Atwater VJ Black - Atwater Block Brewery

shamrock071521

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

01-24-2013 21:08:26 | More by shamrock071521

lucasj82

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

05-15-2013 01:21:57 | More by lucasj82

Roman5150

Michigan

4.19/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bottle into tulip glass

appearance: black with white foamy head 1 finger thick

smell: maybe i'm crazy but I get a huge hint of powdered hot cocoa packets, not quite espresso or coffee but very similar. also some milk chocolate and earthy, resiny hops in the mix.

taste: dark chocolate and espresso forward. heavy on the roasted malt, follows the nose and has a hint of bitter hot cocoa. very unique chocolatey taste.

mouthfeel: not too carbonated, sort of thin body

overall: A very good coffee forward stout, and my favorite beer from Atwater, and otherwise average brewery that i've tried so hard to like. This is their best offering, had side by side with 6-month old Expedition Stout, and while it was inferior it stood it's ground in flavor complexity and drinkabilty. This is a well balanced beer, a little on the bitter side for a stout, but highly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 05:19:20 | More by Roman5150

TheRougeBastard

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +2.3%

04-26-2013 00:58:33 | More by TheRougeBastard

linnymtu

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

04-12-2013 01:33:05 | More by linnymtu

Sparky44

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

04-06-2013 03:34:08 | More by Sparky44

Texasfan549

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

03-27-2013 01:10:19 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.3%

03-27-2013 01:08:45 | More by kjkinsey

JohnnieNepal

Michigan

4/5  rDev +2.3%

03-22-2013 22:08:44 | More by JohnnieNepal

jduprey007

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -16.9%

03-10-2013 16:10:49 | More by jduprey007

MI_gal616

Michigan

4.55/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The VJ black is Atwater's Vanilla Java Porter made into an Imperial Stout (more, more, more of everything).

This poured like a beauty into the glass. Small, tan head with great legs on a super robust dark brown, almost black beer.

The smell is what blew me away. Like vanilla extract, super sweet. Normally not what i'd be looking for in a beer, but it smelled so good!

The flavor was rich with roasted coffee, smooth roasted malts, and not nearly as sweet as the nose would suggest. In fact, there was a rather pleasant hop bitterness in the aftertaste that was not present in the initial flavor.

The mouthfeel was medium to full body. Definitely more robust than I expected after reading some reviews of this beer and having a rather watery Vanilla Java Porter earlier this year.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 05:01:13 | More by MI_gal616

jbaker67

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

02-03-2013 12:45:41 | More by jbaker67

akttr

Michigan

3/5  rDev -23.3%

02-02-2013 23:10:46 | More by akttr

eschmitt777

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%

02-01-2013 17:12:10 | More by eschmitt777

Kerrie

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -16.9%

01-31-2013 00:47:13 | More by Kerrie

GRPunk

Michigan

3.79/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I've heard of a ZJ, I guess it's time to see what this VJ is all about.

Bottle notched J 13, poured into a Duvel tulip.

A- A normal pour created a 1-finger, brown head that settles down to a thin film and leaves really nice webs about the glass. The body is a dark brown that suggests near black through the middle of a full glass.

S- There's an initial waft of dried or stewed fruits, mostly raisin. Lighter chocolate and coffee at first. Roasted, toasty grains become almost charred at points. The char and chocolate increases. Vanilla sneaks in much later with some warmth.

T- Complex. 1st sip had that initial rush of raisin followed by a significant dose of milk chocolate. Chocolate really seems to be the major player here. I'm good with that. An injection of vanilla compliments nicely and increases as I drink. Hopping is present, though difficult to describe.

M- Full bodied as expected at 11%. Kind of a sticky sweetness. Fairly creamy.

O- What an odd beer. Not bad. Different. Similarities to Vanilla Java Porter. Vanilla is a nice touch. I like the way it compliments the chocolate aspects. Aroma doesn't really match the flavor. Good sipper. Maybe not my "favorite" RIS, but not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 21:16:26 | More by GRPunk

martyl1000

Wisconsin

4.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Brown-black with a thin off-white head. Not much lacing on the glass of my snifter.

The aroma is surprisingly bright and biscuity, without the bigger aromas of the style. Really more like a much smaller beer, like a mildly spiced winter warmer in the nose, with sweet malt and no alcohol.

Speaking of alcohol, it's hard to believe this is 11% abv. There's hardly a trace of it in the mouth. The other flavors of the style ate also very quiet: unsweetened coco, burnt coffee, vanilla.

Surprisingly thin mouthfeel, yet with an overall creaminess that creates a mysterious sensation--a richness born of something other than mouthfeel.

While it's not what I look for in the style, I will remember this for guests who want to drink nonetheless big boys but who are overwhelmed by true big beers.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 03:13:05 | More by martyl1000

TastingRoomCharNtony

4.5/5  rDev +15.1%

01-19-2013 23:30:04 | More by TastingRoomCharNtony

jimminy

Michigan

4/5  rDev +2.3%

01-11-2013 02:12:10 | More by jimminy

Twal

Colorado

4/5  rDev +2.3%

12-29-2012 17:02:06 | More by Twal

ejimhof

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.3%

12-25-2012 21:52:51 | More by ejimhof

ThickNStout

Georgia

2.2/5  rDev -43.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

12oz botlle from Beer Baron (Detroit, MI). 3.69. Bottled 03/2012. Served in a Red Brick snifter.

Pour deep brown with ruddy hues around the edges. Less than a quarter finger pale tan head that fades quickly and leaves very little in the way of lacing.

Aromas of roast malts, dark chocolate and cocoa powder.

Tastes of hot chocolate powder, burnt cheap coffee, sugar and grape cough syrup. The alcohol is pretty well hidden but I don't much care for what it is hiding behind.

Medium thin feel with sharp carbonation. Long artificial cocoa finish.

Between this and their Coffee Vanilla Porter, I'll gave to concede that Atwater's head brewer and I have strongly different tastes. I'm fairly sure that I'm getting only cheap adjuncts and no barley, hops or yeast. Where's the beer? Pass on this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 06:06:41 | More by ThickNStout

Roos

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%

12-04-2012 04:33:09 | More by Roos

reitzbrewing

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +15.1%

12-01-2012 05:03:39 | More by reitzbrewing

Sokko

4/5  rDev +2.3%

11-27-2012 02:26:02 | More by Sokko