Generation Porter - Sprecher Brewing Company

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

2.63/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Vintage 2006 16oz bottle poured into a Lakefront Brewery pint glass.

Appearance- Dark but not as motor oil black as some porters that I've had. Very little white head that dissipated fairly quickly.

Smell- All raspberry here. Not terrible smelling if you like that kind of thing which I do but not nessicarily in a porter. I was expecting possible chocolate or coffee scent in at least an underlying smell.

Taste- The fist sip I get a lot of the raspberry with faint chocolate. I don't know if the aging has affected the beer but it has become almost wine like. Just like wine, as it warmed the fruit really came out and killed any of the few complex flavors I did get in the first sip.

Mouthfeel- Basically as stated above, very very wine like.

Overall- Very disappointed because I give it an A on concept but a D on execution. I wish that I had tried a freshly brewed one because I have a belief that the chocolate was more prevalent and probably worked much better.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 02:34:37 | More by BrownAleMale

drpimento

Wisconsin

1.85/5  rDev -45.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Opened the bottle at a good temperature and immediately smelled raspberries. Poured with a smallish light tan, creamy head that settles to a nice thin cover and a little lace. Color is a clear, dark red brown with some bubble trails. Aroma is overpowering rasberry with some roast malt in the background somewhere. Flavor's like nose, has berry and carbonic tartness clashing with some bitter and sweet. And it doesn't work at all. Body is hurt by the clashing and strong carbonation. Finish is like flavor, unfortunately persistant, and I'm dumping this. Bleh.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 20:27:40 | More by drpimento

TheSSG

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a review of a 2005 vintage, aged for about 7 years.

A: Pours a light, tan head. Black.

S: Sweet, toasted malt and a tart raspberry aroma.

T: Starts with a blend of berry tartness and toasted malt. Builds to a nice, slight bitterness and a dark, toasted cocoa flavor. Finish is a masterful blend of cocoa and raspberry; like a fine chocolate truffle.

M: Smooth, decent body; not too thick, not too thin.

This is EXCELLENT.
From before Sprecher's quality slipped. The raspberry "flavor" is a tad bit artificial, but the other aspects outweigh that.

Adding the sediment increases the tartness of the raspberry, and adds a much richer cocoa finish. It finishes similarly to a milk chocolate raspberry cordial-candy-thing; not bad, but a tad *too* artificial in flavor.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 02:58:44 | More by TheSSG

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +26.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

16 oz twist-off bottle poured into a Sprecher imperial Pint.
5.73% ABV, Julian Date of 12019 (Jan 19th, 2012)

A - Clear on the pour, it's almost totally black in the glass. Light shows ruby amber highlights under the massive three-finger tan head. The loose bubbles give way slowly letting it settle to a nice drinkable layer while leaving spots of lacing on the glass.

S - The aroma is bursting with fresh tart raspberries dusted with a hefty layer of cocoa. The roasted malts are an after thought in the aroma but provide a great malt backbone of secondary chocolate and toasted wheat bread.

T - The cocoa really hits harder in the flavor giving the beer a dry, lightly chalky flavor that slightly covers the tart raspberries. Roasted malts really give this beer a kick with a chocolaty and toasted bread flavor in the background!

M - Crisp and highly carbonated, this medium-full bodied beer has a really dry finish from both the cocoa and the roasted malts. I wish the near over-carbonated feel was lowered a little to allow for a fuller, robust feel. Tartness balances well with the dryness though; a great achievement.

O - This makes me so damn happy they started brewing it again. I was pretty upset when it was gone but what do you know? It's back and incredible when it's fresh. A lightly fruity, well-balanced, and very unique porter, Generation Porter is a pleasure to the senses.

[It's been my experience that this beer is fantastic fresh, but even a month or two of age starts to take it's toll. Drink-up when it's released.]

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 02:44:38 | More by BeerFMAndy

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed from notes.

A. Very dark brown with mahogany reddish tints around the edges. Short lived fizzy head dies back to nothing in about a minute,

S. Strong raspberry cordial and light chocolate aroma. As it warms up it gains a very slight milk coffee aroma.

T. Dry raspberry flavor on the front end of a powdery cocoa and lightly toasted malt. Semi-sweet cocoa powder fades in and out mid-sip, interwoven with the berries.

M. Heavier side of medium thickness, medium carbonation. Lingering dry berry finish pleases my tastebuds.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 19:24:21 | More by WastingFreetime

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Shiner pint and the brew is dark dark brown with a 1 finger tan head that fades fairly quickly and produces a whispy lacing on the glass.

Smell is pretty pronounced dark roasted malts with a hint of cocoa and the flavor follows the nose. On the repour I pick up some raspberry in the nose with perhaps a smidge on the tongue.

The mouthfeel is medium+ with nice carbination.

This is a very nice no frills, not very complex porter that is a very easy drinker that is well balanced. This would be an excellent American Porter for someone just getting into this style to try, something without all the bells and whistles of some of the more complex offerings. To me it's a 4.0 porter that I would easily buy again and again.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2012 15:27:18 | More by RedneckBeerz

KajII

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

[Best served in a Nonic Pint glass]

The pour was a pitch black with a large (2-3 finger) light brown frothy head that was mostly lasting and produced some really excellent sheets of lace that coated the glass throughout.

The aroma had a pronounced raspberry and mocha odor with a nice roasted chocolate malt and a mild leathery yeast with a nice hint of dark roasted coffee.

The taste was malty and a bit sweet with notes of coffee and raspberry right off and then became slightly bitter sweet with a nice dose of cocoa and a lightly roasty sweet raspberry finish. The flavor lasted a wonderfully extra long time letting the raspberry mocha taste settle nicely on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was just a few shades under full in body with the texture being a tad oily yet just a little dry and having a nice soft carbonation.

Overall a uniquely tasty mix of flavors, which in turn created one fantastic tasting Porter that had a nice fruity roastiness to it.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 23:46:45 | More by KajII

tvv375ia

Iowa

3.48/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

poured from 12oz bottle into imperial pint glass

A-nice dark brown with a 3 finger head that leaves a nice cap and lacing as it fades

S-chocolate and cocoa and some raspberry fruitiness

T-rasperries & cocoa that are fairly well balanced

M-nice carbonation but overall it is kind of thin

O-thin body but does have some nice flavors that work well together while not being too sweet

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2011 22:52:05 | More by tvv375ia

ncketchum

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pint bottle served in a Duvel tulip

A - pours a dark brown, large chocolate head which dissipates quickly. fair amount of lacing

S - smells of cocoa, bread, a bit sweet. a tiny hint of raspberry in the nose

T - chocolate malt initially, followed by a nice burst of hops with a hint of the raspberry in the end

M - smooth, not too thick, no alcohol burn to speak of

O - I have to admit, I had this one in the past, and frankly, I nearly drainpoured it. This time around, I actually kind of like it. A little something different with the addition of the raspberry is a nice touch. A good offering from Sprecher, nothing that I'm going to go out and buy a case of, but definitely a nice one to keep on hand...

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 04:05:38 | More by ncketchum

Lemke10

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I bought a 4pk of this at Stinebrink's Piggly Wiggly in Delavan, WI for $7.99 in Fall 2011.

Pours a heavy dark brown/black with a fluffy light brown head. The scents of cocoa are the most noticiable overpowering the malts and raspberry. The taste is obscure as it drinks heavy but yet as the sweetness of a lambic fruit beer. Of course there are taste of cocoa, raspberries, and robust malts. Full of lots of interesting flavors but I don't much care for the cocoa/raspberry mix. they should have pick one or the other, not both.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 06:14:48 | More by Lemke10

CaptDavyJones

New York

3.68/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a really dark brown color from a pint bottle, with freshness code on the bottle.
Almost no head after a relatively vigorous pour.
Aroma, the moment the bottle was cracked open, was of raspberries. Once in the glass, there were notes of chocolate/cocoa, raspberries, raisins, dark fruits and hints of molasses. There is a lot of sweetness in the nose.
Taste is very tart upfront, which I think was not unexpected, considering raspberries were used in brewing this porter. Slight sweetness in the middle, followed by some more tartness in the finish and a hint of bitterness (dark chocolate bitterness). Interesting taste, not something I was expecting.
A little watery mouthfeel but drinkablility is good. Laces very well.
Overall this is a decent porter. Not regretting trying this, but not sure this is a porter I would go looking for.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 02:28:56 | More by CaptDavyJones

Merkur

Tennessee

2.33/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Purchased this beer without realizing it was a raspberry porter. Whoops.

Poured into a pint glass. The beer pours your usual dark brown/black, with a hint of crimson.

The beer smells a bit of cocoa, while having a very hint smell of raspberry.

The beer starts off roasty and malty, but finishes very sweet and tart with a very heavy amount of raspberry flavor. Not my thing.

Avoid if you do not like the taste of raspberries.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 01:28:15 | More by Merkur

wo87810

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +23.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Looks OK, but nothing special. Good aroma, just a small amount of raspberry, and a burnt caramel smell.

Taste was quite good. You get a bitter dryness which is reminiscent of very dark chocolate, with just little raspberry flavor.

Mouthfeel was fine, not to thin for the style.

Overall a good beer, and one that I would buy again for the price.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2011 21:58:26 | More by wo87810

Jips

Kansas

4.05/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Gambled a bit on buying this beer because of the raspberry component (I'm not the biggest fan of fruit in beer) but for a $1.60 how could I go wrong? Spoiler: I didn't, this beer is great!

Poured opaque dark brown with 1/2'' thick bubbly tan head, smell is of spicy hops, wonderful rich dark chocolate, and light raspberry err.. aftersmell? Damn that chocolate smell is great, not overpowering as in some Imperial choco stout. Reminds me of the chips in fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.

Average mouthfeel (not too thin or thick, just right) but a little too much carbonation. Taste begins with a spicy hop and coffee bite, followed by soft raspberries then a tide of rich dark chocolate. Aftertaste is not-exactly-fresh raspberries dipped in you know what, with the latter overwhelming the raspberries as the beery residue remains on my tounge.

Loved this beer for its use of chocolate, and the added raspberry added another interesting element, though I'm glad it was subdued. Bottle sez 2005, maybe the 6 years of aged mellowed the raspberry taste noted by other reviewers? Only flaw in this beer is the overcarbonation, well worth my buck and half.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 03:20:21 | More by Jips

mvforegonian

Oregon

4.9/5  rDev +44.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Amazing!! the medium-body and dry, well balanced finish, this deep brown porter brewer with Dutch cocoa and pure raspberry extract evokes chocolate, caramel and tart raspberries. Half way between a porter and a framboise! I have had some reservations about Sprecher in the past but this brew renewed my faith. Great mouth-feel and complex tastes, with nothing overpowering anything else.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2011 19:05:41 | More by mvforegonian

TheDTrain

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm very much on the fence about Generation Porter. I've had this many times & I remember enjoying it much more than I did tonight. Pour is thin to medium. The nose has faint coco and strong tartness from the raspberry with a malt/hop backbone. I like raspberries, but it's too overpowering. The sweetness gets fatiguing. I wish the fruit would be more subtle & the other flavors could shine.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 14:29:22 | More by TheDTrain

Tilley4

Tennessee

3.53/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I loved the other Sprecher offering I tried (Black Bavarian) and popped this one while grilling Saturday night...

Very unusual aromas present here... There's definitely a deep cocoa aspect but the raspberries are back and forth with me... sometimes I'm digging them and others I find them a bit distracting. Without them here, I think I would probably enjoy this more... Deep, dark and.... fruity? I don't know...

Again, I'm hot and cold with this... At its best, it's a masterpiece of flavors and aromas... chocolate dipped raspberries with the chocolate being bittersweet while the raspberries are faint and delicate... at other times, I get an overwhelming raspberry thing with what reminds me of Ovaltine mixed in...

Drop the raspberries and this one's a winner... As is? Just ok to me...

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2011 19:22:17 | More by Tilley4

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

This was a little inconsistent if you ask me. I've never had a beer before where you have good sips and bad sips. Some sips of this were really good others were kind of gross. I guess you'd have to try for yourself and see. Perhaps it was just the bottle I had. Anyway this was a good smelling porter. The raspberry is not hidden at all in this. The color is black like a good porter should be and the head was pretty solid too. Just found the taste to be hit or more miss.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 02:37:40 | More by Knapp85

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16 oz twist off bottle.

It pours a deep, dark brown/black. The head is tall and foamy and light tan. It recedes moderately quickly with some decent lacing.

The smell is pure cocoa. It has that powdered cocoa scent with a hint of plastic and soap which is odd. There is a little bit of raspberry.

The flavor is a classic american porter with a subtle tangy raspberry flavor. It is pretty good, and an upgrade form the smell. It is smooth and velvety.

A nice effort.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2010 04:46:53 | More by crossovert

WesWes

New York

3.68/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a pitch black color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a rich, black and chocolate malt scent along with a hint of cocoa and a mild raspberry nose. The taste is decent. It has a smooth porter flavor, black and chocolate malts, roasted yet sweet. The cocoa adds some complexity and the raspberry adds some excellent fruit character. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a tasty beer. I like the marriage between chocolate and raspberry. It's smooth and dessert like; a fine porter.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2010 00:44:25 | More by WesWes

SteveS1

New York

3.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From the bottle to a pint glass:

Look- Pours black with the slightest bit of muddy red around the edges. Tan head, mild retention, great lacing.

Smell- Glorious cherry cordial nose, slight hint of chocolate chips.

Taste - Tart fruits on the tongue, bitter cherry and cranberry, fruit juice flavor on the palate. Bitter cherry/raspberry going down, which recedes into a bitter dark chocolate.

Feel - A lot thinner than some of the porters I'm used to, a bit watery, fair carbonation, but not so much that it's like a fruit soda.

Drink - The odd combination of tartness that dies into mellow bitter malts is a little off-putting. Best as a dessert with cheese and bread, or alone. I don't recommend it with fruits and dark chocolate, which complicates the flavors rather than compliments them.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 04:09:10 | More by SteveS1

emerge077

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Starts out strong, puffy mocha foam, lacing all around the sides in thick sheets. Black body with a long lasting head. Mild raspberry syrup aroma, mixed with roasty sweet cocoa.

Bitter char blends with tart raspberry in a nontraditional way, but it's not bad. Not as discordant as I expected from the reviews. traces of tobacco and coffee. Mellow feel, definite raspberry flavor amidst the roastiness of the porter, and not artificial thankfully. Slight lactose sweetness, lingering dry roast in the aftertaste. Supple feel, the light tartness of the raspberry compliments rather than detracts. Overall this was an interesting porter to try.

Thanks Andy for tossing me this extra!

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2010 03:09:21 | More by emerge077

brentk56

North Carolina

3.25/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

20th Anniversary Bottle (so it must be 5 years old)

Appearance: Pours a midnight brown with some ruby highlights and a rocky tan head that leaves a few clumps of lace behind

Smell: Chocolate and raspberry

Taste: Opens with chocolate but the tart raspberry flavors quickly overwhelm by mid-palate; underneath, there is a cookie dough malt flavor; after the swallow the malt flavors try to add balance but the tartness of the raspberry clashes

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation; a little thin for this type of beer

Drinkability: I like the concept but the execution didn't work very well; a bigger mouthfeel and a sweeter raspberry flavor would have been much better; I am impressed that the beer has held together this long - I didn't realize how long it has been in my cellar

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2010 23:14:00 | More by brentk56

hwwty4

Missouri

3.03/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to my intrepid father in law for somehow getting his hands on this brew, and then not liking it. Hence how it ended up in my hands.

Poured a 16oz bottle into my New Belgium globe. This beer pours a watery-espresso brown with a 3 inch beige cap that lingers around for the entirety of the beer. Very little lacing. Man, if the nose is accurate to the taste, I'm in for a treat. Very reminiscent of my favorite New Belgium wintertime seasonal - Frambozen. Big notes of fresh raspberry vanilla ice cream, cocoa nibs, Werther's Original candies, and Ghirardelli chocolate powder. I could smell this for years without getting tired of it. Absolutely top notch. For as great as the nose is the flavor is starkly contrasted. The raspberry almost comes off as artificial, over cook grains add a bit of astringency, the chocolate powder almost reminds me of fake chocolate bark. No caramel or vanilla. Just this weird mash up of fake chocolate and artificial raspberry. Not really appealing. The mouthfeel probably is the biggest let down for this beer. While slightly dry, its really thin and watery. The body of this beer really needs to be amped up a bit. If I ever happen to get another beer, I think I'll just make some potpourri out of it.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2010 00:49:47 | More by hwwty4

LordAdmNelson

Ohio

2.45/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Dark opaque brown with an inch or so of dense tan head. Good retention and lacing--a nice-looking beer. Smell is largely of raspberries, a bit phenolic, and oddly a bit hot. Maybe it's the phenols, but I smell alcohol. Taste is just a mess, in all honesty. The raspberries aren't terrible, though artificial-tasting. There's a pretty significant metallic tang to the finish, with some hints of cocoa and roasted malts. A really muddled flavor profile. There's even some piney hops on the finish too. Doesn't strike me as a porter at all. Considered drain-pouring it, but worked my way through it. Very smooth on the feel, which is nice, medium body which is appropriate for porters. Moderate carbonation. Drinkability is seriously hindered by the fact that I don't like the way it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2010 05:16:49 | More by LordAdmNelson