Mocha Porter - Rogue Ales

Uncle_Jimmy

California

3.73/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance- Opaque Black with a thin half finger of foam on top. Doesn't Linger

Aroma- roasty, chocolate grain, slight banana, earthy. I dont get hardly any coffee in the nose. As it warms I get more of a grassy hoppy aroma (not floral)

Taste- deep roast grain at the beginning some smooth chocolate and a slight coffee flavor in the middle with a sharper hoppy finish. I am not sure if this contains actual coffee. The hops are resin-y not unlike an Irish stout,

Mouth- it is silky smooth but also dry in the finish, I want this to have a fuller mouth feel, maybe lactose sugar, but that may take it out of the porter and make it more of a stout.

Overall- I like this beer because I think it is accomplishing a lot with just the grain. I don't know if it contains actual chocolate or coffee but The Term "Mocha" implies those two flavors, if not those ingredients. I like that attention is payed to the hops and keeps it all in balance. I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 06:27:15 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

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

Not really much of a porter drinker, but this one has me reconsidering my priorities. Really good. Pours dark like it should and really doesn't smell much of anything either. For the taste, the balance is terrific. Mouthfeel is good too. Like I said, for an IPA drinker, this one is better than just ok. A win.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 01:17:28 | More by Bitter_Echo

KingSlayer

California

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

355ml bottle served in a pint tumbler

poured dark brown almost jet black liquid, untranslucent, 3 finger tan head medium retention awesome lacing
nose composed of dark roasted malts, burnt caramel, dash of vainilla and soy beans.
palate composed of roasted dark chocolate bitter coffee maltyness, semi dry, nice hop balance, bitter coffee aftertaste.
medium silky body nice carbonation.
almost stoutlike, semi dry, bitter dry quick finish. 
i liked it, will have again.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 06:05:34 | More by KingSlayer

patpbr

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours black with a head that dissipates but doesn't disappear. The smell is roast and coffee but not very strong. Taste of mild chocolate and coffee, dry fruit. Creamy with a mild bitterness. Thin feel, its smooth and easy to drink just to watery. Taste was similar to dropping a few ice cubes in a cup of coffee. A fine porter i just like mine more robust.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 03:26:56 | More by patpbr

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

P- Thanks to my buddy Matt for this brew.

A- dark black and opaque and a frothy tan head that has a2 finger lacing on my pint.

S- choclolate and arak fruity esters with hints of sweet cream and espresso coffee.

T- Chocolate hits the palate in the forefront but then it tapers down to coffee and those dark fruity esters of grain. Very nice.

M- smoothest porter i have ever had. Very flavorful in the mouth. Not chewy but creamy enough. very well done

O- This is by far the best porter i have ever tasted and drank. I am not one for porters but i would have this beer again in an instant.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 20:34:27 | More by Dodo2step

bambam2517

Arizona

4.28/5  rDev +10%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

22 0z. Bomber poured into a pint glass at 45F.

A - Dark and opaque ink-black. Very little froth and it dissipates into nothing rather quickly.

S - Just as advertised. Strong espresso dominates, with sweet cream and chocolate in the background.

T - Overwhelmingly dark roasted coffee, some background dark fruit esters and a milder chocolate finish than I expected. Missing the sweetness also.

M - Its watery, kind of like drinking coffee again but it's less astringent. Just so-so for me.

O - I like this one, but I will admit that I also really enjoy my coffee several times a day. If those arent flavors one enjoys, this would be a bit disappointing from a porter standpoint.

Having now had both the Mocha Porter and the Chocolate Stout from Rogue, I prefer the Stout. It's a little sweeter which goes better with the flavors evoked.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 06:36:55 | More by bambam2517

Dave1999

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured pure black with a foamy tan coloured head.

The smell is sweet malts and roasted coffee.

The taste of this is very strong mocha coffee, chile, sweet malts and some bitterness.

This beer is full bodied, slightly creamy and with medium carbonation.

I really like this, would be good for a desert, certainly pack a punch in the flavour department. One is probably enough though.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2012 22:27:23 | More by Dave1999

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

2.95/5  rDev -24.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

12oz bottle poured into a Lakefront Brewery pint glass

Appearance- Jet black in color with a finger and a half of mocha head that dissipates into a thin layer and stays that way throughout.

Smell- Getting lots of chocolate with a pine hop thrown in.

Taste- Lots and lots of coffee with a very slight hint of unsweetened chocolate. A tart hophits the sides of your tounge on the front end and then the coffee swoops in for the finish.

Mouthfeel- Very very watery. Reminds me of a watered down iced black coffee.

Overall- Im not a fan. More coffee then mocha. No real sweetness for balance. Good for any black coffee lover.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 07:45:19 | More by BrownAleMale

Braz

Washington

3.63/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark pitch black color with a frothy head.

Very roasty aromatics with coffee ground scents.

Burnt coffee flavor is prominent, maybe a touch a dark chocolate as well. Fair amount of bitterness. Full body with a thick texture. Average carbonation with a long and bitter coffee aftertast.

This beer is exactly as the name says. Good one.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 00:45:04 | More by Braz

secondtooth

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep, dark brown (nearly black), with subtle ruby highlights. Average head, and minimal lace.

Nose is a little roasty. I get a hint of mocha, but it's not strong at all.

Taste is deeply roasty, with hints of dark chocolate, coffee, burnt fruit. This is a rich porter, definitely with a heavy character, and the mocha tones come out better as it warms a bit. Still, not a favorite of mine, and not one I'd care to try again.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 01:39:17 | More by secondtooth

brother_rat

New York

4.3/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours out a frothy, dirty tan head with the color and pitting of bubbling caramel. The beer is very dark, an opaque black, with only a faint redness at the ends of the glass when held up to a lamp. Deep and dark. The head fades quickly, after a few minutes, with very minimal lacing. 3.5/5

S: Pours tart, with dry, salty, smoky notes. Very pronounced sweet malts, minimal hops. 4/5

T: A very delicious balance, with many flavors poking out with each sip: tannins, chocolate, smoky hints, shaved wood, espresso, charcoal, and unripe fruit, etc. Hops in the background, well balanced. Finishes dry, with a mouthwatering creaminess. 4.5/5

M: Very drinkable, with a meaty, thick taste up front, which I love in a good porter, and yet it finishes dry and yet with a touch of lactose. Medium carbonation. 4/5

O: Not sure if there's lactose in this, or if it just tastes like there is; in any event, this is a fabulous porter: drinkable, dark and tannic but balanced and complex. The coffee/chocolate flavor is there but not slapping you in the face. I've had this many times (bottle & draught) and it's delicious by itself or paired. Tons of flavors that release as it warms up. 4.5/5

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 04:58:28 | More by brother_rat

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.25/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A 12oz bottle with no visible BB date. Picked up a while back from Great Grog in Edinburgh.

Poured into a Delirium chalice. A dark ruby-brown hue. Yields a large head of creamy tan foam that hangs around for a few minutes before reducing to a thin surface layer. Aroma of dark roasted malt with notes of chocolate, mild coffee, burnt grain, hints of dried fruit and earthy yeast. A whiff of sweetness. Surprisingly subtle - I was expecting a more in-your-face olfactory experience.

Tastes of dark malt with a burnt, roasted character and a dry finish. The flavour seems muted. Mild notes of coffee, chocolate, burnt grain, a hint of molasses, faint dried fruit and earthy yeast. Slightly sweet, with a twinge of acidity in the background. A restrained, dry bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry, tingly and a little oily. Body seems rather thin and insubstantial for the style. Somewhat astringent, with an aftertaste of bitter roasted grain and hints of chocolate.

Hmmm - I'm left unimpressed by this one. It certainly has hints of mocha and chocolate, but both aroma and flavour seem deadened and lacklustre. I was hoping for more intensity - perhaps this bottle is simply too old (hard to tell with the lack of dating). The body also leaves something to be desired; it's too watery. An OK beer that goes down easily enough, but nothing special. No need to seek it out.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 23:47:21 | More by jazzyjeff13

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

2.73/5  rDev -29.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle poured into a regular glass.

A: Pours a very dark red color. The head is a very nice two finger mocha (ha!) shade with great texturing and excellent retention.

S: There's a coffee - albeit slightly stale - and hazelnut quality to the aroma in general, and even a little bit of licorice. The aroma could be stronger, and as a point of nitpicking, slightly less vegetal as well.

T:The flavor is more coffee forward in general, from the starting flavors all the way to the finish. Problem is, just like the aroma, it seems awfully stale and vegetal. The said quality kills the finish with excessive bitterness. The hoppiness and roast don't really get along, either. Can't say I enjoy this one too much.

M: Airy and bone dry; normally, this is a quality I enjoy in my dark beers, but not when it's so dry it comes off as watery. A thicker texture (not to mention a bit more residual sweetness) would really help this out, but it helps make an otherwise mediocre beer more drinkable.

O: This is way too thin, bitter, and vegetal for me to enjoy this in any significant capacity. Needless to say, I won't be repeating this one in the future.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 22:29:35 | More by ThisWangsChung

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

a classic porter in my world. i love this beer. it pours what appears to be a nearly black color, but upon a hold up to the light, a faint crimson fire is burning at the bottom, nearly extinguished. big bubbled tan head rests atop. the nose is bitter dark malts and fresh coffee beans, unbrewed. the flavor is really roasty, malt first. the mocha element is complementary only, dark cocoa and black coffee. its a nice mix, nice balance. feel is perhaps a tad overcarbonated. i like my porters mellow, so this might be a personal thing, but its borderline soda pop. still, velvety medium body, not heavy for a porter, and a sessionable alcohol level. really nice stuff, especially in fall time. might use this in my chilli next time i make a pot.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 22:18:59 | More by StonedTrippin

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

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

A- Dark brown, clear body with amber highlights. Medium thick head, little lacing.

S- Roasted malt, coffee beans, milk chocolate

T- Starts with some mocha-chocolate notes, ends w/a nice roasted malt bitterness that lingers for a while.

M- Slightly watery/thin. Not the best aspect of this beer.

Overall, a middle-of-the-road porter. I've had better, I've had worse. I prefer a more robust, thicker bodied porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2012 19:53:35 | More by gcamparone

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very dark mahogany color with 2 fingers worth of tan head that lasts for a while

S: A good amount of roasty malts comprising coffee and chocolate. Really not much else

T: Starts off with the coffee and milk chocolate and then goes into some astringent roastiness. Reminds me of a coffee flavored malted milk ball

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth

O: A nice coffee and chocolate porter with a good amount of flavor. Definitely get both the coffee and chocolate throughout, with no other distracting flavors. Definitely worth a try if you like coffee or chocolate beers

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 01:19:55 | More by BEERMILER12

Papabear55

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a 10 oz snifter from 22 oz bomber

A:Nice two finger dark brown head. Looks thicker than it actually is.

S: Coffee with a bit of burn malts.

T:All coffee with a nice malty backbone to keep it from being overwhelming.

M: Thicker than most porters I've had. Not much coating of the mouth with this one.

O: Rogue is my favorite brewery and for me this beer delivers. Good price and goes well with a breakfast style dinner.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:45:37 | More by Papabear55

OriginalHopHead

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I really liked this IPA although it's much smoother compared to regular IPAs I drink. Definitely sweet undertones; like coffee and chocolate but not overwhelming at all.
I'm a visual person too and I like the bottling, labeling, etc. However, I bought a single bottle and had no information on the beer at all. Usually like seeing some IBU info on the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 01:56:13 | More by OriginalHopHead

acevenom

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours very dark brown (almost black) with a three-finger length tan head and plentiful visible bubbles along the side of the glass. I detect aromas of dark roasted malts with coffee and chocolate. The taste directly follows the nose. I pick up those dark roasted malt notes as well as the coffee and the chocolate. It's a bit on the watery side. The body is light to medium with moderate carbonation. The finish is smooth and the drinkability is good. This is a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 21:37:28 | More by acevenom

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Deep brown, near black colour, one finger of tan head, good amount of lace on the glass. Smell has tons of roast and coffee, bittersweet chocolate, big healping of earthy hops as well. Taste is full on burnt coffee and roasted malt, chocolatey, fairly high bitterness both from hops and coffee, floral hop and toasted malts in the finish. Light-medium carbonation, light-medium body though thin at points. A good roasty porter with tons of coffee and chocolate but still this has nothing on the Founders Porter, that being said I would still gladly drink this again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2012 20:42:16 | More by peensteen

tdm168

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - dark brown with a reddish hue; huge thick, dense, brown head; great retention

S - roasted malt primarily, faint bittersweet chocolate; all very faint

T - roasted malt, bitter, faint chocolate

M - medium bodied, smooth, well carbonated

Such a simple porter. It's basic and almost one-dimensional. It's not bad by any means but there isn't really anything of note here.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 04:44:08 | More by tdm168

clemtiger8202

4.35/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very dark brown and nearly opaque. Poured a thick brown head, the color of the foam on a cappuchino. Aroma was coffee and burnt toast. There was also something fruity, a dark fruit in the aroma but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was. The taste was sweet with malt up front giving way to a strong coffee bitterness that lingers for quite a while. I really liked this beer!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 19:41:21 | More by clemtiger8202

gottabetweed

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a dark brown with a substatial tan head of foam.

Smell is sweet milk chocolate, Coffee, malt, vanilla. Very pleasant.

Taste, the chocolate is upfront but more subdued than on the smell. Well rounded across the entire pallet. Vanilla, oak, coffee.

Mouthfeelis substantial with a nice carbonation.

Overall a very nice porter. Balanced with subdued hops. Chocolate winds it's way through in just the right amount. Very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2012 03:43:34 | More by gottabetweed

viverlee

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I don’t want to let it goad me, but I did just eat a Drumstick, courtesy of the eight pack picked up by my full-term and still-glowing wife this weekend. It shouldn’t affect this review, but, you know, there it is.

I’ve been telling a few confidants about this blog, which inevitably leads them to ask what my favorite beer is. Tough question, and I tend to answer more broadly, in styles – Belgians, DIPAs, Imperial Stouts. This decent brew, while none of the above, once again proves that there are qualities – and balance – in a softer, often-overlooked category.

STYLE: American Porter

ABV: 5.3%

LOOK: It takes a minute or so for the two-finger head to settle down. Dotted carbonation buttresses a puffy topper where the bubbles pop slowly, methodically. The color, purpley black.

NOSE: Hershey Bars, caramel, cream cheese, and red berries. Sweet smoke, seductive.

MOUTH: Iced coffee, mineral water, grill plates, garden dirt. All of which I mean in the best possible way. The lightly bitter wee bite is a nice counterpoint to the smokey sweet aroma. Balance is the key, with hops you can actually taste. An unusual but welcome addition to Porterland.

Beeradvocate Rating: 87

Hayward Abbey Rating: 88

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 03:34:05 | More by viverlee

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass

A: blackish brown with a tan half finger head that whittles down to big bubbles rather quickly. Significant lacing.

S: Chocolate, coffee, malts.

T: Semi-sweet chocolate blends with a heavy malt base. Light coffee backbeat. Smokey, burnt, but not overdone. A sweetness of caramel and toffee. Robust. Kookoo for cocoa.

M: Medium to heavy. Thick carbonation. Frothy on the tongue.

O: A very good porter. The cocoa aspect gives is a smooth swallow.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 16:16:37 | More by brewskifan55