Bad Elmer's Porter - Upland Brewing Company

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a murky brown, with a 1/2 finger of creamy mocha colored head. This maintains some richness, leaving back a foamy cascade that slowly slides down the sides of the glass. The aroma smells of cocoa, roast, and coffee. There's a touch of green citrus and floral character present as well. The roasted coffee tones are really coming out strong here, giving this a toasty and tasty smelling crunch in the nose.

The taste has a little more sweetness going on with it than the aroma did, with sticky notes of chocolate and caramel with a dash of green earthy citrus mixed in. Some light (but still firm) bitterness offers up some balance to the profile while toasted roasted notes come out fairly aggressively across the back. Good overall balance here though with the sweetness getting to shine. Finishes with some lingering earthy grit but is otherwise pretty clean. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a bubbly creaminess that's got some sharpness on the edges. This does seem a touch light in spots and doesn't quite seem to fill the mouth up like the flavors would indicate.

You know, this was pretty decent. I really liked the well balanced roasty flavors and despite some lightness to the body, this was still a fairly enjoyable quaff. One of the better ones I've had from Upland.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2010 17:14:04 | More by Kegatron

degerbah

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque brown with about a finger of head. The aroma is nondescript and only moderately malty. The taste is primarily caramel-like more than anything. Pretty easy to drink and relatively clean tasting, but its only 5%. Not a standout porter by any stretch. Still it was decent, I just have had way better.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2010 00:11:41 | More by degerbah

mwa423

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Murky brown, with a finger and a half of tan head.

S - Sweet and malty, slightly nutty at with notes of caramel.

T - Very sweet porter with a slight coffee hint and a sweet nutty flavor in the aftertaste.

M/D - Mouthfeel was smooth and had the perfect thickness for an easy drinking porter. This would be a great future session beer because of the high drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2010 00:08:20 | More by mwa423

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.05/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Had this in Warsaw, IN in February, 2009

A - Pours a deep, dark brown with a light tan, 2-finger head.

S - Very little

T - Toasty grain, caramel and light bittersweet chocolate that lasts into the slightly sour aftertaste.

M - Medium mouthfeel and carbonation

D - Just OK. One was enough.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 13:07:32 | More by Tucquan

Beejay

Virginia

3.2/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Dark brown with a creamy looking head. Very nice.

S: Roasted chocolate. Slightly sweet, and roasty.

T: A nice roasted character, as well as something a little tart, almost milk stout-y. It seems like the more I drink this the more I just pick up the tart..

M: Fairly thin, with a smooth mouthfeel, and fairly good carbonation.

D: Decent, but the tartness is a big turn off for me, it seems out of place. I think if it were not there I would really enjoy it.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2010 01:25:49 | More by Beejay

ThaBobfather

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a nice shade of mahogany brown with a simple topping of beige/tan head-light bodied.
Smell is slightly sweet malt with some light aroma of nuts and caramel.
Taste is mildly sweet with a well malted here with flavor of peanuts.
Finish is wet- fairly light malt after-taste.
Drinks well-very smooth-it comes off very sessionable and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2010 02:18:49 | More by ThaBobfather

tpd975

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very deep black with a nice tall tan colored head. Nice retention along with some leggy lace.

S: Mostly dark roasted malt, mild chocolate notes with a touch of coffee.

T: Nice deep roasted malt, with rough chocolate notes. Hints of coffee. There is a bit of sour berry hiding behind the roast. I have to say I like it.

M: Medium in body, pretty smooth, nice carbonation.

D: One bottle is enough, but I think this one is better than the numbers reflect.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2010 23:17:41 | More by tpd975

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep, deep mahogany that is just shy of opaque and turns a super dark ganet when held to light. Almost two fingers of foam that slowly fades to patches and leaves good lacing on the way down.

S: Yum... Classic porter. Lots and lots of chocolate malts, some sharpness from darker roasted malts, and some toffee sweetness. No hops detected.

T: Similar to smell. Plentiful chocolate malts with dark cocoa and hints of coffee. I can't quite taste any toffee, but there are caramelized sugars and a nice underlying grainy sweetness. A hint of earthy hops and some sharp almost burnt notes combine for slightly drying finish.

M: Slightly light carbonation level which is alright for the style. Medium body that has an appealing creamy feel.

D: Good solid porter overall. It does seem to lean a bit toward some stout type characteristics, especially as it warms. But a very good balance between interesting complexity and easy drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2010 03:00:54 | More by SickGnar

Infamous7100

Ohio

3.23/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pour a deep brown to black with about finger width toast, tan head.

It offers up a roasted malt kind of smell with maybe just a hint of coffee/dark chocolate. Not sure why, but the roasted malty smell is overpowering.

The taste yields much the same results as the smell. I'm getting all roasted malts and bit of tartness along with it, which I believe to be the molasses. Alcohol is hidden well. Would like a bit more chocolate and coffee.

Medium bodied, with a sweet start of a finish that leads to a little bit of a bitter hang.

Very drinkable. It's not the best porter I've had, but it's a decent representation. Not very filling, so you could have a few with no issues.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2009 01:59:47 | More by Infamous7100

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a snifter) bottled on "A '09"
A- This beer pours a black body with a faint hint of dark brown glow at the base of the glass. There are a few strands of microbubbles that glide up the side of the glass supporting a thin wispy beige head.
S- This beer has a very light smoky quality that melds into a dark roasted malt, espresso bean note and some other coffee notes. There are some dry chocolate notes that come through as the beer warms. The espresso bean aroma grows as it warms aswell.
T- This beer has a roasted deep black malt flavor with a slight tart hint and some coffee flavors to the black malt. There is some chocolate malt flavors underneath. The finish is a light cream with big roasted black grain taste that bites a bit as the beer warms.
M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with no alcohol heat noticed.
D- This beer has a fresh full nice dark roasted malt flavor but the body is a bit thin. This makes a good session stout with full flavor and a subtle complexity.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2009 16:35:12 | More by rhoadsrage

donniecuffs

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a deep dark mahogany brown with a finger of tan head, and good lacing. The smell yielded brown sugar, molasses, caramel, cocoa, and coffee beans, and the taste confirmed this in abundance. Furthermore the taste dissolved mid-palate to a nice maltiness before finishing a little drier than expected. Good medium creamy mouthfeel. Overall, not best in show for this style, but certainly a very very well done example. Would love to try this on draught.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2009 21:35:08 | More by donniecuffs

sweemzander

Illinois

4/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz. bottle poured into an imperial pint. Bottled in June 2009.
Thanks to BeerFMAndy for yet another new beer to try!

(A)- Pours a super dark brown color that produced a decent brown head that dissipated quickly, but left some foamy lacing on the way down.

(S)- Lightly creamy raisins and molasses with dusted cocoa.

(T)- Plenty of almost creamy roasted malts with an even amount of coffee, raisin, and molasses.

(M)- A good balance of everything including carbonation level. Simple; nothing fancy.

(D)- A solid porter with no surprises. Just a good all-around beer that fits the style well.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2009 23:33:20 | More by sweemzander

Wasatch

Utah

3.53/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks goes out to stonequarrywest for this one.

Pours a nice dark brown color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy tan head, with some nice sticky lacing to follow. The nose is malty, with some chocolate/toffee notes. The taste is sweet, malty, nice touch of chocolate/toffee. Medium body. Drinkable, a nice little brew, glad to have had a chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2009 01:54:34 | More by Wasatch

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.73/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into an American Tumbler. Bottled June '09 notched on label. No other info.

A - Poured out clear but almost black in the glass, this mahogany high-lighted beer got slight noisy on the pour with fizz and gained momentum for a two finger tan head. Alright retention left a thin layer and just a touch of lacing.

S - Roasty and toasty goodness with an honest-to-god hint of ashtray. Don't let that turn you off just yet though! This malt-heavy porter may be a little one-dimensional on aroma, but it's a decent aroma. Chocolate, toffee, and coffee all reside in the background of the beer but make a fairly light appearance to liven things up.

T - Burnt roasted malts dry out the palate quickly as dark bitter-sweet chocolate rushes in only to be washed down instantly by a dry cocoa and crisp hop presence. That's one dry and bitter flavor.

M - Dry and bitter finish with a full body of malts, this porter has a bunch going on in the mouth besides it's flavor. Semi-metallic lingering finish though...

D - The light metallic finish detracts from the drinkability but the beer is good overall. A robust porter that's not half bad. Probably easier for me as a session porter than a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2009 20:26:10 | More by BeerFMAndy

Billolick

New York

3.65/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle, with brewed on month/year notched onto the label. Pours the expected dark mahogony amber, slight dark tan head, not leaving in much in the way of lacing. Nice roasty nose. Things dont continue foward after this respectable start, the flavar is somehow off, a sour ote is present and the chocolate, roasty chocolate is caused to be out of wack. Iadded about 1/3 of the bottle to a marinade, so all was not lose. Not my favorite vrom Upland so far

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2009 23:36:18 | More by Billolick

dmfrench

Indiana

3.58/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A solid simple Porter.

A: Extremely dark brownish red with a 1 finger mildly persistent head. Minimal lacing.

S: Not getting too much... vanilla, roast.

T: Nothing exceptional... just the standard burnt flavors with a dry and slightly acidic hop finish. Nothing exceptional, but very pleasant... like a StoutLite® :)

M: Can't complain.

D: Goes down easy, but sits a little heavy.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2009 01:17:47 | More by dmfrench

Spidey13

Kentucky

3.33/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bad Elmer's Porter pours a dark brown color with some ruby highlights when held to the light. Practically no head. The nose is light with some roast and hints of chocolate and raisins.

The flavor is creamy, with some toffee and cocoa notes. A bit of bitterness shows up on the back. Quick finish. The mouthfeel is a bit creamy wit low carbonation.

Overall, not a bad beer, but nothing to write home about, either.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 04:39:08 | More by Spidey13

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

2.68/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a beautiful coca-cola color with a small ½ finger caramel colored head that very quickly dissipates. Smells of raisins and dark fruits with a hint of brunt malts. First sip is those same dark fruits plus deep roasted malts, and an unwelcomed metallic presence. Very lightly bodied and lacking in carbonation. So far my least favorite brew from Upland. I am disappointed with this one

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2009 17:12:03 | More by ATLbeerDog

pitweasel

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle from a trade with a friend living near the brewery. Poured into a standard pint glass with a little less than one finger's worth of tan head. The body of the brew itself is the standard dark, dark, dark, dark brown.

A quick sniff of the glass gives you an accurate representation of the taste you're about to meet, which is your standard roasted malt character. While some reviewers have mentioned hints of chocolate, I can't find any to save my life. That's fine with me; that's not what I usually look for in a porter. The flavor isn't overly complex, but it's delicious in its simplicity. Mouthfeel is on par for a porter; not too thick, not too thin.

Overall, a good brew for those days where it's too cold and grey out for an IPA, but not quite nasty enough out to reach for an RIS.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2009 19:35:20 | More by pitweasel

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.08/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Brought back a few Bad Elmers from a recent road trip to Louisville.

The beer pours a standard porter look: medium-dark brown with a lightly tanned head formation, average retention, and light hints of lacing on the glass. Viscocity seems a bit thin.

Aromas of dark grains, light coffee, and hints of bittersweet cocoa. Mild esters of plumbs, grapes and decorated with a yeasty anise note.

Flavors convey an initial coffee, grainy, cocoa character up front. Soon the beer's taste changes to an acidic flavor. A lot of mineral content makes the beer taste harsh. Could have a lot more malt flavor and sweetness to balance out.

Mouthfeel is where the beer hurts most. Quite bitter from cocoa and coffee notes. Acidity seems to rob the beer of creaminess and smoothness. Sharp and astringent to the entire mouth. Not a pleasant experience.

Ultimately the beer has some nice attributes but the lack of body and maltiness hurts, specifically in the texture and drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2009 02:25:13 | More by BEERchitect

chiefydawg

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown, showing a clear deep garnet when held to a light. Fresh-looking, short, light caramel colored head that recedes by mid-glass. Nice lace that lasts.

Smell a deep dark fruit, some coffee, maybe some chocolate. Getting some yeast like fresh rolled bread dough, some light fruitiness like a sourdough.

Caught a sweet but dark chocolate immediately, but was interrupted by a brief tinny metallic taste by the swallow (?). Could just be some C hops behind the curtain. Like the smell, it does have some plum, plus tobacco and molasses.

Rather easy drinking, thoughI did find it a tad strange. The big chocolate, brown sugar, and unfermented malt makes it seem like it should be full-bodied; but the canny twang is to the contrary, giving it a much lighter mouthfeel. Not a complaint but an observation.

Elmer is, well, not bad.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2009 03:40:19 | More by chiefydawg

Yeastcakes

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Serving temp: 40's
Glass: Heff

Appearance: Dark brown, ½" head, large bubbles, quickly dispates. Head completely gone after a few minutes.
Aroma: Subdued hop aroma, chocolate
Mouthfeel: medium body, somewhat slick, light carbonation persists.
Taste: Light sweetness, milk chocolate and coffee taste are present and balanced. Taste dissipates quickly but with light lingering notes of two dominant flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 02:31:15 | More by Yeastcakes

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep amber to black color, with a big light brown head. In the aroma, roasty malts and a hint of chocolate. In the taste, piney hops, and a mixture of chocolate and toffee. A small bitter and medium mouthfeel, with a small dry roasty chocolate aftertaste. Nice chocolate presence, and nice hops in the taste, quite good.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 02:02:08 | More by OWSLEY069

Oxymoron

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Bad Elmer, go to your room. Pours a midnight black color with a red hue when held to the light. Good clarity. A soft off white head with good retention and lacing.

The nose has a nice malt profile. Some sweetness and a mix of roastiness on the back end. There is a bit of coffee but everything blends well. I do pick out some black marker aromas but not overbearing. Some coffee notes as well. The yeast is very clean with no real off notes.

The taste is similar but backs off compared to the nose. The malt is limited/wispy and really doesn't back up the roast flavor. Some good burnt notes mixes with a lactic almost chocolate flavor. Boarder line latte quality. There is a earthy hop note on the backend that is a bit strong for style.

The body is light with a wispy feel. Would like more depth and complexity overall. There are some really nice notes here but I think the body hurts it overall.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2008 16:32:17 | More by Oxymoron

cnally

Indiana

2.2/5  rDev -37.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

This beer sure looks better than it tastes. Such a dark brown, with little visibility through the glass. A lot of head develops, looking like a root beer float. A whiff of it and it all goes downhill. There is rusty well water and sourness all over the smell. Tropical fruits & banana are hidden in the background. When you drink it, there is an immediate tangy flavor, and really smoky. Also, there is a little bit of bitterness that resembles the bitterness of an olive. This fades into a despicable aftertaste that makes me feel that I have licked a used ashtray. Lots of fizz and punch on the mouthfeel. Not enough malt for how dark it is. The aftertaste is so distracting, there is no reason I would ever have another.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2008 03:24:06 | More by cnally