Atwater Vanilla Java Porter - Atwater Block Brewery

Beer_Runner

3.4/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled in August of 2012 (opened in late September of 2012).

A: A slow pour into a standard pint glass resulted in a huge head of more than four fingers. This head was thick and clumpy, and it was the color of frothy mocha. It was a fairly long-lasting head, but over time it dissipated to a single layer of bubbles and an edge ring. The brew was very dark brown and opaque.

S: The aroma was very, very mild. It consisted of a little bit of dark roasted malt and some coffee.

T: The taste consisted of dark roasted malt earthiness and a bit of malt sweetness along with a little bit of coffee and a big vanilla rush.

M: The body was about medium in weight and there is not much carbonation, which is appropriate for the style (and, a good thing for the beer, because any more carbonation might have made it seem like soda pop because of all the vanilla). It is also fairly smooth.

O: This beer certainly lived up to its name: It had a very strong vanilla flavor. So it get a few bonus points for being a little of the beaten path, but not too far. Overall, it is an interesting variation on the porter style. Not quite a must try, but still pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 00:12:34 | More by Beer_Runner

wac9

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +15%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

what a wonderful beer the vanilla is there proably the best tasting vanilla i ever tasted loving it , i dont taste much coffee run and horde this beer pour black a wonderful black great taste great beer if you ever had winter bourban cask ale and loved it try this

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 01:43:15 | More by wac9

GinsuDave

Michigan

2/5  rDev -38.7%

05-17-2013 01:08:08 | More by GinsuDave

allisonastra

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +30.4%

05-16-2013 17:07:18 | More by allisonastra

bastu

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +22.7%

05-16-2013 12:34:29 | More by bastu

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3/5  rDev -8%

05-15-2013 02:17:58 | More by SmellsofMahagony

jayhunter357

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +38%

05-11-2013 17:46:57 | More by jayhunter357

Mullinger1980

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +7.4%

05-11-2013 10:54:35 | More by Mullinger1980

In_Control_Mike

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +38%

05-11-2013 03:36:02 | More by In_Control_Mike

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +15%

05-07-2013 21:55:46 | More by ZEB89

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +15%

05-07-2013 13:33:36 | More by tommyguz

badelsman

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +22.7%

05-05-2013 02:40:02 | More by badelsman

swingdjted

Ohio

2.34/5  rDev -28.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: The name of the beer and its label made it an attractive and intriguing buy. The pour yielded a surprisingly late dark-tan or light brown head, which quickly turned into nothing but a ring, leaving no lace except the path where the beer came to my mouth. Black in color like cola, it allows almost no light to pass through when held up to the light.

Smell: cheap porter with vanilla extract, but also has a hint of chocolate stout aroma such as Young's Double Chocolate Stout or Samuel Smith's Organic Chocolate Stout.

Taste: It really does taste like someone took a cheap porter and tossed vanilla extract in after brewing, except with a thicker, smoother mouthfeel. Very sweet, and the coffee ("java") doesn't really shine through. Light carbonation. Somewhat curdled milk aftertaste, which means I have to eat and/or drink something else to get rid of it.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and silky; this and appearance are the beer's (relatively at least) strong suits.

It's just not that good. Buying was fun. Drinking was tolerable and inoffensive (at least not a drainer). That aftertaste though... no good, leaves me needing to replace the aftertaste with something else. I won't be buying more, but I'm still ok knowing I at least tried it, and I don't feel that I wasted money when buying this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 23:24:11 | More by swingdjted

rolltide8425

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -0.3%

04-25-2013 21:09:03 | More by rolltide8425

juicebox

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +7.4%

04-23-2013 01:23:17 | More by juicebox

vitrael

Wisconsin

2.84/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5

A: Clear, dark brown with an off-white head. Not much retention or lacing.

S: Faint vanilla and coffee aroma. Not much else.

T: Pretty assertive vanilla flavor; the rest of the beer takes a back seat to it. Not a lot of coffee going on. Very mild malt and hop profiles resulting in extremely low bitterness. Sessionable but not delicious.

M: Thin, weak, dissatisfying. I expected a lot more from this.

Would not buy again.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 23:08:58 | More by vitrael

mquinn919

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -8%

04-21-2013 23:47:06 | More by mquinn919

yaksurf

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +22.7%

04-21-2013 17:39:41 | More by yaksurf

HoneyLamb

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +7.4%

04-20-2013 02:08:29 | More by HoneyLamb

scmoore81

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +22.7%

04-19-2013 00:10:12 | More by scmoore81

Tracker83

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +15%

04-18-2013 02:40:12 | More by Tracker83

Punqbert

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -0.3%

04-17-2013 01:30:03 | More by Punqbert

HardyA

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +7.4%

04-16-2013 01:47:08 | More by HardyA

Pensfan0782

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +22.7%

04-14-2013 13:55:08 | More by Pensfan0782

mjwierzgac

Michigan

5/5  rDev +53.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A very delicious beer! Very smooth taste, no bitterness. Almost like drinking an actual java. A little filling, but that's to be expected from a porter.A nice social beer or during meal beer. Great work Atwater!!! I look forward to trying more of your craft beers.

Serving type: on-tap

04-10-2013 16:51:30 | More by mjwierzgac