Mocha Porter - Rogue Ales

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

Gmann

New York

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

Pours a very deep brown color, almost black. The beige head is a touch airy and puffy, slowly settling into a light cap.

The aroma starts off with a shot of powdered cocoa. Then there is a metallic note that you typcially see in most porters. Perhaps some light coffee but not much. Some caramel notes as well.

The taste is of the cocoa powder. There is some heavy roasted notes, woody almost burnt, that provide some anise flavors. Some weak stale coffee. The porter base provides some typical tea and metallic notes, very much like an english porter. Some burnt caramel.

Light to moderate feel, fizzy carbonation. Starts off sweet but ends with a good amount of roasted bitterness.

A very flavorful porter. There are some nice flavors but I don't get enough coffee. Worth a purchase.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 18:31:45 | More by Gmann

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from 4/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a very dark red brown, nearly black. One finger dark tan head and lacing. Aroma of coffee and dark malt, light hops. All the porter flavors are there; dark malts, very light smoky malts, a bit of coffee. Nothing stands out. No off notes, but kinda boring.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 23:12:56 | More by LiquidAmber

womencantsail

California

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

Dark brown in color with a khaki head. Stale coffee, harsh roastiness, bitter dark chocolate, and coffee grounds. Not a fan of the aroma. The flavor is really no better. Quite bitter with tons of roasted malt and coffee ground flavors. Some bitter dark chocolate, a bit of earthiness, maybe some slight malty sweetness. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 01:55:19 | More by womencantsail

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.68/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

For my money, this is the richest, best porter I've had to date. Despite its sort of flat appearance, the mocha smell and taste is strong and that's just what I wanted. It's a little creamier than some other popular porters, which is something else I appreciate. Last time I visited the Rogue alehouse I had the Hazelnut Brown and followed it up with this - tasted exactly like a chilled hazelnut coffee. Lovely!

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2012 19:48:09 | More by TheRealBigC

blackcompg

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from their 12oz bottle...

Appearance - pours nearly 3 fingers of light mocha head, color is a murky opaque brown, with mahogany highlites. Leaves very nice lacing inside the entire glass after the session.

Smell - Rich black coffee, roasted malts, toasted grains, light minerals.

Taste - Starts out black coffee, then roasted malts (almost no sweetness), toasted breadcrust, light plum skins and minerals. Finishes with coffee grounds and hint of floral hops long into the finish.

Mouthfeel - Definitely on the lighter side, seems a bit on the watery side. Carb is medium, and provide a crisp cleansing that yields a mineral flavor along with the crisp edges.

Overall - Not a bad beer, but seems a bit on the light and watery side. Good complexity and balance, and very sessionable with the lower abv. Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 03:25:28 | More by blackcompg

SteveMi

North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Pours dark with good amount of carbonation. My first attempt at drinking this beer resulted in a somewhat flat pour. This second bottle left a good sized, short lived head and some lacing.

S - Mild chocolate smell with a bit of coffee thrown in. After a few seconds the aroma is no longer noticeable (due to mildness).

T - Dark chocolate and coffee/burnt chocolate combination with an expected bitter backing.

M - A bit creamy. By look I would have thought it to be a heavier drink but it comes across lighter than expected.

O - Quite good. At this point I'm 50/50 on the beer since my first attempt was flat but I will say getting a good fresh Mocha Porter is very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 18:04:15 | More by SteveMi

estlinska

Arkansas

3/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a shaker from the bottle. Deep brown color like french roast coffee with off-white head that dissipates pretty quickly. Creamy chocolate and roasted coffee on the nose. Smoky espresso taste with a bitterness that kind of sits on your tongue, out of place. Medium body with long bitter aftertaste. Felt like it was just missing...something I cant put a finger on.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 00:10:08 | More by estlinska

Beerevity

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours black with a big, foamy, cream colored head. Lots of lacing.

S - Clean chocolate malt but not much else.

T - Chocolate and cream on the nose preceed the hop bitterness and a smidge of coffee. I'm not sure what's going on with this one but I am not picking up on much coffee at all.

M - Medium body, creamy and smooth. This along with a good level of carbonation make for an excellent mouthfeel.

O - This is a good beer but not great. I have to say that I was expecting a bit more, especially in the 'mocha' department. The mouthfeel and creaminess are wonderful but it's lacking in depth of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 22:11:38 | More by Beerevity

Clones21

4.1/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer will catch you off guard. First off I suggest you don't smell this beer because it may stray you away at first...but don't let that fool you. Smell is a really sweet, but not that great of smell. The up front taste right when it hits your lips and tounge is really sweet and hoppy...AGAIN don't let that fool you..the after taste is crazy good. Very Mocha/coffee like. Lots of Chocolate too. This beer is pricey, but I recommend you give it a try if you are into dark beers.

Serving type: on-tap

06-23-2012 00:21:43 | More by Clones21

DrewSnyc667

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 Oz bottle into a snifter

A - Dark as night, some mild activity, small head with very little lacing. The color is haunting.

S - A bit plastic like, some burnt malts, not totally appealing to me

T - Taste is better than the nose. Nice rich coffee and roasted malts. Very addictive, almost like a black iced coffee

M - Very light in body and surprisingly refreshing, definitely session-able

O - Very good, don't have much experience with they style but it is something I want to explore further. Very happy with the first dip!

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 02:54:12 | More by DrewSnyc667

rangerred

Tennessee

3.7/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Had on tap in a pint glass.

Arrived pitch black with a one finger tan head.

Aroma had plenty of roasted malt along with some milk chocolate and coffee.

The taste is black coffee and roasted malt lending even more coffee characteristics. There is some milk chocolate in there as well all ending with a light bitterness.

Overall, a decent porter although I though the mouthfeel was a bit watery. I would have it again, though.

Serving type: on-tap

05-23-2012 15:41:47 | More by rangerred

seydou

South Africa

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice cola brown color with tan foam that sticks around for a bit... the kind of foam that creates little valleys as some starts to dissipate.

I don't get any overwhelming smell, but nothing bad either.

Tastes good, even better after the drink. No weird chemical or artificial taste you get with some chocolate or coffee porters, and the chocolate taste is really nice and subdued.

A little too carbonated, and not quite heavy enough preventing it from an upper-echelon porter for me. But still good. Really balanced when drinking, full, nothing sticks out. Halfway through the glass, it's still easy to drink.

Paid $6 for a 650ml bottle.

Note on 4/23 -- drank this right after a Kona Pipeline (coffee porter), and this blows it away in smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 01:29:13 | More by seydou