People's Porter - Foothills Brewing Company

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally made my first trip over to Foothills for the rerelease of Jade and the release of People's Porter in bombers. I had one of these (and a Jade) on draft and also picked up several growlers of both, and dropped a couple (of the growlers) off at Big Dan's Brew Shed.

The review is from my growler tasteing, although it is identical to the draft I had at Foothills.

The brew pours (into a pint) a dark brown that no light enters or exits, with a gorgeous 2 finger frothy mocha colored head that hangs around for a good while. Lacing is heavy on the glass which is a plus for me.

The aroma is heavy roasted malts and coffee.

The flavor folows the nose with some roasted malt bitterness shining through. Debated the bitterness with several folks @ Big Dan's and the opinion was that this was roasted malt bitterness as opposed to bitterness from the hops.

The mouth feel is medium with a lower medium carbination.

This is a good local Porter, to me Green Man gets the nod here by just the slightest bit. I will have to give it a try in the bomber once they hit the shelfs. I rate this a B-, due in part to the bitterness and the lack of real complexity.

Serving type: growler

12-18-2011 11:22:49 | More by RedneckBeerz

Tilley4

Tennessee

4.15/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Growler fill at Midtown in Nash-vegas...

Very dark roasted malt aromas with the expected chocolate characteristics... Quite pleasant aromas... Rather rich and deep and very inviting... Slightest hint of hops...

Very tasty porter here... Dark, rich, smooth... Lots of bittersweet chocolate as well as some nicely roasted malts... Surprised at how quickly this growler is disappearing... Perhaps hints of vanilla here and there as I go from sipping to gulping this beer... Really digging it...

Only complaint is that I'd like a little more feel to it... Otherwise, this is awesome...

Good effort from Foothills here... Nice session porter here....

Serving type: growler

12-17-2011 15:41:54 | More by Tilley4

harpo111

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: dark with tan head....hold up to light...get a little red color to it in strong light.
S: not to acidic. coffee, nuts, raisins and dates. malty some dark notes..but not too much
T: nice....matching smell. Espresso notes, chocolate, dates, malt...
M: a bit thin....doesn't hang around on your tongue or have a ton of bite
O: not bad at all...not near as heavy as you would think. But overall a good beer....
I would say that this is not my fav porter...but still very descent.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2011 00:46:51 | More by harpo111

doopydoogle

Tennessee

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - espresso black with a good foamy tan head that lingers and leaves nice creamy lace down the side of the glass.

S - toffee, coffee, chocolate, raisins, subtle spice, dark fruits

T - big coffee and chocolate with a subtle cassis and some lingering caramel and earthiness. There's a slight tartness but the brew is pretty smooth. Hints of smoke and ash back it up and there's a pleasant roasted bitterness that rounds out the finish.

M - Good creamy carbonation and a solid mouth coating.

O - A very nice porter. Holds it own and is pleasant enough to be quite sessionable.

Serving type: growler

10-26-2011 01:38:31 | More by doopydoogle

MayLattimore

North Carolina

3.73/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Color is a deep, dark chocolate brown that is barely translucent around the edges, and a big, thick head that takes a while to dissipate. The aroma has some toasted malts and hints of bittersweet chocolate and black coffee. The bitter coffee and chocolate continue through the flavor, with the overall taste being somewhat similar to Guinness. The mouthfeel is a bit thin, but good.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2011 19:59:03 | More by MayLattimore

krausenman

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer was tasted on-tap at the Foothills brewpub.

A-The People's Porter arrived with lacing on the glass with little to no head. The beer was a dark garnet to brown color. It was very clear with little to no haze.

S-The porter had a roasted coffee/chocolate like smell.

T-The beer initally had a roast taste that was prominent that was followed by a subtle bitterness.

M-The mouthfeel was light to medium bodied with a low level of carbonation.

O-The beer is a drinkable porter. It is flavorful enough to be a session beer with enough bitterness to balance the beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2011 01:57:12 | More by krausenman

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Growler from Riverside beverage company in Chattanooga. Dark black, puffy tan head. Smells good, roasty malts and very inviting. Flavor was rich, hint of dark chocolate but none of the coffee that other reviewers have noted. Overall this was very tasty and I was not sad I chose this over the hoppyum this time. I think I may need some sexual chocolate at this point...

Serving type: growler

07-31-2011 02:43:31 | More by ArrogantB

ColdPoncho

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Randalled through vanilla and something else (smelling a lot like coffee)....

A - Deep brown body with deep red light throughout. Medium tan head with good retention.

S - really strong coffee. earthy, some hoppiness. some vanilla. pretty good.

T - Strong coffee, earthy. Dry, some wood and nutty sorts of flavors. A big taste.

M - a bit thin, dry. Not bad.

O (D) - This is nice. Good coffee flavors.

Serving type: growler

07-21-2011 00:37:40 | More by ColdPoncho

mklinger

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Very dark brown with a thin mocha head that dissipated quickly. Fairly ordinary looking for a porter.

Aroma is better than appearance, though. Cocoa powder & fesh ground espresso beans dominate. A slight sweetness, too. Ver appetizing & inviting.

Flavor is similar to aroma but with a little bit less dominate chocolate & coffee in the flavor. A nice bit of malt and a really pleasant bitter finish add balance and complexity.

Mouthfeel was a bit thin & highly carbonated & fizzy (but not so creamy).

A drinkable, enjoyable beer that I'd be glad to enjoy again in the future.

Serving type: on-tap

05-24-2011 01:34:06 | More by mklinger

avalon07

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: On-tap at Oak Barrel Taproom, poured into a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a thick, impenetrable consistency. There was an inch of tan-colored, foamy, long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A big, warm aroma of malt, chocolate and coffee.

T: Tasted of roasted malt, a bit of coffee and chocolate (but not too much chocolate. A well-balanced, flavorful porter. One of the best American versions of an English porter you'll find.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a surprisingly dry finish. Medium-bodied.

D: An extremely drinkable porter.

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2011 20:59:19 | More by avalon07

drabmuh

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On draft at Foothills. Served in a shaker pint. Beer is brown, dark, almost ruby at the corners with a thin head of tan bubbles, small, some lacing moderate to low carbonation.

Aroma is sweeter than expected, some mild roast character.

Beer is thin, light in body, probably a little too thin but it makes for an easy drinking dark beer. There is some lead off sweetness with a mild roasty / bitter finish. Mildly hopped, overall a good drinking but rather boring beer. It was fine.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2011 15:29:18 | More by drabmuh

TheKingofWichita

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On draft at Sexual Chocolate 2011.
Pours a deep russet brown color with a thick tan head and a good amount of lacing. Smells of roasted malt goodness, chocolate, and a little touch of coffee. Tastes of tons of roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, and some coffee. Mouthfeel is medium with a fair amount of carbonation. Drinkability is high.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2011 18:00:35 | More by TheKingofWichita

jpro

South Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at DD Peckers, West Ashley... served in a standard shaker pint...

A: Near black with a creamy, one-finger light mocha head that manages some nice retention and leaves some patchy lace.

S: Chocolate malt and roasty goodness.

T: Very impressed... nice and chocolately, yet not too sweet; good roasted malt profile, yet not acrid; hops provide good balance.

M: Medium-full bodied; a palate coater, yet not sticky; creamy and smooth... mmm.

D: Quite drinkable, although for me, a porter isn't something I'm really into throwing back a lot of... that being said, this is really good stuff and I was impressed.

Serving type: on-tap

01-17-2011 16:28:04 | More by jpro

PDXHops

South Carolina

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

Growler poured into a Duvel tulip. A finger's worth of crmy tan head atop the deep brown body, good retention and quite a bit of lacing.

Pleasant nose with a good balance of milk chocolate and burnt and roasted malts with what seems to be a hint of pine underneath. And indeed, a nice piney bite ensures that sweetness is kept in check. Exceedingly enjoyable flavor profile, not too dry, not too sweet. About as robust as a 'sessionable' beer can get. Plenty of lingering burnt malts and tangy chocolate chips in the finish.

Overall impression: Good stuff, worth seeking out.

Serving type: growler

12-15-2010 01:09:07 | More by PDXHops

Metalmonk

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Super dark brown color shows beautiful shades of jeweled ruby red when held to light. The head is also a beaut, two fat fingers of light tan foam that holds and clings like Styrofoam. Gobs of lace once it starts minimizing.

Exceptionally roasty nose, hints of cocoa nib and a less subtle helping of green hop bitterness. It's really the roast that shines through the most though.

Great balance here...some porters tend to be overly roasty, getting into total char territory, but this one exhibits plenty of balance. Roasty toasty flavor is pleasing and somehow kind of warming, while the fresh hop grassiness comes in just enough to add depth and never gets too astringent. Lightly mineral-ish, with subtle flashes of the sweetness-vs.-bitterness found in dark chocolate and a nice milky latte.

Although the carbonation is very healthy, this goes down smooth as silk. Very soft, aided by the creaminess that the ever-present head provides.

Foothills have proven their worth with big beers and sessionable beers alike. People's Porter is just another impressive brew on their can't-lose roster.

Serving type: growler

12-12-2010 19:20:33 | More by Metalmonk

thegodfather2701

North Carolina

4.58/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A-Pours nearly pitch black with a beautiful mocha colored head. There are some auburn hues that come through.

S-Roasted malts, hops, a hint of dark fruits, and some coffee and toffee.

T-More dark roasted malts than the nose signaled. Coffee, toffee, and caramel also play a prominent role in the flavor profile. No real dark fruit notes, which the nose suggested. It tastes delicious.

M-Thick and creamy.

D-I could drink this porter all day.

I love this beer. It is my favorite offering from Foothills. It is absolutely delicious.

Serving type: on-tap

12-11-2010 19:02:00 | More by thegodfather2701

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes.

Pours very dark brown with a nice off white to tan head with a bit of lacing and moderate retention time. Nose is roasted malt with a bit of light chocolate and coffee. The taste is a bit bland with only the roast really coming through, though that itself is well done. Somewhat dry with a good body. Drinks pretty well.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2010 12:04:05 | More by Thorpe429

sholland119

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Barley's, 9/17/10.

A-Dark brown with some ruby highlights, a thin mocha head and no lacing.

S-Sweet, a bit lactic and some lightly roasted malt.

T-Very flavorful. Medium roast, slightly earthy hops.

M-Medium bodied, rather lightly carbonated.

D-Nicely sessionable, a classic English porter.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2010 20:10:57 | More by sholland119

feelmefoam

South Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap a few times at Nick's here in Clemson, figured it was about time I took down a few notes and reviewed it.

On the pour it's pretty black, not your Ten Fidy black, but pretty damn dark. I guess I'm just not very descriptive tonight. Either way, it put up about a finger of tan head that dissipated after a minute or so, leaving some decent lacing around the glass.

The smell was pretty damn solid too, starting out with a heavy-sweet molasses base and adding some coffee, brown sugar, and maybe a little bitter chocolate in there, too. Some earthiness later on down the road, too.

The flavor is where the beer really starts to stand out. Thick, semi-sweet molasses and brown sugar started out, followed by some bittering coffee and dark chocolate and then leading into a smooth, clean earthy-grassy hop flavor (if clean earthiness exists). The mouthfeel works so well with the flavor that I'm putting it all in one paragraph. Thick, full, and sticky, like I like my porters to be. Creamy at the same time, though; it doesn't really feel like you're chewing this thing, it's just thick and creamy going down. Like drinking a really tasty pillow. Picture that in your head for a minute.

Overall, this is an excellent porter, up there with some of my favorites of all time (Smuttynose's Robust Porter comes to mind). If you see this on tap around the Southeast, do yourself a favor and IMBIBE.

Serving type: on-tap

09-07-2010 03:36:53 | More by feelmefoam

moz9

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at a few places in NC, including Foothills Brewery. I have to say this is by far my favorite porter that I've ever had.

What I like most about it is that it has a sweetness and sharpness similar to a stout, but with the lighter body. However, I think the body is a more robust than the other porters I have had. To me it's an almost stout when it comes to body, but it packs a lot of the flavor you would get from a stout. Really enjoyed this beer.

I also was able to pick up a growler of the barrel aged version of this beer, and I will review that after I get a chance to try it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2010 19:10:37 | More by moz9

Bung

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An English? Always thought this was an American Porter. That explains why I enjoy this one so much.
At foothills, most rescently at Duckworths in Charlotte. Solid black/brown pour with brown around the edges. Finger of light tan froth.

Aroma has a balance of roast malt, peat and dark chocolate. Hint of caramels.

Taste is very balanced. Roast malt, dark chocolate, charcoal and a bit of anise balanced by the molasses, chocolate and caramel. Just a bit of spice, finishing with some dryer roast.

Fairly creamy body, lighter mid weight. Drinks great after dinner or on its own in quantity. Should try if you can.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2010 02:05:08 | More by Bung

kels

Virginia

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up this growler after an awesome lunch trip to Foothills with BA Metalmonk and friends. This review is from a pour into my pint glass.

Beer is super dark chocolate brown and more or less opaque. The initial 2 finger creamy mocha-colored head fades and retains at a solid 1/2 finger bubbly skim. Bits of lace string along the sides of the glass.

Not tons to report about the smell. With some effort, the deeply roasted malts become more and more evident.

This porter is very flavorful. The malts are deeply roasted, almost to the point of being burnt. There's a dryness to the taste that's really nice and balanced by a sweet stickiness in the aftertaste. Sweet notes of caramel and some chocolate malt add a nice creamy dimension. Feel is pretty well carbonated, keeping things light despite the richness of the flavors.

Drinkability is immense. This is a tasty, easy-drinking porter. A very nice dark beer for the summer.

Serving type: growler

07-13-2010 01:11:53 | More by kels

Walken

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Foothills: People's Porter (Tasted 06/07/10)
Tap @ Barley's Taproom [Asheville, NC] poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Black as sin with brown edges, one short stumble from opaque. Solid tan head with decent retention.
Odor: Full figured roasted malt nose, whiffs of coffee and earth with an underlying toffee richness.
Consistency: Medium body with a very full malt palate. Low, but assertive carbonation keeps the feel even and smooth.
Taste: Perfectly layered roasted malt flavors, Sumatran coffee and bittersweet chocolate with tobacco, earth and smoke in the background. Second layer reveals a subtle burnt caramel richness and assertive mineral character. Finish is malty and clean with some lingering roasted malt, like dark chocolate fudge brownies.

One of the highlights of my trip to NC. Exceptional porter, exceptional beer overall. This beer incorporates elements of an American robust porter, without pushing things too far off style or hurting drinkability.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2010 15:19:36 | More by Walken

firkinhophead

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

dark brown with a thin ring of foam and some spotty lacing.

deep malt aroma, with some roasted notes of coffee, chocolate, and malted milk balls.

taste is rich and roasty, with a flash of bittersweet chocolate and a lingering coffee bitterness. hint of sour malt, smoked meat and some herbal hops.

smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel. nearly full, almost chewy body, low to medium carbonation is just right for letting the malts shine.

huge complexity for a standard porter and a perfect example of why porters are my favorite style when done right.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2010 00:31:31 | More by firkinhophead

jpmclaug

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed this at the Flying Saucer in Columbia with the help of my girlfriend

A - Dark brown a shade away from black, tan almost non existent head with light lacing

S - faint hints of chocolate / coffee but it is really difficult to pick up any smell from this beer. Probably due to the lack of head

T - bitter coffee aftertaste with a slight chocolate malty taste throughout. I know the hops are there but none really stick out to me.

M - medium body with a light amount of carbonation

D - Pretty easy to drink. A solid representation of the style and a good beer but it certainly isn't the best of the style. This is a good fallback beer if I can't find anything else I really like.

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2010 20:34:09 | More by jpmclaug