Smuttynose Robust Porter - Smuttynose Brewing Company

Mojo

Alabama

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12ounce bottle -> New Belgium globe

OMG!!!! This stuff is amazing. It pours up a beautiful black with a luscious 2 finger head, excellent retention and lots of lacing rings. The smell is a fresh aromatic coffee note. Taste is a pleasing malt sweetness with a well balanced coffee and dark chocolate finish. Mouthfeel is amazing. I'm sad because they don't sell this in Alabama and I only bought one bottle in North Carolina,

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 03:15:34 | More by Mojo

JPlo

Maryland

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Very dark brown with tan head. Above average lacing

Smell: Carmelly, toasty, roasty

Taste: Stong malt with wholesome spicy hops that balances well. Malts are toasty, smokey, dark caramelly. Hops are spicy, bitter and somewhat herbally. Def a "Robust" Porter with this amount of hop.

Feel: Medium bodied, smooth, delicate-light carbonation with long finish.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 16:56:46 | More by JPlo

rramsey

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

One of my favorite porters. Porters are my favorite winter time beers and this is one of the best I have had. It is called a robust porter for a reason. The smell, taste and aroma are robust. I keep this one in my fridge at all times. If you can find this in your area, it's worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 00:27:57 | More by rramsey

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.23/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Consumed 1/9/12

Appearance: Deep, dark brown - nicely sized, creamy tan head - small, wispy cap - leaves some nice spots of lacing

Smell: Roasty and chocolatey - roasty malts, freshly brewed coffee, coffee beans - dark chocolate and some milk chocolate - nice level of sweetness, not too much - lightly creamy

Taste: A great combination of roast and lightly sweet chocolate - like a mocha bread - dark coffee, coffee beans - dry, roasty - dark chocolate, cocoa, and a touch of semisweet chocolate - lightly burnt grains, with some caramel as well - touch of hops in the back - mild bitterness - nicely balanced overall

Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, nicely carbonated, finishes very clean

Overall: A classic, in my book

I'm ashamed that I have never reviewed this on BA. I've had it both on-tap and in bottles multiple times. I've also used it in multiple batches of chili (it's a fantastic base). This is not the best American Porter I've ever had, but it is one of the best.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 06:43:51 | More by angrybabboon

Dools9

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a shaker pint, BB 4/15/13

A: This puppy is inky black in color with some light ruby hues coming through the bottom of the glass. The head is a light brown, its creamy and retains nicely. Good chunky lace left.

S: Getting lots of roasted character, some black coffee, cocoa beans.

T: Blast of heavy roasted malt and slightly burnt coffee. There is some slight mocha/black chocolate sweetness and finishes dry with a lingering coffee and roasted flavor, good stuff.

M: Lighter medium feel, soft and creamy, smooth carbonation.

O: Wow, this is excellent stuff. Probably my second favorite American porter behind Founders. Definitely worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 04:38:02 | More by Dools9

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.1/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

one of my favorite porters going these days. it flows out of the bottle dense and nearly black, creating one dark pint of beer with several permanent inches of mocha colored head. the nose is powerful and awesome. fresh ground coffee, dark roasty barley, and a peppery ale yeast all come together to suggest that a sip of this is going to far exceed my expectations of what a porter is capable of, and indeed it does. i taste a lot of coffee up front, save the acidity, with milk chocolate notes and black licorice in small proportions. the finish is bitter from the burnt malt, almost ashy, really big and bold. not sure how well this beer fits the style i have come to know as porter, this is a definite envelope pushed and one of the most flavorful porters ive sampled. massive body and the right abv for what it is. the bottle says 5.7% though, so i am wondering if the recipe has changed? .5% seems like a large variance from batch to batch, but what do i know. overall this beer rocks, and it may just be the best thing smuttynose does.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 21:58:19 | More by StonedTrippin

paulytasker

New York

4.7/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

-Serving Type- Bottle poured into Pint Glass Best By Date of 3/13/13

A- Deep, dark brown... very little light penetrating this. Quarter inch head that vanishes at a good clip.

S- A generous aroma of roasted malt... Hops are faint but distinct. A little bit of coffee sifts its way through.

T- More coffee on the palate than in the nose, and to me it's the perfect amount. The malt takes turns with the coffee, great balance going on here! So tasty. Finishes fairly dry.

M- Medium body, cabonation is exactly what i look for in an American Porter, creamy, not overwhelmingly so... Dead On!

O- The only thing i'm disappointed in right now is that i took so long to sample this beer. I never thought Edmund Fitz would be overtaken as my go to sessionable porter, but it just was. IMO this is as good as it gets as far as American Porters go!

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 19:55:21 | More by paulytasker

sevenarts

New York

4.4/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark brownish black with a generous tan head, good retention and lacing.

S: Coffee, chocolate, dark fruits, a touch of hoppiness. Smells good.

T/M: Rich and layered. Starts out with a lot of sweet dark fruits and strong bold coffee. This quickly gives way to a bitter, charred flavor, somewhat burnt and roasty. Tobacco, chocolate, more coffee, some nice crisp piney hops, and a lingering aftertaste of smoke, coffee and licorice.

O: A great, very rich and complex porter. Lots of strong and bitter flavors. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 22:15:24 | More by sevenarts

MuddyFeet

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Near-black brown. Dark tan head that dissolves completely. Legs are wrapped around the inside of the glass. Lactic feel. Full body. Heavy dark malts with to s of dark chocolate and a bit of coffee. Flavor reminds me of powdered mocha. Solar feel on the tongue as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 02:19:29 | More by MuddyFeet

jucifer1818

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ive been wanting to try this one for over a month now, ever seeing it on tap in waterworks. been meaning to pick up a bottle for a few weeks now but I've been distracted

Hopefully it will be worth the wait

Appearance: Extremely dark brown, but not completely fading out to black. Id say it probably 32-35 SRM. little head (maybe a quarter of a finger) that quickly disapates
4/5

smell: Heavy chocolate, roasted barley, dark fruits, and candy sugar, with just a hint of bready, biscuit malts. My nose litterly get lost in the glass the smell is so good, and because of that, Ill give this one the best rating I can give it
5/5

Taste: Strong smokey flavors, with powdery black chocolate/grinded up coffee after taste. they certainly got the "robust" part right in this brew, this stuff is great

4/5

Mouthfeel: Slick, dark, and syrupy. but not too syrupy. I would describe it as very watered down Hershey syrup, that leaves a sweet sticky feeling on your tongue.
4/5

Overall: Im going to give this one a 4/5

It has an exceptional smell, and a good taste/mouthfeel, but it can be a bit too abrasive and sticky at time. Now don't get me wrong, I like a good strong sticky beer more than the next guy, but it kinda overdoes it a bit.

and it needs more camel and coffee in the flavor, and a bitt less smoked and roasted barley. Overall I would probably have this brew again if the price was right

defiantly a great beer for a ice cream beer float

cheers.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 21:08:52 | More by jucifer1818

TheSixthRing

California

4.13/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a near black opaque brown with deep, ruby brown edging. The head is light cocoa in color and balloons to just under 2 fingers thick with excellent retention. Silky, thick lace with nice stick.

Smell - Rich chocolate notes dominate the aroma. Just a faint touch of astringency, buried well deep behind the chocolate.

Taste - Follows the nose. Rich chocolate flavor upfront, then a deeply roasted malt coffee bitterness creeps in mid-taste and dominates near the finish. A slightly metallic note rings in the aftertaste, and maybe just the faintest hint of soap, too.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full bodied with thick, creamy carbonation. Goes down with exceptional smoothness.

Overall - This is a great porter. Though it hits on few notes, it nails those notes with reckless abandon and with brilliance. It's a shame it's not readily available on the West coast, it's a beer I'd buy with fair regularity.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 03:52:34 | More by TheSixthRing

Dave1999

Virginia

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

Pours pitch black with a small tan head.

The smell is dark roasted malts and strong coffee.

The taste is strong roasted malts, chocolate and slightly bitter coffee.

Te mouthfeel is medium bodied with low carbonation.

Overall a very decent beer, tasty and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 01:28:50 | More by Dave1999

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.98/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle with a Best Before Date of 04/02/13. Pours a dark black color with dark brown hues and no head. Minimal lacing. Aromas of roasted malts, dark chocolate, earth, and some coffee. Great smokey roasted malt taste with dark chocolate and black coffee. Smokey dark chocolate taste at the end. Solid mix of roasted malts, coffee and dark chocolate flavors. Nicely balanced. Overall, great Porter by Smuttynose.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 01:22:30 | More by PicoPapa

DarkBeerGuy

New York

4.53/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Without a doubt one of the most amazing beers. Smuttynose never fails !!!! The color is incredible, the head was good and the lacing was excellent. We are sampling this beer as hurricane Sandy is hitting us outside of Philly and we don't care!! The fragrance as you drink this beer is as much the experience as the taste. Fantastic, Incredible, Amazing. Great job Smuttynose!!

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 20:59:20 | More by DarkBeerGuy

neophilus

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Black with tan head. Unclear.

Big nose of roasted grains up front. Smaller aroma of sweet malty grain underneath. Nice layering between the roast up front with the malty base supporting it.

Roast vs Sweet Malt continues its interplay in the flavor. At first I'm thinking this is too roasty for a Porter, it should be a stout. But the thick body and smooth flavor of the malt quickly mellow out that roastiness. There is a lot of bold flavor in this dark beer. No hint of coffee or chocolate just a nice big body of malty roasted tastiness.

Really good mouthfeel, perfect level of carbonation. Not cloying sweet but no detectable hop flavor above the roasted grains so the balance of hop bitterness is spot on. Only detraction is a slightly flat aftertaste, almost like cardboard from the roast.

Really great example of a porter, brings the big bold roasted flavors without hitting you over the head with imbalanced roasted malt or pushing it too far into the coffee/chocolate arena. Still shows love for its malt body, excellent brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 21:22:43 | More by neophilus

jmarklan

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a deep ebony with three fingers of dense tan head which dissipates fairly quickly and leaves nice lacing around the glass. This is one of the darkest porters i've seen; virtually no light gets through it.

Smells of dark roast coffee, chocolate, perhaps some toffee and vanilla.

Roasted malt is in abundance in the flavor; coffee, chocolate dominate w some astringency towards the end. Bitter finish.

Feels medium bodied, quite smooth but a bit watery.

Overall: A damn good porter, one of the best i've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 04:59:25 | More by jmarklan

alexgash

Connecticut

4.48/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle. Best by 01/16/13.

Very dark inky brown body. Viscous. Small finger of creamy, light khaki head. Good lacing. Lots of charred, roasted malts on the nose. Good blend of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, espresso, and peat. Accents of vanilla, nougat, and dark fruits.

Bitterish roasted malts and coffee up front. Tannic and peaty. Smoky, charred roasted barley, cocoa nibs, and semi-sweet chocolate mix on the palate. Peaty, smoky, charred character increases into the finish that is dominated by coffee bitterness and dark chocolate. Medium body with a smooth, oily feel. Delicious and perfect for the coming cold.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 22:15:28 | More by alexgash

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.08/5  rDev -26%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured deep brown with good carbonation leaving a nice tan cap, loads of bubbles and great lacing

S: Faint and grainy

T: Immedite roasted malt, bitterness with a intial rush of bakers powder cocoa, a little gfreen funkiy sourness underlying, tastes artificial and cheap. The finish is dry and bitter.

M: Medium bodied yet thin and watery.

O: Slightly above average. The taste was cheap, the body was thin. Not exactly sure whats A worthy about this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 03:10:52 | More by barleywinefiend

jellis00

Virginia

4.85/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow is this a tasty beer.

A: Very dark with a smooth tan head.

S: Lots of coffee and chocolate. All the smells that you would want in an American porter.

T: Wow. Intense deep flavors of chocolate and coffee. Malty.

M: Nice and comfortable. Smooth with a nice carbonated kick when it goes down. Very thick. Feels like drinking a meal.

O: I plan on drinking this porter more often.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 02:13:04 | More by jellis00

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Best Before 12/13/12

A: Pours a pitch black color with a fingers worth of brown head

S: Amazing. Almost like brownie batter. Very deep, dark malts, dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, and very light earthy hops

T: Follows the nose. Big dark fruits start, followed by roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee. Finishes lightly bitter

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Rich and creamy

O: What a porter. Full of flavor with a big, rich body. Easy to drink, especially on a nice, cool night. A must try

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 01:33:14 | More by BEERMILER12

NumberNone

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a thick, hearty cola-like brown with a thing beige head that quickly dissipates. Good carbonation and lacing.

S: Coffee, malt, licorice, dark chocolate, toastiness, caramel.

T: Chocolate, malt, coffee, licorice, caramel, smokiness, toastiness, spices

M: Smooth, creamy, spicy, some bitterness, some dryness, great balance of flavors come through.

O: Bold tasting, well balanced porter. Smooth, full of flavor, with good but not overwhelming bitterness and dryness. One of the better porters out there, particularly for the price.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2012 10:55:12 | More by NumberNone

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Into a pint glass:

A: nice black colored body with a one finger foamy off-white/tan head leaving a superb foamy spider web lacing, very ringy. The body was way too dark for any carbonation to be seen rising.

S: chocolate malts combined very nicely with a nice roastiness.

T: chocolate overpowering pretty much everything else, but in a good way, nothing overbearing, just really good balanced really well with the coffee.

M: medium, perhaps maybe even closer to a heavier feel with nothing harsh on the tongue

O: well, I think I'm becoming a fan of Smuttynose, period, after this one. After all I've tried by them, they are a very good company that makes very good beers. Of course, I would have this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 00:09:33 | More by kangarooAdam59

socon67

New York

4.53/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours black with a mocha colored foam. Thin rings of lcaing coat the glass. Bobbly carbonation settles fast.

S - Scents of rich chocolate malt. Smoky and roasted smell. This is to me a perfect representation of a hearty porter.

T - Flavors of rich chocolate, roasted malt, coffee bean, and mocha hit the tastebuds. This is a complex and serious porter.

M - Easy drinking porter that feels rich and filling. I felt like I ate a piece of chocolate cake when I finished this. Thick feel to this one.

O - Really liked this one. Smuttynose makes some darned good beer and this is right up there. For porter drinkers this is a must-try.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 02:08:49 | More by socon67

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam adams pint glass

A- nice black-brown body with a beautiful 2 inch head that transitions from brown to light at the top. Nice lacing. So far so good

S- deep roasted malt, chocolate and vanilla. Delicious

T- wow. Dark chocolate , vanilla, perfectly roasted malt. Finishes with smokey notes and the instant urge to sip more. One of the most delectable porters I've ever tasted.

M- thick and robust. Light carbonation

This is a beer worth trying. I forsee myself purchasing a lot of this this winter.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 04:05:27 | More by gcamparone

MadScientist

New York

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

A: Smuttynose's Robust Porter is almost opaque black garnet highlights on the edges. The creamy mouse-like head is an expresso creme shade of light brown with almost the same texture; it also leaves lacing on the glass.

S: This beer has a thick roasted malt nose with low notes of plums and raisins. There is a moderate chocolate aroma and a touch of coffee. Pretty much nothing for hops and a light alcohol note.

T: The roast malt flavor is as big as the nose with a medium amount of chocolate and light expresso notes. There is a moderate to moderate-low hop bitterness and no hop flavor. The roast and bitterness continue past the dry finish.

M: Medium-heavy in body with a moderate level of carbonation. There is a a light chalkiness and a light alcohol warmth.

O: This is a robust porter that's packed with a lot of roast and far amount of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 01:12:41 | More by MadScientist