Mocha Porter - Rogue Ales

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

Mora2000

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a very dark brown to black color with a tan head. The aroma is mainly made up of chocolate malt, but I also get a little bit of coffee and some chocolate thrown in. The flavor is a nice mix of chocolate and roasted malt, with quite a bit of pine flavor from the hops. There is also some bitterness from the hops which was unexpected. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 02:53:29 | More by Mora2000

Bockrules

New Mexico

4.15/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

poured from the bottle into a pint glass

A - Pours an opaque black with rub highlights. Two-finger, tan head. Head is reduced to a ring of bubbles about two-thirds down the glass. Leaves behind a few splotches of lacing here and there.

S - A bit of roasted chocolate malt, crystal malt, earthy hops. Not too potent.

T - Burnt chocolate malt upfront. Body is very well balanced with earthy hops counteracting a very charred crystal and chocolate malt backbone. This gives rise to a pleasant chocolate mocha sensation. Earthy hops dominate as the beer passes over the back of the tongue, and slowly fade to a chocolate mocha finish.

M - Full bodied with plenty of carbonation too give the beer an exceptionally creamy mouthfeel. This beer expands in my mouth excellently, the way a great porter should.

The appearance and smell of this beer were disappointing considering the notoriety of this brew. However, the taste and mouthfeel more than made up for it. Unique chocolate mocha flavors and an exceptionally lively and creamy mouthfeel make me wish I had another in my fridge. Would make an excellent session beer during the winter or for camping in the summer. The only hindrance is that Rogue beers are somewhat rare in New Mexico and come with a hefty premium.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 06:17:53 | More by Bockrules

TheHoppiest

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a mug. Pours an amber-brown, almost the color of cola, with a thick, 1" tan head that is quite slow to reduce.

Has a biscuity, coffee aroma, with notes of straw and dark chocolate. There's a mild nutty smell as well.

Taste oaty to start, with a healthy amount of black coffee, cream, and biscuit. Bitter chocolate and hops combine to finish this off. The oaty-quality is quite pronounced, giving this a taste like a lighter, hoppier oatmeal stout.

Medium-bodied, there's enough hops in this ale to dry the tongue and mouth and leave a slightly chalky after-feel.

A nice porter, the oat-malt flavor is a welcome taste usually only found in a stout. The mocha quality is not especially prominent; frankly, they could have called it an oat-porter and been both more descriptive and more original.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 00:41:53 | More by TheHoppiest

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is my first American craft beer if I don't count Samuel Adams and I'm very interested to taste an American interpretation of an English classic.

APPEARANCE: Typical porter brownish black. Head looks like that of an expresso, kind of yellowish.

SMELL: Soft porter smell, not strong. I can sense a sweetness. Sucking the last drip from the rim of the bottle I get a taste of mocha coffee and even rose water.

TASTE: A typical smokey, tart porter flavour with a pleasant softness that creates an interesting balance. The coffee is subtle, adding a levelling mellowness to the brew. Ever so slightly hoppy too. There's a subtle sherbet flavour which provides a tingling sensation on the gums.

OVERALL: Both disappointed and impressed. I thought the coffee would be way more upfront but it only imparted a soft mellowing sweetness to the balance, which actually made for a nice tasting porter anyway. One of the best I've had, albeit I've never had a bad one.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 08:48:22 | More by Hoppsbabo

happy4hoppybeer

Pennsylvania

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Very nice opaque brown, some minor ruby/shiny red in between, almost black. Thick creamy tan/light-brown head, bubbles showing. Very good retention.

Light sweet aromas of chocolate, dark caramel, coffee and slightly roasted barley. Very good rich dark brew smell, pleasant and inviting, yet subtle.

Mouth is consistent with the nose, some good roasted barley, coffee, chocolate and other dark brew flavors. Just enough taste to satisfy the dark brew drinker, but not as complex as others. Medium body, with a fairly medium level of carbonation.

A solid porter, and overall smooth session dark brew. Nothing super-wowing, but who cares. All that matters is the beer is tasty and enjoyable, which this is. A good session dark brew, which is what porters are. Good for any day, anytime of the year, hot or cold, morning, day or night.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 23:51:53 | More by happy4hoppybeer

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

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

12 ounce poured into a perfect pint glass.

A- Pours incredibly dark brown, almost black with red hints around the glass. This beer pours with a large tan head with good retention.
S- Definitely mocha dominant but thats not all. This brew has a nice chocolate tootsie roll aroma to it. Excellent bitterness in the smell. A burnt caramel character. A really nice smelling porter.
T- A good heap of refreshing bitterness up front keeps my tongue from getting bogged down. A medium body with lots of coffee based flavors and burnt grains. A good hop presence surprisingly.
M- This beer has a medium to light feel for a porter and has excellent drinkability. Good carbonation. A dry aftertaste of burnt flavors.
O- This is a great solid porter that I would love to have again. For me, its a little less intense and flavorful then I like so I am looking forward to trying their double mocha porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 10:17:52 | More by TwelveOunces

karait95

Mexico

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

A: very dark brown color also brown head not very big but well formed dissipates slowly and leaves traces behind on the glass, carbonation cannot be appreciated easily due to the dark color but a permanent layer is always present

S: toasted malts manly the barley is detected, coffee seems to be present in the back not a complicated aroma but simple and well defined

T: flavor is intense, toasted malts, hops, coffee, just wondering if some sweet flavors are not missing

M: this one is a little to bitter maybe the extra hops overwhelm the general sensation something more balanced was expected

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 04:05:20 | More by karait95

TheSixthRing

California

4.18/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Pours a near black cola brown with a 2 finger tan head that fades in due time. Leaves a fine, sticky lacing.

Smell - Chocolate with faint coffee notes.

Taste - Strong, semi-sweet chocolate notes backed by a subtle coffee undertone. Also, a bit of hop bitterness. Finishes with a bit of caramel. Great balance, but a little more aggressiveness would be nice.

Mouthfeel - Wonderfully drinkable. Goes down with a velvet smoothness, and the carbonation has a nice tickling quality.

Overall - One of my favorites. While I have had stronger porters from a flavor standpoint, few match it's great balance and smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 00:40:22 | More by TheSixthRing