Samuel Smith's The Famous Taddy Porter - Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)

arfenhouse

California

3.84/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

A:Close to black amber with tan head. Nice big head with average lacing.

S: I'm getting dark fruit here. Ripened vinous grape with some raisin. Fruit is backed by a bitter chocolate.

T: Dark grape comes in first, a touch of banana. In the middle there's some typical malt sweetness. Finishes with a very slight bitterness of roasted grains.

M: Slight thickness and low carbonation. Has a creamy feel and is very wet.

O: A good porter that is worthwhile. Wasn't blown away as I thought I would be but I found a decent porter that is well priced. Try it if you could get it for cheap.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 08:38:33 | More by arfenhouse

Kristenagrady

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Deep brown, almost black with a thick, creamy head that lasted until I emptied the glass.

Aroma: Hints of cocoa and light sweetness with a roasty malt.

Taste/Body: Slight, pleasant bitterness with a toasty malt foreground. Body was dark and nutty.

Aftertaste: Slight bitterness with a lingering toasty flavor.

Overall: I really liked this beer. From start to finished it was well-balanced and rounded, from the subtle sweetness to the full malt body to the slight bitterness at the end. I enjoyed the flavor it left on my tongue. Light and very drinkable for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 20:11:54 | More by Kristenagrady

BeastLU

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a pint glass.

A - Appears black in the glass. Only when held up to the light does it show very dark brown/red hues. Pours with a off white 1 inch head which dissipates slowly.

S - Not an overly strong smell. Hints of raisins and slightly bready.

T - At firsts there was a somewhat metallic aftertaste. This quickly went away after a couple sips. You can detect the raisin taste that can be picked up on the nose. Hops seem to come through when you swallow then yield to a pleasant malt after taste.

M - Love the mouthfeel. I find some British ales to taste flat and feel awful in the mouth, almost watery. This has none of those drawbacks. Carbonation is perfect, not flat, not in your face and lasts from when you first sip the beer until you swallow. Leaves a dry after taste which I enjoy.

O - Awesome beer for what it is. Im used to more robust, aggressively flavored porters with a little more abv. But that's not what this beer is trying to be and thats fine, its good at what it does.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 23:15:05 | More by BeastLU

Steamer

Missouri

4.69/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pitch Black with a slight, tan head that dissipates quickly leaving a small ring. Smoky aroma, like a camp fire gone cold. Full bodied, heavier than most porters. Burnt malt, strong coffee, not very complex but distinctive. This is probably as close to a stout as you can get and still be considered a porter. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 18:18:01 | More by Steamer

suspect

New York

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 550ml bottle into a Bruery Tulip.

A: Deep dark brown. Clear as far as I can tell. Mildly aggressive pour leads to a 2 finger light khaki head that fades slowly leaving pretty good lacing.

S: Roasted malts, chocolate, coffee. Wonderful nose.

T: Tangy malts, some bakers cocoa. Very good English Porter.

M: Medium bodied, tangy crisp finish with a touch of bitter pucker.

O: A really nice, easy drinking beer. World class English Porter for a reason.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 04:32:24 | More by suspect

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a near black color with 2 fingers worth of tan head that leaves some great lacing

S: Get both roasted malts and dark fruit (plum, raisin, fig) notes, with some yeastiness and caramel behind that

T: Follows the nose. Get the dark fruits first and then the light roasted malts with some caramel sweetness following behind that. Great, flowing flavors that combine nearly perfectly

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and slightly dry

O: Famous is in the name for a reason. This is a great English porter with nice complexity that unwinds slowly. Great drinkability and price point, especially coming from across the pond. Highly recommended

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 05:35:59 | More by BEERMILER12

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.6/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – The beer pours a deep brown, nearly black color with a big creamy tan colored head. The head has a great level of retention, fading slowly over time to give a very nice level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is heavy of chocolate and mixed with sweet and sugary aromas of caramel and toffee as well as with other strong sweet aromas of dark fruits. A roasted malt aroma complements the sweeter aromas quite well, and in combination with the sweet, as well as a light earthy and woody smell, it creates a great nose on this brew.

Taste – The taste is drier and more bitter then the nose would have let on. It begins of a roasted dark malt flavor with hints of sweet chocolate and some caramel. These sweeter flavors begin to fade as the taste advances with the taste bittering more toward the middle, as flavors of cocoa and some coffee come to the tongue. A bitter-sour flavor comes to the tongue more toward the middle and the end with some light hop flavors coming to the taste as well. These flavors create a rather tangy but dark and roasty flavor to be left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel –The body of the beer is on the medium to slightly above medium side in terms of creaminess and thickness with a carbonation level that is on the average side. Not bad for the style as it makes it rather drinkable, but does not take away from the roasty and tangy flavors of the beer.

Overall – A rather interesting take on a porter. While I am not a huge fan of the tanginess that comes into the taste toward the middle/end, it is somewhat intriguing. Other then the tanginess I enjoyed the flavors, feel and look of the brew. It is definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 01:45:23 | More by Darkmagus82

sevenarts

New York

4.53/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark, slightly purplish black. Good tan head that fades but never entirely goes away. A bit of light lacing.

S: Really rich. Dark fruits mingle with a smokey, woody aroma, some coffee and chocolate, roasted malts, both sweet and slightly burnt-smelling. This smells amazing.

T/M: Doesn't *quite* live up to the smell, but pretty close. Rich dark fruits, chocolate, roasted malts, a lingering sugary sweetness at the end of each sip to offset the darker flavors. Very rich and tasty. Mouthfeel is moderate, just fine for a porter.

O: A great beer, definitely earns that "famous" designation on the label. It has to be one of the best porters ever.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 23:23:51 | More by sevenarts

TownDunkel

Texas

4.68/5  rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I saw this one and figured it was the one to try (not to mention the higher than average price tag)

Appearance - A down right sexy dark drown with swirles of red and golden in the light

Smell - Robust and woody, really great scent of yeast, alchol, and light or very mild spices

Taste - Now that is what any beer drinker is talking about. Deep wood and mahongy notes that mellow out to a nice porter flavor.

Mouthfeel - Stays with ya and perfect carbonation for it.

Overall - Maybe the king of porters, don't think I have had a better one

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 01:52:55 | More by TownDunkel

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Deep mahogany colour with a very thick looking, foamy head that is off-white in colour and holds brilliantly, managing to stay about a thumbs width tall.

Strong chocolate aroma with some deep, rich malts and a sweet mix of fruits. There is some figs and dates in there as well as some sugar and a little caramel. There is a little barely, some light biscuit and sweet, earthy aroma.

Chocolate and dark fruits with a lot of sweetness and some sugar. There is some figs from the nose and a light amount of caramel but mostly there is some roasted malts and a little bit of a nutty character too.

Very smooth and creamy with a full body and about medium carbonation with the slightest spicy tang and slightly wet at the end.

One of the best porters I have tried in some time, there is a great mix of fruits and chocolate and the body is great with very creamy feel. It went down wonderfully and left me wanting more after every sip.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 21:43:07 | More by flyingpig

Ranz

Texas

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Poured in my Spaten stein, it creates a rich, decadent head that reminds me of a great root beer float. Color is a rich black, the perfect look for a porter.

S: Pungent earth, malt, milk chocolate, and a slight acidity invite you to dive in.

T: Rich molasses, dark chocolate, and roasted malt flavor all make a winning combination. There's a nice, long and dry finish.

M: Smooth and succulent, the beer has a good and creamy, even thick chew, to it.

O: A pretty solid porter, no doubt. And for the price at my local grocer, it's hard to beat.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 02:19:02 | More by Ranz

401J

4.55/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured this beer from a 22oz bottle into a room temp rocks glass and shared with a red headed pisces female on a sunday evening in November at sea level in the eastern time zone.

This is my first experience with a Samuel Smith brew and it met all of the expectations that friends of mine had set..

Pours lovely with a one chubby finger head that dicipates to a lovely haze that coates your embrace with this very special brew..

Amazing nose of coffee, chocolate, and bread that are mild and balanced..

The taste is in complete haromony with the nose and the quality of craftsmanship was more evident with each fortunate sip. There is a mild bitter presence at the back of my tongue that is not at all unpleasant.. It almost keeps it where it needs to be.

The mouthfeel was the star of the show for me.. Leaving a suddle caramel coat that tastes thick on the outer tongue and fades gently to the center of my palate leaving only the finest of its characters as a trace..

Overall this beer is a treat.. I will definitely be purchasing this again and feel it was an amazing value as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 03:20:58 | More by 401J

Brouwerij

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Poured a very dark brown, nearly black. Two fingers of tan head with good retention and lacing.

Smell: Chocolate and malts.

Taste: Dominated by chocolate and roasted malt flavors although there is a bit of the tanginess the label describes.

Mouthfeel: Incredibly smooth and full. Moderate to minimal carbonation. Very palatable despite being so rich.

Overall: An excellent porter that i thoroughly enjoyed. Exceptional taste and mouthfeel make this a must try.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 22:20:16 | More by Brouwerij

beergoot

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown body topped with a thick, sticky light tan head. Rich molasses and sweet chocolate entice the nose; caramel and toffee notes. Malt and vanilla flavor dominates the taste with a slight sourness; light bitterness. Medium-heavy body; smooth and rich.

An excellent porter with soul-soothing character. A smooth, rich, chocolatey mouth treat.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 21:15:49 | More by beergoot

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into an imperial pint glass.

A - Medium sized head of light tan head. Very tight bubbles. Close to opaque but you can see through the edges when held to the light. Small amount of lacing.

S - Smooth chocolate foremost. I get a tiny bit of tangy character. Dark caramel.

T - Taste follows the nose as it has very creamy chocolate malt right up front. Mid-palate I can get that twanginess. Hops balance slightly and finishes with a little roasty flavor that lasts a bit.

M - Medium to medium-full body, medium carbonation. Never really sweet nor dry feel.

O - Didn't realize that an English Porter could have that slightly soured character to it till I read the style description and the label, this beer definitely had it. Very smooth dark malts made this beer. Complex enough in the nose and definitely in flavor. Solid body with a good balanced feel.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 01:27:40 | More by Jparker37

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a Samuel Adams pint glass. Purchased at Wakefield Liquors in Wakefield, RI.

A- Black, nearly opaque, mocha head with high retention. Very heavy lacing that globs onto the side of the glass.

S- Coffee, milk, slight metallic aroma. Not too strong.

T- Upfront, roasted coffee, toasted chocolate malt, ends with a nice subtle roasty flavor. Nice, smooth flavors that demand another sip.

M- Debatable the best part of this beer. Super smooth and silky with low carbonation. Extremely drinkable, especially for a beer this heavy.

Overall, an excellent interpretation of the style. Nicely balanced, extremely smooth, and easy to drink. Just the right proportion of malt and aging.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 18:07:48 | More by gcamparone

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a chilled pint glass.

-Appearance 4.0: Gentle pouring resulted in a nice, inch-high, tan head. Head is wonderfully creamy and crawls down the side of the glass. Otherwise, beer is jet black and very stoutesque (if I may).

-Smell 4.0: Well-balanced bouquet of barley, caramel and a mild hoppiness. Almost a buttery scent in there as well. So promising.

-Taste 4.5: Front is just cool liquid, with a slight sweetness. This leads you to a kick in the teeth from the middle: a huge, caramel and a somewhat buttery toasted grain flood. The toasted grains are so subdued and wonderful. Finish is abruptly flat and alkaline, but with only a slight hoppiness. Aftertaste is phenomenal: hops and toasted grains and that butteriness again. All the flavor notes present are subdued and well-balanced.

-Mouthfeel 4.5: Very enjoyable creamy taste from the expertly balanced carbonation.

-Overall 4.5: Certainly one of the top if not THE best porter I have ever enjoyed. I cannot stress enough the creaminess and the butteriness of this beer. I imagine it would go good with food, but should be (IMHO) consumed on its own, so that the taster can hit all the flavor profiles present in this amazing brew. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 05:01:06 | More by BeerDocT

tectactoe

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I was very excited to finally try this beer based on many of the good reviews I've read. Pours a very dark, nearly black color with just a touch of deep, ruby-red shining through the edges of the glass. Solid tan head mounted on the top of the beer that isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The initial nose is full of coffee and figs, a bit of roast and a bit of sweetness.

The flavor is unique - it's definitely a porter, but it's quite unlike any other porter I've had. The first thing that hits your palette is a huge roasted barley and malt flavor. Just enormous. This is followed up by a nice roasted coffee bean flavor that starts to take over as the beer is warming in your mouth.

About halfway through, the taste shifts from roasted and malty to slightly sweet and bitter. The bittersweet cocoa comes out, along with a huge punch from the "dark" fruits (dates, figs, raisins, it's hard to pinpoint just one). The transition from roasty and toasty to sweet-tangy-bitter is quite nice and complex, a mark that is oftentimes aimed at and missed in a lot of beers. Medium-heavy body with super huge creaminess and a nice dose of carbonation that really brings everything together.

This beer was incredibly hyped up to me before I finally tried it. Did it live up to the hype? It's hard to say. Probably not. Nevertheless, is it a good beer? Absolutely. One of the most complex flavor profiles for a porter I've had that still manages to keep your attention without going too far out-of-bounds. At 5% ABV, this is something you could drink all night. Solid porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 12:06:24 | More by tectactoe

BuzzLikebeer

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 550 ml into a pint glass

A - Dark brown/Black, 1 finger tan head, some lacing. thin layer of carbonation lasts throughout

S - Roasted barley, chocolate, coffee

T - Roasted barley, chocolate, coffee, slight hop finish, some residual sweetness

M - Milky smooth, medium body, some carbonation on the tongue

O - Classic porter from a classic brewery. Surprised by how smooth and easy it drinks for a porter. Feels almost like a milk stout. Makes for a good session beer at 5% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 01:15:03 | More by BuzzLikebeer

acevenom

Louisiana

4.73/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours dark brown (almost black) with a tall creamy brown head. The head actually hangs around for a while, leaving some lacing on the side of the glass. The nose is filled with aromas of dark roasted malt and chocolate. I picked up a hint of toffee in the smell as well. The taste absolutely follows the nose. The dark roasted malt, chocolate, and toffee flavors blend well and coat the mouth. I have to say I catch some coffee notes as well. It's not too sweet, so it's just right to make this balanced. The body is medium with a creamy mouthfeel and moderate carbonation. The finish is pretty clean and smooth. The drinkability is very high. This is a most excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 00:30:04 | More by acevenom

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.

Right away it is easy to tell this is yet another carefully crafted beer from Samuel Smith's. With a firm but gentle pour, a beer fills the glass that is dark brown in color with a bit of a ruby tint, more so in the edges. A dense, thick mocha cap rests on top of the beer and leaves a nice amount of lace stick down the sides of the glass.

The aroma blends smooth dark chocolate, roasted malt, and cocoa together, with a bit of earthy nuttiness as well.

The blend of the flavors is definitely one of the strengths of this beer. Each sip starts with a fair amount of roasted malt and chocolate flavor that ranges from soft, semi-sweet cocoa to dark and slightly bitter. There is a bit of caramel and fig flavor in the middle that gives a gentle sweetness, and finally a blend of earthy hops and light coffee notes create a moderately bitter finish. The beer wraps up cleanly, although I wish the flavor was a bit more full and robust.

One aspect that could be improved is the body. Although 5% for a porter may have been the standard in the past and Taddy Porter drinks slightly bigger than that, there are just too many amazing porters coming out with a much deeper and more textured flavor to have this one stand out anymore.

The obvious brewing skill and small touches show why this beer (like most from Samuel Smith's) is a classic. However, with the speed of innovation in the porter style and in craft beer in general, this beer may be relegated to more infrequent consumption. When I have this, though, it is very drinkable and disappears quickly.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 17:51:56 | More by KickInTheChalice

Etan

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

550ml bottle.

A: Pours a nice brownish black with a creamy-looking light tan head.

S: Light chocolate and slightly sweet biscuit dough, some dried fruit esters from that characteristic Sam Smith ale yeast.

T: Lightly bitter coffee beans and cocoa, dried pear and a bit of leather.

M: Light yet creamy.

O: A very good porter. The malts could be a bit more assertive against the esters, but tasty nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 04:04:24 | More by Etan

Bockrules

New Mexico

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured from the bottle into a Samuel Smith pint glass

A - Pours a used motor oil black with garnet highlights capped by a gorgeous 3-finger, creamy, tan head. Head stays intact all the way down the glass. Leaves behind a narrow parabola of lacing.

S - Chocolate mocha and tangy dark fruits greet the nose upon opening the bottle. Chocolate malt dominates the nose once in the glass a.

T - Chocolate malt and dark fruit upfront. The body is a nice balance of chocolate malt, tangy dark fruit and spicy hops with hints of coffee. More fruit and hop notes emerge as the beer passes over the back of the tongue followed by a tangy chocolate covered fig finish.

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied with ample carbonation to give the beer a fair amount of creaminess. It could be a tad thicker, but that is a bit subjective and nitpicky.

I had saved this beer in my fridge for a relatively special occasion and decided to go for it tonight after finishing some code (nerdy I know). Although this is a damn good beer, it failed to meet my admittedly high expectations based on the Nut Brown. The flavor was good, just not irresistible like the brown. I might pick this up again now and then, but there are plenty of American porters that I like better than this and can be had for less.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 06:25:51 | More by Bockrules

claspada

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark dark brown/black color with a creamy, light khaki-colored head that settles leaving minimal lacing.

Aromas are quite subtle overall but contain balanced amounts of toasted toffee maltiness with hints of chocolate, nuts and a slight bit of molasses as it warms.

Th tastes begin with mild coffee, caramel, bittersweet chocolate and molasses. As it warms I can perceive a soft, light hoppiness with more emerging toasted sugar sweetness.

The mouthfeel is medium-thin bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is smooth, but a bit watery.

Dverall this is a very good example of an English Porter but a but watery overall and could use a bump in the body to be great. Not to the level of Fuller's London Porter but a solid sessionable Porter for those winter months.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 20:33:02 | More by claspada

mscudder

Georgia

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A fine brew I have enjoyed on a number of occasions. Poured into a globe.

A - A deep, milky brown with a thin tan head.

S - Quite the subtle aromas here, yet textbook for the style: chocolate, toffee, roasted malts and some smoked character.

T - A soft composition of a wealth of flavors here: coffee, roasted malts, bitter chocolate, caramel, sweet molasses, nuts and a touch of tobacco. Such complexity in a refine balance. Enjoyable.

M - Medium body with more than enough carbonation. Resists the creamy feel I desire.

O - One of the porters I summon when I feel the occasion calls. There are notes that are not found elsewhere, although the faults are worth taking note. Not perfect, yet represents the fine craftsmanship of the brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 06:44:41 | More by mscudder