Contorter - Ale Asylum

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.09/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle poured into a Nonic.
4.8% ABV, no date.

A - With large "glugs", the beer was poured with vigor creating a small tan head that fades to a foamy ring of suds below wispy lacing. Clear reddish-brown highlights show some clarity through this very dark porter.

S - Contorter's aroma immediately bursts fourth with really roasted, almost burnt qualities followed by bitter baker's chocolate, dry cocoa, and a light toffee and coffee-bean nose. While the aroma is assertive, it's also got a nice "light" feel that trails off with earthy notes of dirt and English hops.

T - Roasted black and chocolate malts give Contorter a strong flavor presence of dry cocoa and crumbly bitter chocolate while also bittering it significantly on the finish. Light, watered down coffee flavors are present as well but underwhelming when set next to the roasted malt.

M - Crisp and well-carbonated this medium-bodied porter surprisingly has a very smooth feel for it's carbonation level, finishing a touch dry and fairly bitter from the roasted malts.

O - Contorter Porter is one of those sinister-looking dark beers that's no where near as aggressive as it first appears. It might not be immediately approachable, but this is a dark beer that's got good flavor without really packing a wallop or "being too thick". It's an easy-drinking porter that would fit right in with the English session ales; a few at your favorite pub wouldn't be a bad start to the night!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 00:48:47 | More by BeerFMAndy

Stevedore

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a Bell's tulip and quaffed today, 3/24/13

Aroma: Not a bad smelling beer. I smell a good bit of roast barley- coffee, caramel, even a bit of burnt sugar. (4)

Colour: Dark cola colour, comes with a 1cm offwhite head that dissipates quickly. No lacing to speak of. Pretty average for the porter style; I think if it were a slightly thicker, stickier beer it would help improve the appearance. (3)

Flavour: Actually its strength. Like the nose, it's got that roast barley character especially at the end. I get a little smokiness and burnt sugar to go along with hints of coffee. As it warms up, that roast barley character which I love out of porters and stouts comes out more at the end. I really enjoyed this aspect of the beer. (4)

Mouthfeel: It actually feels a bit creamy but unfortunately its rather thin-bodied. A bit disappointing but certainly doesn't make it a bad beer- just average. Solid carbonation, and the aftertaste of roast malt character is nice and thick and doesn't go away. I guess since its thin-bodied, its really drinkable. (3)

Overall: What it lacks in appearance and mouthfeel (it's basically a thin bodied porter), it makes up to a certain extent in flavour and nose- two rather related things. Not the most complex porter, but it is tasty and smells good despite having a watery, thin body. I liked its drinkability and flavours, but it does have a lot of room for improvement. (4)

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 00:30:25 | More by Stevedore

deebo

Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle to pint glass this brew is topped with a finger fo tan small bubbled head. Weak retention but nice lacing. Dark brown with ruby highlights when held to light. Aromas of rich malt, chocolate, toasted without being burnt at all. Very nice aroma. Upfront taste is nice, chocolately malt with a silky mouthfeel. However this is a bit shortlived as the end note is slightly carbonic and lacks a malty full-bodied finish. Easy to drink with decent flavor. A solid sessionable english style porter that lacks depth but makes up for it in drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 02:18:25 | More by deebo

dhannes

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at the brewery in a standard pint glass.

A=No head whatsoever...just a very dark brown surface. Beer itself greyish brown and murky...less appealing than most.

S=First two whiffs produced no aroma whatsoever. Finally, a faint aroma of burnt toast emerged.

T=Initially, I enjoyed this beer...hints of bitter cocoa, burnt toast, and some undefined sweetness. Second half was dominated by the burnt toast taste.

M=Less body than most porters...a bit watery. Plus it seemed overly carbonated.

O=A decent session beer and actually one of the better porters from Wisconsin...still, I maintain, Wisconsin brewers are the absolute worst at making a great porter.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2013 19:30:02 | More by dhannes

Jparker37

Wisconsin

4.34/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a nonic pint glass.

A - Solid black and still opaque when held to light. Got a great tan head with tight bubbles holding well. Decent bit of lacing to it.

S - Wonderfully complex. I get tons of earthy chocolate, hints of coffee all with caramel tones in the background.

T - Mild caramel maltiness early on, even biscuit malt. Coffee flavors are in the middle. The roastiness doesn't come in till late but it is kind of ash-like.

M - Drinks like a great english porter. Medium-light body, medium-light carbonation, Semi-sweet.

O - Awesome english complexity to this beer sans oxidative properties. Great look to it, and pouring over with aroma. Taste had a thin feel to it that I greatly enjoyed. It wasn't really creamy nor sweet ++ but still had dimensions of maltiness to it. It did however have a finish that of a cigarette ash that was unusual. All-in-all a great interpretation.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 01:47:20 | More by Jparker37

mdfb79

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From 11/03/12 notes. Had this on tap at Bellenie's in Madison, WI. Served in a pint glass.

a - Pours a dark brown color with one inch of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of nuts, roasted malts, toasted malts, chocolate, some caramel malts, coffee, and some cream. Really nice complex nose; like it a lot.

t - Tastes of roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, toasted malts, nuts, burnt malts, caramel malts, and cream. Taste has less caramel and cream but more chocolate. Still very nice.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink.

o - Overall I thought this was a really good porter; it was probably my favorite of the three Ale Asylum beers I tried that weekend. Easy to drink and a ton going on, worth checking out.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2012 21:06:49 | More by mdfb79

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pour is black with light tan head and lots of large bubbles. Nose is light fudge and chocolate cake, notes of tobacco and roast with a light green finish. Taste is much thinner, more roasted and leathery tobacco, thin finish and assertive carbonation. Not as put together and rich in the flavor but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 18:36:59 | More by cpetrone84

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.43/5  rDev -35.9%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a Delirium snifter on 8/20/12

Medium-dark shade of brown that come closer to looking black once in the glass. The head was hesitant at first; a move toward a more aggressive pour yielded a short lived two finger head. Very little retention and hardly any lace.

Roasted and burnt tones are a prominent aspect of the aroma: roasted bakers chocolate, cocoa dust, semi-burnt coffee, tangy roast and hints of ash. Though perhaps rough up top, the aroma has a smooth base of dark grains.

Tangy roast has a sharp edge and digs at the palate. Overtones of burnt coffee. Chocolate is faint and buried deep in the mix. I could actually go for more of a robust sweetness. Dry finish with a mild, lingering bitterness.

The feel is fairly smooth, but far too thin. Carbonation is much too high compared to the body, making for a dismissible feel overall. The carbonation calms a little bit after a while, but the feel remains too fussy for my preferences for a porter.

Contorter Porter isn't bad per se. That said, in the company of so many good-to-great porters, it's sub-par and ultimately forgettable.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 04:52:28 | More by Ryan011235

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

2.5 A: Black color. I couldn't muster much of a head despite an aggressive pour.

4.0 S: This smells more like dark chocolate than maybe any other brew I've ever had. Lightly grainy malts with a healthy sweetness that enhances the rich, dark chocolate vibe.

4.0 T: Taste also brings about dark chocolate, but only a fraction of what the nose suggested. Still, this has depth and richness with a moderate sweetness and roastiness. Not super complex though. Still, quite tasty.

4.0 M: Heavier medium body. A little undercarbonated, but not by much. Rich and viscous and I imagine this would be quite creamy if there was more carbonation.

4.0 D: Tasty beer. This is how I prefer my porters, with a little girth on them.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 20:59:20 | More by DavoleBomb

martyl1000

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle at Jordan's Big 10 Pub, this is a disappointment. I think I'm learning I don't like porters. Maybe a couple years ago before moving to Madison and getting Acclimated to the big full-bodied Belgians and imperial stouts. So I'm not Tue right person to review this beer. It's just too light weight. I think it's the dark appearance that makes me want so much more -- I suppose if i were in Houston on a hot day I'd. Appreciate the sessionability. But it's 70 degrees humidity here in glorious Madsion.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 02:20:24 | More by martyl1000

quirkzoo

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

extra'ed by rmalinowski4 I believe.

Pours black with almost no brown, even at the edges. Thin cap of off white head.

Smell has tons of chocolate malt with a slight roast behind it, kind of like burnt chocolate chip cookies.

More chocolate on the palate, very low bitterness.

Nice even mouthfeel, decent carbonation, very drinkable.

Overall a very solid porter, definitely worth trying if you are a fan of chocolatey beers but otherwise unremarkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 22:46:18 | More by quirkzoo

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This poured out as a nice deep brown color, black in low light. The head was tan and faded rather quickly just leaving some light lacing on the glass. The smell of the beer had some big roasted burnt malt aromas blended with some hints of coffee and chocolate. The taste of the beer gives off a rich chocolaty start with bitter lager like note in the finish with some additional charred flavors. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and softer carbonation. Overall this is a solid porter, there isn't too much to fuss over on this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 01:48:54 | More by Knapp85

pschul4

Illinois

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

Given to me by my cousin, thanks Ryan!

A- Pours a medium brown but sits very dark in the glass. Small half finger head leads to a nice lacing around the glass

S- Tons of roasted malt, of both the chocolate and coffee variety with chocolate winning by a hair

T- Same as the nose. Chocolate and coffee working together with some nice smokey notes thrown in

M- Pretty thin but not so much to make me dislike the beer

O- Pretty well done. Just reminds me that I prefer stouts over porters but as far as porters go this is a great one

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 03:18:41 | More by pschul4

Zachtheporter

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Notes taken from 4 days ago.
Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

A- Rich black color very dark looking beer.

S- Very crisp. Hints of subtle smokiness blend with notes of cocoa and caramel.

T- Rich and chocolatey with a smokey twist to it.

M- crisp with a medium carbonation. Somewhat of a bolder feel a heavy body.

O- A well balanced porter

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 04:01:02 | More by Zachtheporter

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle bought is Wisconsin. Pours black, with a thickish oily look. Bold chocolate and roast aromas. I got more chocolate than coffee in flavour. Both the bitter and the sweet came from the cholate. A good example of a solid American porter. Good drinkability, and way to end the meal.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 04:50:38 | More by northyorksammy

BasementBer

Manitoba (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Glad to see a brewery embrace some modern aesthetic design. Although im not a big fan of motorcycle culture. now to the beer.

A: Pours a cream white head with no lacing to speak of. Cocacola hue.

S: For me an A+, the bitter comes through fantastically. i fall for the marriage of hops and darks. Also plenty of roast in the malt.

T: This unfortunately lets me down. as mentioned above, cocacola. very sweet, almost no bitter, sugars possibly not brought to fermentation completely. Good chocolate character though for a porter.

M: the sweetness again lends a soda like character to the tounge. very quaffable. bottoms up for a hangover.

O: an average beer with above and below average characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 05:05:07 | More by BasementBer

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle code of 112211 - November 22, 2011?
Poured in to Founder's tulip.

A - Poured a very deep brown with a small amount of light brown head.

S - Big roasted malt aroma up front with pungent milk chocolate and coffee aromas adding to the nose. There is a noticeable bitterness and a hint of smoke in the background.

T - Bitter coffee, cocoa and roasted, almost charred malts. The smoke starts off in the background but becomes more prominent as I continue to drink the beer.

M - Light to medium body; slightly creamy. Moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 19:35:52 | More by TheSevenDuffs

hoptualBrew

Florida

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An extra from a trade with TATURBO, thanks again man! This one pours out dark as night but with some brown hues on the edges. A small khaki head up top rounds it off. Real nice nose on this porter, making a statement with it's English qualities. Bready, nutty, chocolatey, and sweet caramel here. Big aroma in comparison to the taste though, that came up a bit short for me. Bready & chocolate forward with a carbonation bite in the aftertaste. No discernable hops to note tastewise, but I do get the bittering a good bit. Only complaint is that I wish the taste had matched the nose - rough to have a better nose than taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 03:20:44 | More by hoptualBrew

will1256

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First review, figured I'd give it a shot! Bottle from a six pack received as a stocking stuffer from my Madison-dwelling sister. Poured into a snifter.

A: Very very dark brown; only a little light finds its way through the edge of the glass. One finger off-white head.

S: Initially, roasty malts and lots of chocolate. As it warms, coffee begins to make an appearance.

T: Similar to the smell, lots of chocolate and roastiness. Don't pick up much coffee initially, but a bit in the aftertaste. Light sweetness that coats your mouth.

M: Very nice fine carbonation, not too strong. Little bit lighter than medium body, and a bit slick.

O: Not very complex, but very good for what it is. Very drinkable and a nice winter beer, though it's still 40 degrees outside in Minnesota in January?!?

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 02:25:01 | More by will1256

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Rich dark brown pour, bordering on black, nice light tan head that was over 1" in depth. Aroma delivered plenty of chocolate and roasted malt, struck me as pretty nice, usually the English porter style has kind of a petroleum vibe for me for some reason, but this was pleasant.

Same with the taste, would really not know this beer was classified as an English porter, the yeast didn't seem or scream out Fuller's or whatever common british house yeast you may be used to. The chocolate is just as prevalent as it is in something like Young's Double Chocolate Stout, really one of the more flavorful in terms of chocolate English anything, much less porter. Overall its pretty straightforward, lightly sweet, and plenty flavorful.

Another good beer from Ale Asylum.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 04:13:00 | More by Beerandraiderfan

Florida9

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at AA. Served in a shaker pint. Very Dark brown in color, almost black, but not quite. Served with only a minimal bit of almost tan head. Very little lacIng. Aroma is of chocolate and little else. Taste is of lightly roasted malts and milk chocolate with a watery finish. Medium bodied, but feels lighter than it is. Lower carbonation. Mild bitterness. A better than average porter, though a rather simplistic one.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2011 20:08:08 | More by Florida9

znichols

Wisconsin

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Dark, uber dark. Like stout dark. Not much, if any, light getting through this sucker. An off-white one finger head that quickly dissipates and dissolves into a few little creme colored bubbles on the top of the beer. Decent amount of lacing.

S- Subtle, stale coffee immediate within the aroma. Traces of smooth chocolate and roasted barley. The slightest bit of spicy hops are present as well. Slightly mild aroma to this one.

T-Very enjoyable flavor to this porter. Slightly sweet with a solid milk chocolate essence to it. Iced coffee, toffee, nuts, and marshmallow notes make an appearance too. Little to no alcohol present. Mildly bitter with really no hop flavor evident. A true sweet, roast driven porter.

M- The mouthfeel is nice. Medium bodied and slick with low carbonation, resulting in a creamy feel on the tongue.

O- A nice porter. For whatever reason, maybe the chocolate notes and creamy texture, it really pairs well with a cold Wisconsin night and a warm fire. Be sure to enjoy on the warmer side to let the roasty notes shine.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 02:37:27 | More by znichols

crewfan16

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

poured from a bottle that I picked up the last time through Madison. Have always heard good things about Ale Asylum, but never picked anything up before now.

a- pours deep brown, almost black with no light shining through. light tan head rises about a half inch, then falls leaving some nice lacing.

s- roasted malt, hints of coffee and milky chocolate sweetness

t- follows the nose. nice dark roasted malt. the chocloate and cofee are there, but in nuance, not very forward.

m- the smoothness and creaminess to this beer is exceptional. incredibly easy drinking

overall, this is a very nice example of the style. I think there are other porters out there that are more in your face, but this one is subtle and complex and extremely smooth. a very nice beer from ale asylum.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 03:33:21 | More by crewfan16

womencantsail

California

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Steve for the bottle.

A: The beer pours almost black in color with a finger of off-white head.

S: A nice roasted malt aroma to this one. Some sweet toffee and molasses. There is some dark chocolate and even a bit of sweeter milk chocolate. Maybe a little vanilla.

T: Slightly watery, but otherwise good. Lots of dark chocolate and cocoa with plenty of roasted malt. As with the aroma, there is some subtle vanilla character to it, too.

M: On the lighter side of medium with medium carbonation.

O: A nice aroma to this and a fairly good flavor too, just a bit watery.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 03:00:21 | More by womencantsail

johnkale

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - aggressive pour creates two fingers of rocky beige head, color is dark with just a little bit of red translucence on the edges, lacing is minimal

S - very cocoa heavy, some dark coffee and a little toffee, a touch of vanilla, very roasty with some herbal undertones

T - oreos (no creme), coffee, caramel, burnt toast, some bittering hops too, pretty run of the mill, somehow seems warm in the finish even thought it's less than 5% abv

M - fairly thin, a little prickly from the carbonation, kinda soda-like actually

O - very sessionable and has a wonderful nose but doesn't quite hit the sweet spot that SN or Founders porters do and the mouthfeel is somewhat disappointing. not a bad beer, not a phenomenal one either

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 23:33:35 | More by johnkale