Stock Porter - Telegraph Brewing Company

WillCarrera

Illinois

1.88/5  rDev -46.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A- Pours a dark, oaky brown color. The first thing I'm noticing is that the carbonation is way off, even a verrry careful pour produces a massive, out-of-control, thin looking tan head.

S- Picking up roasted coffee and some bready malts, but also a sort of sweet/sour odor, might be infected.

T- Lots of coffee and malt, but here is where things really go wrong, there's an overpowering sour fruit flavor, combined with the coffee it produces a pretty unpleasant bitter/sour coffee ground flavor.

M- Medium to light bodied, over-carbonated, thin watery feel.

O- The sour flavors pretty much wreck an already problematic beer, I'm not sure if the bottle was infected (which is what I would bet on) or just a bad idea, but I've noticed that this seems to be a consistent problem with this brewery. I actually can't believe they bottled this and then charged money for it. Avoid this one.

From Batch No. 64 in case anyone is wondering

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2011 00:25:50 | More by WillCarrera

tyanow

California

2/5  rDev -42.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

I had high hopes for this stuff. I usually like Telegraph products and typically like porters better than any other style.

This smelled, tasted and had the mouthfeel of soggy cereal. It looked decent coming out of the bottle but had a very bland and soggy taste.

Maybe it was a bad bottle but I tried it with 3 friends and we all agreed in was yesterdays cereal still sitting in milk - but not rancid.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2009 00:53:37 | More by tyanow

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

2.1/5  rDev -39.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

A-pours a dark brown liquid with some cloudiness to it and tons of over responsive thin tan colored head.

S-the nose is very sweet and seems a little off. there might be slight infection here. hints of roasted malt with a touch of burnt coffee. lots of malt sugars, toffee, yeast, rotten plums and a touch of vinous property.

T-still can't tell if this has an infection or lacks a real porter quality. slightly more roasted malts and vinous properties up front. some touches of sweet chocolate with, lots of fruity sweetness with plums, slightly rotten, and notes of citrus

M-medium to light body, soft on the palate and very light, a little thin in the finish with an agressive carbonation.

D-not very good, lots of issues, overly sweet and the sweetness doesn't seem right. potentially a slight infection or just a miss.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2011 23:40:46 | More by cpetrone84

WillClark

California

2.63/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Fault me for being a traditionalist, but the bottle I had has nothing to do with Porter, and call me an ass, but I know my share of Porter. Poured out of the 750ml bottle into two pint glasses (Montell, represent) with a nice color and decent head with retention, but the smell....oh god, the smell. I got all sour yeast, but Montell over here gets a hit of chocolate on his "light" sniff. But I get no roast, and that already turns me off. Taste is yeast. All I get from 'er is yeast...no malt to backbone anything, just effervescence and yeast. Light mouthfeel with tartness. Finishes clean, but no porter bitter/dryness.

This tastes like it was brewed with the wild organisms of Isla Vista. Keep it in your pants, kids. This one ain't worth getting hard over.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2009 03:19:55 | More by WillClark

theopholis

California

2.73/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- Clear brown/maroon colored beer with a tall tan colored head. Ruby highlights when held up to the light. the head settles down quite quickly, leaving no lacing.

Smell- Quite bready for a Porter. Also hints of chocolate and a mild fruitiness. Also slightly acrid and ash-ee.

Taste- Unusually bready with some strong patent malt flavors. Finishes with a nice aftertaste. Hints of chocolate and coffee. Not much of a Porter, but tasty if you ignore the style guidelines.

Mouthfeel- Medium body, good carbonations.

Drinkability- As I said earlier, this beer is not to style, but it is still rather tasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2009 03:54:12 | More by theopholis

brentk56

North Carolina

2.8/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Way too much head lays on top of the coffee colored liquid; on the flip side, though, the retention and lacing were good

Smell: Vinous, red grape aroma dominates, with just a hint of roasty malt underneath

Taste: Although there are hints of black bread and chocolate on the front, the vinous flavors take over and add a sour dimension by mid-palate; after the swallow, there are hints of coffee and oak underneath but they are subsumed by the sour flavors

Mouthfeel: Overcarbonated, with a medium body underneath

Drinkability: Another disappointment from Telegraph, frankly; the beer was a noble experiment but it just doesn't work out

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 01:19:48 | More by brentk56

ATLbeerDog

Georgia

2.93/5  rDev -16%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

From a 750ml bottle - Pours a deep brownish red. Below average carbonation, and lacing. Smells of deep roasted malts, some chocolate and coffee. First sip is surprisingly light bodied with coffee and chocolate dominating. There are some other notes from the barrel aging process that IMO does not work On a whole not very good.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2008 02:21:28 | More by ATLbeerDog

OBeerMeGreatOne

California

2.93/5  rDev -16%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bottle with Batch Number 49 on the bottle. Pours a nice, deep, dark brown with a giant light tan head. The lace retention is very nice. The smell is of pale malts and dirt with a hint of grape and chocolate. The taste is a bit acidic. Banana up front, earth (mineral-style). The mouth is super thin and highly carbonated. It wasn't a drain-pour, just not...good. Sad to say that I'm not a fan.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2011 22:03:44 | More by OBeerMeGreatOne

illidurit

California

3/5  rDev -14%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at The Red in Santa Cruz. Pours very dark brown but transparent. Creamy tan head leaves tons of nice lacework. Aroma is rather faint. Milk chocolate, sweet red fruits, sourish alcohol. Flavor is dominated by wine character. Lots of jam and marmalade notes with only a touch of cocoa powder to signify the beer as a porter. No roast, no bitterness. Alcohol manifests almost like a rum note. I'm not sure if such a small beer (5.8%) should even be considered for barrel-aging, especially with wine. There's just no way it can stand up. Mouthfeel is a little flat, like it was on nitro. Could be good, needs to be retooled. As is, this beer is kind of a mess.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2009 18:42:52 | More by illidurit

Georgiabeer

Georgia

3.08/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On Tap at Beer Revolution. Pours black with little head. Smells of slightly soured grains and some roastiness. Tastes thin, with slightly sour graininess followed by firm but somewhat light roastiness- fine for a porter, but the sourness is offputting here. Not deep enough to be a true sour, but there is enough to distract from the more pleasant porter flavors. In the mouth it's smooth, slightly tangy. Meh, I should have ordered something else.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2010 00:00:25 | More by Georgiabeer

spunk509

Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - light brown - almost like a robust porter. Although the cork did pop, it didn't fly as high as for others. A milt head coating. Not overcarbonated.

S - Bad. I love sours, but this beer smells sour. There's a hint of slight roast in the background, but I get sour more than anything else.

T - Sour. I don't know if this bottle went bad or what, but this doesn't taste like a porter. It's almost like the Shorts PB&J stout, but that's supposed to be part sour. I would like it if it wasn't supposed to be a porter.

M - Fairly average. Decent body. A little light.

O - A below-average porter. Disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 22:37:14 | More by spunk509

mactrail

California

3.15/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Usual dark brew but with a big foam up, though not excessive. Quite a lot of carbonation in the mouth. Dark caramel with a little bitter hops. Not much aroma but a pleasant nose of roasted barley. Malty in a light-bodied way. I don't get any sour taste, but it does seem lightly oxidized with a wet cardboard finish. A little burnt raisin toast. Ovaltine, that's what it tastes like.

Quite drinkable if you like this mild, murky sort of porter. Label says Batch 80. 22 oz bottle from Mega Liquors in Hemet, Calif.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 06:53:31 | More by mactrail

seanbhudson

California

3.25/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

APPEARANCE:
Pours an opaque dark brown color with huge tan head that has good retention. Little to no lacing.
AROMA:
Light to moderate aroma of chocolate and caramel. Light roasted malts. There is also a light sour dark fruit (plum) almost vinegary.
FLAVOR:
Chocolate and caramel. Very little roasted malt flavor. Hints of oak. There is also a bit of harsh astringency.
MOUTHFEEL:
A medium bodied beer that has a bit of a thin feel for a porter. Lively carbonation.
DRINKABILITY:
A relatively easy drinking porter except for the slight acrid taste.
NOTES: BBCSD-0908-Danielle
I like the fact that this porter wasn't over-roasted but the sour /acidic taste is not what I want or expect in a porter. I prefer more chewy malts.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2009 20:33:55 | More by seanbhudson

DoubleJ

California

3.3/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

When I bought this, I thought it was a rather expensive porter ($6.69). Now, I see this was aged in oak barrels, so that adds another $2-3 to the bottle :-/ 750 ml corked and caged bottle. On to the beer:

Pours dark brown...in the glass it is black with reddish hues at the bottom of the glass. Big bubbly head forms on top. I smell it, and it's an interesting aroma. It smells like ground coffee, but with a grain, cork, and fruity edge to it. Now come to moment of truth.

It doesn't taste like your average porter. It's like a porter mixed with fruity Belgain yeast. The coffee flavor is first to register on my palaate. A little dry, with a mild roasted character. In comes that fruity flavor, akin to dark ripened fruits, such as prunes and plums. I don't know if that's the barrel aging at work, but those flavors make this porter unique (though not necessarily great). The fruit flavors gain dominance in overall flavor as I drink further along here. The mouthfeel is very pleasant, not too bubbly and a good body that soaks in my mouth. The beer finishes with a chalky flavor and a zip of alcohol.

I like the flavor of dark Belgians and porters, but I'd prefer the flavors to be seperate instead of melded together. Telegraph's Stock Porter melds them together, which is interesting at first, but should be sampled in smaller doses.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2009 05:43:39 | More by DoubleJ

mithrascruor

California

3.3/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

750 mL bottle poured into a tulip glass (already had it out).

Appearance: Pours a nice black color. Slightly reddish at the edges in the light. Decent light tan head with some lacing, though it becomes a film quickly.

Smell: Mild aroma with some malts and a bit of grain (oats?).

Taste: Quite sweet - not sickeningly so, but definitely lots of sugars present, particularly at the finish. Otherwise, it is sort of a watery malt flavor.

Mouthfeel: Light- to medium-bodied with mild carbonation. Generally smooth.

Drinkability: Low-ish ABV, but too sweet, and the taste is a bit watery, making it a bit tired for drinking after a while.

I wanted to like this, but it is just so-so. My faults on the taste aren't particularly "bad" ones, but they make it somewhat unappealing. I'd like a bit more body and a bit less sweet.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 01:18:29 | More by mithrascruor

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

When I released the cork stopper it hit the ceiling.
While I poured this deep brown beer into my glass it was producing evermore tan dense foamy head. Very turbulent carbonation. Nicely clear and with great amounts of lacing.
Aroma has a good roasted malt smell perhaps some toffee to boot.Taste is malty of course some roasted malts toffee malts. There is a sutle coffee grounds and ash taste.
A thinner mouth feel for a porter. The excessive carbonation explodes on the palette perhaps giving the beer a lighter or thinner feel.
Not that bad really excess carbonation and foam cap but other then that not half bad.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 13:40:09 | More by micromaniac129

Murchmac

California

3.38/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Not a bad beer, just as watching reruns of friends isnt too bad, but not something you'd do more than once.

Pours a black with brown highlights and thin lacing white head.

Doesnt smell like much.

Doesnt taste like much. Some sour tastes, some roast, some chocolate, but not enough of any to make a difference.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 05:54:07 | More by Murchmac

musicman575

California

3.4/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cork exploded out of the bottle. This beer has the most aggressive foam (I'm gettin' impatient) I've ever seen - it grows like snake fireworks. Beer is a dark and thick hazy orangeish brown. Smells like a usual porter with a metallic smell and taste that subsides with the head. Once you get past that there's a hint of pear and bing cherry. Doesn't have as much of a bite as some porters. Coffee, burnt sugar, and leather, flavors are prevalent, but subdued. Something like grass and rubber in the aftertaste. I don't know if it's just because I live in California, but I think more hops would go nicely.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 05:43:58 | More by musicman575

charlzm

California

3.43/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On draft at Lucky Devil, Hollywood, 1/13/08.

Cola-like dark brown appearance. Cola analogy furthered by bubbles clinging to inside of glass. Small head became a ring of foam in only a minute or two. Roasted, nutty aroma. Thin mouthfeel, low carbonation. Nut flavor apparent, as are subtle roasted chocolate/coffee notes. Clean finish with only the smallest amount of bitterness.

Not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2008 04:44:40 | More by charlzm

beerpadawan

California

3.43/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A Baltic 7-up?

The cork seemed too eager to depart its nesting place; a gentle nudge and it was sprinting on to its destiny in a much larger vessel.

The head is off-white whilst 6 inches tall; it settles into the more expected light tan-caramel color. The inky beer smells of sweet malt, with some roasty notes.

Held in mouth, it prickles with exuberance.

The flavor at mid-quaff is just a touch watery, but the beer finishes well with some of the "delicate fruit notes" and chocolate/coffee promised on the label.

I cannot find a statement of the ABV on the label, but Telegraph's Web site says it is 5.7, not 7.5 as indicated on this entry. It has a pretty light body overall and there is no alcohol warmth that I can detect, so I'm leaning toward 5.7.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 07:36:19 | More by beerpadawan

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body with a thin, beige-colored head.

Smell: Blend of star anise, dark, roast malts, and an expressive winey oaken character.

Taste: Dark, roasty malts displaying mainly, for me at least, a taste of licorice. Never much malty sweetness. Hint of cola nuts. Slight earthy bitterness. Definitely a winey, fruit flavor and accompanying tartness throughout.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-high carbonation.

Drinkability: Not bad, not great. Perhaps not worth all the work they put into it, though.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2008 00:49:45 | More by ChainGangGuy

emmasdad

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I remember passing on this one on an earlier trip to San Diego, but after reading a little bit, I decided that I needed to try this one. Pours a dark brown, with a big tan head. Some light funk on the nose, along with chocolate and lightly roasted malt. On the palate, milk chocolate, horse blanet and coffee. This one might need some more time.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2010 07:47:28 | More by emmasdad

1759Girl

California

3.48/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Surprising for its style. At first, I wasn't thrilled but as it warmed and the aroma opened, I warmed to it also.

Appearance- Had I not been on a root beer float kick as of late, I could not say with this much certainty, but I can definitely say this looks JUST look root beer. Same exact coloring. Same exact frothy light brown head and lacing. REALLY wish I had a scoop of icecream!

Smell-Burnt malt, and whisky barrels. Slight caramel.

Taste- A little sour. Originally too sour for my liking, especially because it lacked complexity. Let this warm up and you'll get a wider palette of whisky, sour, burnt malt, and yeast.

Mouf- Think and overly carbonated. My only real complaint with the beer.

Drink- easier after a few minutes of letting it warm up. Pretty average drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2011 17:59:27 | More by 1759Girl

beerceller99

Louisiana

3.5/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is a clear, deep garnet and red color with a egg white head.. Rich, roasty malty aroma with some dry wood. Medium bodied. Nice flavors of roasted blackened malts with light chocolate. Served in a twenty five point four fluid ounce corked bottle.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 01:55:39 | More by beerceller99

felipe2toes

California

3.55/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with thin tan froth for a head. Head recedes quickly to some crust, but not much lacing.

Smells of chocolate and coffee and brown sugar.

Tastes of chocolate and roasted malts, with some faint sour fruit notes. But not much complexity.

Very thin mouthfeel, but some decent carbonation

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 23:46:18 | More by felipe2toes