Nickel Brook Maple Porter - Better Bitters Brewing Co.

trevorwideman

Manitoba (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

341ml bottle poured into a pint glass. Thanks to pootz for sending me this special, straight-from-the-tank, unfiltered sample.

Pours a lovely colour. dark but still a bit transclucent. The colours of autumn in southern Ontario, deep red with a bit of copper and orange when held up to the light. Medium-high carbonation keeps a nice bit of tan lacing even though it didn't produce a massive head. Smell is very unique. The maple aroma is very deep and heavy and earthy, much like maple syrup should smell, but surrounding it is a great roasted malt aroma with a woodiness that brings to mind fire and boiling maple sap and fresh baked goods. Vanilla tones are there as well, with an anise like aroma sneaking in the back.

Taste starts out with a bit of roasted caramel malt, almost charred tasting. The woody tones really come through and compliment the very light maple flavour. I was afraid that this would come off too sweet, but there's a bit of lactic sourness to keep it in check, and the roasted bitterness helps a lot as well. There's a quality that I would almost call herbal about it, but it's closer to the way the air tastes in the middle of a deciduous forest. Very earthy and leafy. Metallic note in the finish. Carbonation is medium and the body is medium-thin. I could drink this in spades, but on just the right evening, when a chill pervades the air. Octoberish I'd say. Maple Porter? You might as well just call this one "Canada", it embodies everything I love about the Canadian autumn, and it does it so unpretentiously. A real treat that I hope to have again someday.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2007 02:16:34 | More by trevorwideman

KrisDLSmith

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +10.6%

05-25-2013 02:40:44 | More by KrisDLSmith

rickfos

Ontario (Canada)

2.75/5  rDev -18.9%

05-23-2013 17:17:59 | More by rickfos

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle shared by a friend. From notes.

A - Poured black with a one finger beige head. Film of retention and no lace.

S - Maple, some boozy raisins, chocolate. Quite sweet.

T - Roast, much lighter maple character, nice sweetness, dark fruit, boozy raisins again.

M - Light carbonation, medium to full body, nice dry finish.

O/D - Pretty well put together. Nice maple character while not being over the top. Easy drinking with a modest ABV. Nothing mind boggling, but worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 20:24:40 | More by tbeckett

seinfeldette

Ontario (Canada)

2.5/5  rDev -26.3%

05-16-2013 21:36:56 | More by seinfeldette

Xzfgiimtsath

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-12-2013 21:33:34 | More by Xzfgiimtsath

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +3.2%

05-09-2013 01:31:53 | More by Molson2000

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

3.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: It has a nice dark brown (almost black) color to it. It has a nice mocha head that dies down somewhat fast and leaves little lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitely give out hints of maple syrup, caramel, chocolate and some nuttiness.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has some maple syrup, light caramel, a hint of chocolate and some nuttiness. Fairly watery.

Mouthfeel: It has a low/medium carbonation with a decent overall balance and feel.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavors and aromas.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 00:10:42 | More by SebD

RedAleMan

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +10.6%

05-03-2013 00:11:55 | More by RedAleMan

Mack

Quebec (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -4.1%

05-02-2013 00:27:51 | More by Mack

polloenfuego

Ontario (Canada)

1.5/5  rDev -55.8%

04-27-2013 20:12:49 | More by polloenfuego

jmkoscie

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +18%

04-21-2013 23:53:00 | More by jmkoscie

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

3.64/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml bottle poured into a pint glass. ABV 6%.

That must have been the toughest wax I've ever had to get through. Hope it was worth it.

A - Poured a dark brown to black with a thin beige head. Head quickly vanished. No lacing.

S - Toast, smoke, some coffee, somewhat burnt, just of tad of maple syrup in the background.

T - Brown sugar, caramel, a touch of maple, toast, coffee, bitter finish.

M - Medium carbonation, medium body, sticky, syrupy, crisp to dry finish.

O - Not as much maple as I was expecting but that actually didn't hurt the beer. Overall is still a decent porter. I think that wax cap was pushing it.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 05:03:34 | More by decimator

cfalovo97

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -11.5%

04-09-2013 23:59:17 | More by cfalovo97

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.31/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Deep brown with a ring of tan head, light lace as well. Smell is of sweet maple, roasted malts with a bit of vanilla, chocolatey with some coffee and bittersweet notes as well here. Taste is of coffee and mild roast, chocolate, lightly sweet as well as a bit astringent, for a maple porter the maple goes largely unnoticed for the most part but is lightly noticeable, coffee grinds in the aftertaste. Medium carbonation, fairly light-med body. Not quite good enough to warrant a $10 price tag but still has a decent drinkability, however I can't say I will be coming back to this anytime soon though.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 19:59:06 | More by peensteen

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.64/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into snifter.
Red wax top, special release for this spring. Re-branding or improved recipe?

Opaque black/dark brown pour. Dark ruby red around the edges up to the light. Zero head, just a thin ring around the glass. Lacing is non-existent.

Heavy coffee aroma up front, licorice and some bitter dark chocolate. Maple syrup is mostly subdued. It smells like a standard porter with a TINY bit of maple and a little smoke.

Chocolate, some smoke, a touch of molasses, some bitter coffee the tiniest bit of maple and something that resembles toothpaste or mouthwash... Maybe the Easter turkey is messing with my taste buds...

Light body, normal carbonation.

This is okay, it's nothing spectacular. When I see wax I assume there is something more than normal going on inside. I think the price and presentation don't reflect the beer. I'll revisit when the bottle hits room temp.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 19:02:17 | More by korguy123

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

750 ml bottle picked up at the LCBO yesterday, so assume this to be part of the 2013 release. Other than getting extremely frustrated removing the wax, would rate this beer (and Nickel Brook in general recently) as exceeding expectations.

Pours a near-black with ruby highlights at the edges of the glass. Large coffee-coloured head disappears fairly quickly, but still an attractive beer. Aroma of roasted dark malts with the faintest hint of wood earthiness and maple in the background - don't think I'd have picked up on the maple if it wasn't sold as a maple porter. Nice roasted malts with chocolate and caramel elements in the flavour, which is well balanced and has decent depth. The finish is more abrupt with a quick transition to a relatively simple bitterness, but overall a pleasant beer. Would love to try it on tap – or anywhere without the wax.

Well done, Nickel Brook.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 21:36:57 | More by hopsolutely

WeissBoy

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev +3.2%

03-14-2013 03:58:04 | More by WeissBoy

ThinkAgain

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +18%

04-19-2012 22:24:00 | More by ThinkAgain

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had this one at the Rib & Craft Beer Festival in Kitchener, ON. There were a decent number of Ontario breweries there, and the turnout was actually pretty big. Luckily I got there early and could actually get beer at will without having to wait in line.

Tap into a 4oz taster glass. Had a couple samples.

APPEARANCE: Pours a relatively large, medium thinner looking, mocha colored head with good retention. Head eventually fades and leaves some clingy lacing on the glass. Body is black with no carbonation evident. A film and ring remain until the end leaving decent lacing down the sides.

SMELL: Definite maple syrup on the nose. A touch of dark malts and caramel in there as well, but this is more about the burnt maple syrup aromas. It is slightly one dimensional, but it is decently done and not overpowering.

TASTE: Follows the nose, but is a touch watery. Maple syrup is there with some caramel and dark malts, but it is a touch empty though the middle. Aftertaste is much more impressive, with some bold and lingering sweet maple syrup, caramel, and a touch of hop bitterness as balance. Finish is quite good really, but needs a little more balls through the middle to make it really memorable.

PALATE: Medium body and carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down smooth and finishes slightly dry. Good feel here.

OVERALL: I had never heard of this brewery before the festival, but I think I ended up going back to them the most. For me, this was definitely the most interesting brew there, as there weren’t many stouts or porters at all really, but it wasn’t the most enjoyable per se. A beer well worth checking out, and a brewery I’ll probably pay a little more attention to now if I can.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 09:44:27 | More by Jeffo

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.18/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Draft

Appearance - The beer pours a clear brown colour with an average size creamy beige coloured head. I can't see much carbonation and there is some faint lacing on the sides of the glass. The head lasted for only a few minutes before it began to dissipate.

Smell - maple, brown sugar, toffee, chocolate

Taste & Mouth - The beer has a low amount of carbonation and feels creamy on the palette. There is actually quite a bit of taste going here, lots of sugar sweetness and lots of maple flavours. There are also notes of toffee and chocolate and some malts. The beer finishes with a very sweet maple and sugar aftertaste.

Drink - The beer was a little too sweet for my liking but it was still decent. However, I wouldn't seek it out again.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2010 15:26:07 | More by spinrsx

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.2/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pint served at Highway 61.

Pours a dark brown with some ruby red highlights around the edges. Cream/cappucino couloured head, with the mildest of head retained and no lace. Smells of sweet maple, light roastiness and smoke with a hint of vanilla. Some mild chocolate here too. Taste is sweet as well, with some light chocolate but not complex by any means. Mouthfeel was a bit watery and thinner than I'd expect/prefer. Drinkability wasn't too bad, but had to wait a little while to finish this one, it was served freezing cold.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2010 17:18:34 | More by liamt07

kwjd

Ontario (Canada)

3.18/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown with thin tan hean. Smell has some maple in it, but it could be through power of suggestion. More of the roasted malt coming through. Taste is similar with some sweetness, but I don't know if I would have identified the maple without being told. Still tastes fine for a porter though. Medium bodied.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 20:16:18 | More by kwjd

bartle

Ontario (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a rich, dark chestnut brown, slight copper hues, a very light tan head that settles to rings fairly quickly. It leaves nice lacing rings around the glass.

Aroma of caramel, toffee, maple sweetness, nutty, and fresh baked bread. Also, some very light raisins aromas. A touch of butterscotch on the nose. Nothing offensive, in fact it's rather pleasant.

The taste is sweet caramel and chocolate malt, some smoke, and a lingering buttered toffee sweetness. There is a decent noble hop bitterness across the tongue, hay-like balancing out the upfront sweetness. Not a lot of maple flavour though rich in sweetness. The after bite of yeast is a bit astringent. Finishes semi-dry, leaning towards sugary.

It has a medium to high carbonation, moderate body, it does have a slight acidity to it and the initial sweetness is slightly astringent, though could have just been my taste buds expecting something a little more subtle.
This would go well with a nice caramel bread pudding.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2010 23:34:53 | More by bartle

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

2.7/5  rDev -20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Got a very fresh 6 pack, just bottled two weeks ago.

A - Very dark; almost opaque; looks a lot like cola.

S - Toasty; distinct but not overpowering maple aroma.

T - Very faint maple taste. Would have liked a little more maple flavour. Otherwise sort of bland with not enough roasted malt flavour that is typical of a porter. I felt like this either needed a robust maple flavour or at least a typical porter profile of roasted malts and it had neither. Disappointing.

M - A bit watery, not typical for a porter.

D - A drinkable beer, but not an enjoyable one. I wouldn't buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2010 01:51:59 | More by TheSevenDuffs