took my first sip and was hit with an insane amount of sweet baker's chocolate. The aroma actually lead me on that the beer would be a bit sweeter than it actually is, but that certainly isn't a bad thing. The level of roast is somewhat low, but it's still present; lightly roasted malts and creamy coffee. The roast is a bit more noticeable in the aftertaste, that's for sure. The oak is still pretty mild, but it adds another complexity to the beer, no doubt. Just the same as the aroma, the taste seems to get more and more engulfed by chocolate as it gets warmer until eventually you're sitting there with a glass full of melted baker's chocolate. Definitely sweet, but manageable nonetheless. Medium body, not quite thick enough to be called thick, low-medium carbonation and a lightly silky mouth feel.

Wow, definitely surprised by this one. A very nice and easy drinking porter with seemingly no distinguishable alcohol at 8.5% ABV. Super-chocolate heavy, so cocoa haters won't like this one. Despite the sweetness, it was very refined, manageable, and extremely far from cloying. A very nice treat.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 16:14:08 | More by tectactoe

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.39/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

huge thanks to ArchEnemyBrew for this bottle! Thanks Hollis!

poured into tulip glass.

vintage 2012.

Appearance: black bodied beer with 2 fingers of light brown head that slowely drops to a thin cap. Lacing is spotty. A gentle swirl brings back a thick cap approximately a full finger of head.

Smell: Fresh milk chocolates! A faint note of roast malt. Its nose is one demensional very milk chocolate forward. It smell really really good despite the lack of complexity in the nose. I just keep thinking of gourmet chocolates ever time I smell this beer.

Taste: Similiar to the nose this beer packs alot of milk chocolate flavor. Vanilla notes and a hint of oak. A cola or rootbeer "esk" note. The beer finishes with bittersweet cocoa, a hint of nuttiness, faint roast malts, and the oak flavor seems to build up at the backend of the beer. A nicely balanced and complex oak aged porter!

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation levels. This beer is super creamy and has a slick mouthfeel. Its a really easy drinking barrel aged porter! No booze is around at all; its so darn smooth and mellow! Drinks like it is 5% abv porter.

Overall: This is a great chocolate porter with nice barrel notes. The chocolate flavors and aroma are perfect! Its so chocolatey without being overdone or overly sweet. Caldera nailed this oaked chocolate porter! Its really easy to drink this beer fast, but you gotta pump the brakes! I really enjoyed sipping and savoring this beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 03:28:03 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

lsummers

California

4.68/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

This is one fantastic porter. Pours a deep dark brown with a small one finger head.

Smell Is subtle aromas of chocolate cocoa and woody hints of vanilla.

Taste is so well balanced. The creamy cocoa and caramel mix perfectly with a slight woody character. Hints of vanilla.

Mouthfeel is creamy and yet light enough not to feel too high of abv.

Overall it's a fantastic porter that has impressed me. I will definitely try to find this one again.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 03:12:20 | More by lsummers

inlimbo77

Delaware

4.33/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

22oz with White Wax (not sure vintage)
5oz mini tasting snifter

A: Pours a really deep dark brown color. Didn't get too much head, be it the small glass, but what was there was a medium tan like color. Tight little bubbles. Left some sticking lacing and saw some alcohol feet.

S: Really nice nose here. Some roast character. Some of that vanilla from the oak is there. Marries well with the addition of chocolate. It really smells pleasant, and strangely I do get the chocolate milk reference. Good stuff.

T: Amped to say that the taste followed the nose on this. Really nice chocolate bitterness on the tip of the tongue. Not overly aggressive deep dark chocolate, more a smooth milk chocolate. That barrel character is really nice too. Rounds the mouth feel. Hints of vanilla playing with the chocolate and slight roast. Just a really easy drinking porter.

M: Medium leading to full. Not the chewiest beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 17:01:43 | More by inlimbo77

mdaschaf

Washington

4.29/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a dark brown color with a small tan head, minimal retention with some spotty lacing, rather thin.

S: Lots of milk and dark chocolate, a bit of oak and vanilla. Reminds me of chocolate milk.

T: Tons of chocolate, it really dominates the flavor profile. There is a bit of oak, vanilla, and caramel, but the chocolate is by far the foremost flavor.

M: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth.

O: Not overly complex, but a really nice beer. Tons of chocolate which makes it very tasty and the mouthfeel gives it a high level of drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 06:10:46 | More by mdaschaf

Kevin73

Washington

4.56/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours and looks like a thick chewy stout. Smell is sharp fruity hops, bready malts, and sweet milk chocolate. Flavor is huge.. and I do mean HUGE chocolate, with hints of espresso followed by raisin, then a hoppy finish and some alcohol heat. While the bitter, bread, coffee and fruit notes play backup chorus to the chocolate, which dominates the flavor, they harmonize well and it remains well balanced. An instant favorite! I definitely plan to give Mogli a second try.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 23:20:45 | More by Kevin73

match1112

Illinois

4.44/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to Pelican5 for sending this!

I wasn't sure what to think about this beer upon first receiving it. Thick white wax on top and a picture of a black lab on the label, I thought this has got to be a joke. Being the porter lover that I am, I went in with an open mind. Wow was I amazed at how good this is.

Pours a near black body with a thin mocha colored head. No lacing to speak of, just a thin oily coating on the inside of the glass.

Smells like a bowl of chocolate ice cream with a touch of vanilla in it. Taste is very sweet and also much like a bowl of melted ice cream. There is a nice dark chocolate bitterness to it on the finish.

I would of liked the mouthfeel to be thicker and creamier. Carbonation was good for it. Slight oily feel on the tongue with a dark chocolate bitterness for a finish.

I will highly recommend this to anyone with a sweet tooth. I might have to seek this out again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 18:28:03 | More by match1112

ehammond1

California

4.43/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle (2011)

Thanks for opening this with me, BdubleEdubleRUN!

(Aged for 1+ year)

Very dark brown in color, but not bordering on black. Small brown head of very small bubbles. Leaves the glass oily and spotted with stick.

Intense chocolate and vanilla layers in the aroma. This one took me aback; I simply wasn't expecting it to be as rich, decadent, and enjoyable as it is. Along with the vanilla and chocolate layers is good amounts of oak and dark molasses fruit cake.

The flavor is just as nice as the aroma. The layers of chocolate and molasses fruit cake are extremely expressive, complemented very nicely by a bit of oak, though it's not overpowering. An incredibly well-crafted beer.

Medium to nearly full in body with low carbonation.

I'm glad Brett hates beer because I couldn't have sat on this one as long as he did. Thanks go to him for sharing.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 22:26:35 | More by ehammond1

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.48/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Picked this up in NC

Pours a chestnut tinged mahogany with 2 fingers of mocha head. Above average lacing & slightly below average head retention

S: Chocolate, cocoa & iron

T: Follows the nose, some oaky dryness & roastyness as well, plus vanilla up front. Cocoa, woody hops & vanilla mix with some stonger mocha notes as this warms, plus roastyness, a touch of plum as well . Finishes with dark chocolate, a bit of boozey chicory, & oaky vanilla

MF: Rich, creamy, & smooth, thins out a touch as this warms

Wow this is great! It is Oklahoma's loss we don't get this one ( we get their canned offerings ). Drinks so easy, a stellar American Porter on the robust side

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 04:52:31 | More by russpowell

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.29/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a bottle from the tap house in Ashland.
Great pour, a finger of tan head on a dark brown body.
The aroma is all chocolate. It smells great though.
The taste is chocolate throughout. There's a mild bitterness and the chocolate avoids being too sweet. Great balance and complexity.
Smooth texture, low carbonation and medium body.
A really nice porter, especially if you like chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 02:38:59 | More by Fatehunter

writerLJBerg

Oregon

4.03/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle from Belmont Station. Distributed this year, alleluia! Drunk 01-03

A: A black brick in my glass with a fuzzy head that diminshes to foam. Glass looks like it was attacked after a swirl.

N: Chocolate, hershey’s syrup, fudge, chocolate, more chocolate. A hint of vanilla and caramel. Oak is faint. Did I mention chocolate? Not complex, but..chocolate!

T: Baker’s chocolate, fudge, oaken dryness, chocolate syrup. There’s a distinct pepperiness here. Vanilla. This really quite drying. Earth and some leather. Coffee roastiness.

M: Very filling. Alcohol detracts a bit.

O: An accomplished beer that I believe deserves a wide audience. This will likely get better as the hoppy pepperiness fades. Right now, it acts as a nice balancing agent.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 17:08:58 | More by writerLJBerg

aasher

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was very excited to find this at Brawleys in Charlotte early last month. This had been on my wants list for quite some time.

This one pours a medium bodied cola brown in color with a slight, light khaki head. The nose is sweet and malty. It kind of smells like chocolate chip cookies. There is just a touch of roast but mostly smooth and doughy. There isnt any oak at all. The flavors follow the same lines. Milk chocolate and baking chocolate are both present. The roast is subtle once again. It isn't overly complex but it does have nice flavor for what it is. Again, it's like chocolate chip cookies. It drinks on the lighter side of medium in body and is pretty drinkable for 8.5%. It is sweet without being cloying and a nice beer overall. I didn't get any barrel influence at all, which I assumed would be prevalent due to the 4.35 rating I originally saw.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 03:35:46 | More by aasher

Bung

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz. Black cola pour, half finger of cream head. Retained quite nicely.

Aroma, very chocolatey. Some roast malt, woodiness.

Taste, more roast malt here. Great blend of roast malt and chocolates, mostly dark chocolate. Some earthy notes. Finishes with strong cocoa and chocolate covered coffee bean.

Medium body, carbonation being just a tad high lightens this up I think. Drinks very easily though.
A good standard for the style, albeit a bit on the pricier side here on the east coast.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 03:05:31 | More by Bung

Brandywine

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 bottle white wax

Appearance: deep dark brown with over a fingers worth a beautiful warm brown head. Deep crimson glints can be seen looking down into this porter.

Smell: hot chocolate, milk chocolate, marshmellows, vanilla,

Taste: roasted bitterness at the tip of the tongue. The chocolate that came off sweet in the nose is more bitter throughout the middle. Coffee notes are present as well. There is a pleasant oakiness that runs throughout the flavor. As it warms up there's a nice sweet milk chocolate flavor.

Mouthfeel: On the full side of medium. Lots of carbonation.

Overall: A very satisfying porter once it warms up some.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 05:58:42 | More by Brandywine

Powderhornphil

Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer pours nearly black. Couple fingers of head. Good looking beer.

The beer smells of chocolate. A little oak but chocolate plays the starring role here. Really nice smell on this.

The taste of course is predominantly chocolate followed by a fair amount of oak. Nice tasting beer to be sure, but the oak hits me just a bit too much for my tastes. Really not picking up any of the bourbon. (I think it was aged on bourbon-soaked oak spirals)

The mouthfeel is actually a little thinner that I had expected but no complaints at all.

Overall I am glad to try this and would recommend. If it was available to me on a regular basis I would drink it again, but since it was a trade would not trade for it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 02:04:28 | More by Powderhornphil

barleywinefiend

Washington

4/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured a deep brown with moderate carbonation leaving a nice tan head. Lacing is decent and head retention is good.

S: Big cocoa presence on this one. A blend of bakers powder cocoa and Hershey like milk chocolate with a touch of vanilla and coffee

T: Big milk chocolate and cocoa flavor upfront leading into a lioght coffee, roatiness, light booziness. The oak was minimal as was the vanilla I detected on the nose. The finish is rich, decadent but the barrel was rather mute

M: Full bodied, hearty, lots of taste and chocolatey goodness on the palate remind you it's an Impy Porter

O: Great taste, balance, but my only issue was the lack of oak presence.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 16:56:54 | More by barleywinefiend

TotallyHosed

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A large foam crown forms at the top of the brew poured into a glass. The head is tan in color and holds its own for a while. The brew is very dark and lets light through at the edges. Lace rings are left on the sides of the glass after each drink.

The smell is mostly rich chocolate with some roasted malts hiding behind it.

The taste is more complex than the nose. There is rich chocolate at the forefront, which is followed by roasted grains and some barrel character at the finish. The alcohol is completely hidden.

The feel is medium and very gently coats the mouth.

I enjoyed this porter very much. In my opinion, the best porters have more of a dark chocolate flavor, as opposed to coffee or roast grains which are more prevalent in stouts. So, brewing a porter with chocolate makes perfect sense. It's great that the chocolate does not mask the base beer. The flavors and aromas are well balanced and I cannot detect any alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 00:27:37 | More by TotallyHosed

beer2day

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From Bottle Rev in Raleigh.

Appropriate chocolate brown pour with 1/2 finger cap of mocha head. Not much retention. Thin lace sheets all around the glass.

Very rich chocolate nose. Extremely rich. Some lighter toffee, vanilla, and a hint of cinnamon underneath. But this one is really all about the chocolate.

A bit of smoked, roasted malt but as in the nose the beer is heavy with chocolate malt. While not quite as rich as the nose, the chocolate is still the overwhelming flavor in the glass. Touch of chocolate bitters, along with roast malt, in the finish. A touch of grapefruit hops might be hiding there, too, but really hard to distinguish.

Body is appropriate for a porter, but hoping for a little more based on the strong chocolate flavor.

Overall, well done. Hides the abv really well. Drinks very easy.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 02:25:26 | More by beer2day

FosterJM

California

4.13/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

1578th Review on BA
Bottle to FW Snifter
22oz

Pretty sure this is a 2012 Bottle. Calderas website says year round brew now.
White wax

App- A large and deep brown with a border of black to it. A big deep center with a good 1-1/2 finger. Fell to a 1/4" of bubbles and had a lot of nice cling and lace to it. A nice looking porter. Thats for sure.

Smell- Wow. Can we say that someone melted down a pure chocolate bar and added some whipped cream and blended with some good malts and called it a beer. A little tinge of cocoa powder on top of other aromas and the oak is well hidden.

Taste- Its got a lot going on in the glass in terms of depth of flavor but what it really boils down to is a good couple base layers that melded well together and created a nice complexity. Chocolate syrup like with some grain cocoa powder intermixed with a good deep malt base to give that porter flavor and a little bit of that oak flavor with a bit of wood bite. Nice to see the ABV kept down to really make it more flavorful instead of a boozy mess.

Mouth- A very large medium almost bordering on full bodied and a deep medium carbonation. A bit creamy and thick. The chocolate is the main residual flavor inside this beer.

Drink- A very good porter. I enjoyed the layers and richness on this. Wouldve been nice to have this with a dessert of somesort.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 15:32:44 | More by FosterJM

SHODriver

California

4.43/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: poured into a snifter and for all intents and purposes it's black with a small tan head that fades quickly to a small collar.
S: smells intensely chocolatey and roasty with a bit of coffee. slight vanilla sweetness to the nose as well
T: chocolate and vanilla flavors at the forefront along with a bit of coffee and roast malt. swallow brings more chocolate, coffee, and roast malt with a bit of vanilla and oakiness
M: soft but slightly prickly carbonation with a medium mouthfeel, fairly drinkable for the color and alcohol. slightly dry finish
O: this beer is damn tasty. great flavors and complexity. Before reviewing this one somebody said it isn't worth the price. I don't remember what it cost me but it tastes like it was worth it to me.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:33:38 | More by SHODriver

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.28/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up this bottle on a recent trip to Ashland. 2011 vintage (the only one so far). Tasted 24 August 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours relatively clear but dark chocolate brown. A rich chocolate lab brown, with about one finger of medium-tan head. Okay retention, not a whole lot of lacing.

Smell is totally dominated by the chocolate. Almost like Southern Tier's big stouts, in the way that it feels semi-artificial, though I realize that might just be the aspects of chocolate that usually come out in beer. But I don't really like it. A fair amount of vanilla oak. Chocolate, oak, vanilla, then porter. Porter base is on the sweet side, more like an English porter than the char-roast Americans.

Taste is not all that exciting. Again, it's dominated by the chocolate, and I wish there was more porter in it. Not a whole lot going on. Lacking richness, depth, and darkness. Like a bland porter with chocolate in it. Little obvious malt presence, and very low bitterness.

Very light feeling, especially for a so-called imperial porter, which should be a big beer.

A good beer, but not great. I found myself liking it less and less as I drank it. Sure, I can drink it, but calling this an imperial porter is a stretch. Chocolatey, whew! Wish there was more to it.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 03:01:40 | More by zeledonia