Cocoa Porter Winter Warmer - Tommyknocker Brewery

bennett_loves_good_beer

Wyoming

3.41/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 2 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a new belgium globe glass. Best by date May 2013. Pours a dark black with a hint of red/amber with a tiny bit of head that dissipates quickly. Little lacing on the glass. Aroma is full of cocoa powder, coffee, and licorice. Taste is full of roasted coffee with a cocoa finish. Faintly sweet. Lightly carbonated and a good clean mouthfeel with this beer in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 20:44:17 | More by bennett_loves_good_beer

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.41/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Ale brewed with cocoa and honey. Pint glass set to receive. Best by Apr 29 13.

Pours dark brown. The head gargled with a heightened drip. Doesn't want to sit, though. Wouldn't even have populated these bubbles on top if it weren't for an elevated hand. Some glass-glazing.

Spot on. Smells of chocolate and honey. The chocolate is dark, but not as dusty as I'd perceive cocoa to be. Sweetness attached to the honey and really serves the dark malts well. Light caramel. Notes of heated treacle.

Eh, then I taste it. A little watery. Roasty, but held back a bit. Dry cocoa, nuttiness, a dry honey tone, attenuated malts, very light cardboard note that backs away enough to not count too harshly against it. Has a funny aftertaste, like stale earthy hops.

Drinks at a decent pace. Body is medium, but not stout-y. Carbonation has a late sting to it; there's a little more than enough of it.

These seasonal beers are still fun to me, thank goodness. Otherwise, there's a lot of them that leave you a little flat. This isn't a bad beer by any means, it just falls short all over the place. A nearly respectable porter; a terribly average craft offering. Yet, sadly, one of my favorite Tommyknocker beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:26:06 | More by thecheapies

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown with some copper hue. Thick brown head with decent retention and chunks of lacing.

Roasted malts and some cocoa on the nose. Perhaps a bit of caramel and chocolate too.

Lots of roasty malt in the flavor. Some cocoa and coffee flavor as well. Upfront flavors are good, but finishes a bit metallic.

Thin for a porter with carbonation a touch high.

More than I was expecting out of this. Flavors are actually half decent. The only thing that really brings it down is mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 19:12:42 | More by jmarsh123

GoldHorde

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Well, while it AIN'T a gutter-ball Tommyknocker's Cocoa Porter Winter Warmer was so unoffensive that I had to actually GOOGLE up "Porter vs. Stout" to refresh myself of what characteristics that I am SUPPOSE to be looking for in the Porter style. Turns out that it is right up the middle...for a SPLIT; it fits so safely in the Porter style that it is nothing more than...a Porter.

Color = pass (dark brown)
Head = pass (thin but lasting)
Smell = pass (sweet maltiness)
Mouthfeel = accurate (medium body)

I've come to expect any beer advertising "Winter" to generally be noticeably-to-sharply smoked in flavor which is NOT a characteristic I care for in beverages - which is why it doubly surprised me for it's overall unoffensiveness.

I would offer this to guests as an introduction to the base Porter style (the rule) and then follow with Porters that push the style to the four corners of its boundaries (bending but not breaking the rules). The "Winter" part however, escapes me - and thankfully in this case...

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 05:03:35 | More by GoldHorde

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

appearance: dark brown, cola highlights. Thin tan head.
smell: Hmmm, not much cocoa or honey. This has a "different" nose, hard to put a finger on...reminds me of cola a bit.
taste: Again, a little different. Tasty enough. Nothing stands out. Pleasant, if mundane.
overall: The cocoa powder, honey thing sounds a lot better than the results but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 23:56:28 | More by cindyjeffsmith

Omnium

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Poured into a standard 16oz Pint Glass
A - Dark brown amber color, thick head with decent lacing of a tan, caramel color
S - Roasted malts, cocoa, minimal chocolate, hint of smokiness, caramels, and maybe even some maple syrup?
T - The roasted malt flavor is abundant here, with traces of cocoa popping up, a mild sweetness, and a coffee type quality to it. Aftertaste is a little more on the sour side of a roasted quality
M - To me this feels a lot more like a black lager, very very thin for a porter, and overcarbonated
O - Total meh, got this on the discount shelf at my bottle shop, and for good reason - Its not good, there's barely any robust cocoa quality to it, you get a little smell, a little hint of it in taste, but there's definitely no great porter qualities either.

Tommyknocker, you have yet to impress me.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 01:24:06 | More by Omnium

Dmart1223

Colorado

3.66/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

There's an interesting flavor here that works, and I think that counts the most.

Cocoa porter pours a dark, dark brown with a lumpy dirt-brown head. It fades, but never completely. And the lacings are decent, as well.

The smell is innocently sweet, like maple syrup and chocolate covered coffee beans.

Despite the rating, I actually enjoy the overall taste. It has a slick mouthfeel that feels both light and roasty at the same time, like a couple notches up from a black lager. There's some roast coffee and smoke here that's cradled between cocoa sweetness up front and a faint honey sweetness near the back.

I want to like this beer more than I do. I just wish there was more behind it. The body's a little too slick and light to support all of the flavors, and it all feels like it's over too soon. It's like listening to the Rolling Stones with the volume cranked to 2.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 06:03:46 | More by Dmart1223

Ford

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

This is a very smooth and not very flavorful porter. I love porters and there are a lot of great ones out there... if someone doesn't like bitterness, then this is certainly one they might enjoy.

It isn't bad, just average. I doubt I'll be buying this again, with so many better porters out there. This one is just bland.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 22:50:12 | More by Ford

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Written from notes from earlier. Was poured from a 12oz bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Dark black, but yielded little to no head!

Smell: Slight chocolate smell, but mostly the honey that the bottle says was also added. Not exciting in the least bit, and certainly not as exciting as I usually figure a chocolate/cocoa beer would be.

Taste: The chocolate is there, barely. The honey seems to come out more. The actual porter may taste better without either addition. Still, not bad. A nice, sweeter porter. Don't think I'd go back to it though.

Mouthfeel: Pretty thin for a porter, and probably the breaking point for me on this.

Definitely disappointed in this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 02:38:03 | More by ColdWaffles

kingmaker

Louisiana

2.45/5  rDev -27.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle poured into a pint glass. Best by April 28, 2013. Today is 12/13/12.

A - Dark, dark brown. This beer embodies a lovely lady with what appears to be black hair telling you its brown. When held to the light, it looks like an eclipse, dark in the middle with a corona of light stemming from the borders. Slight tan head that fades quickly but leaves fascinating lacing along the glass. The good news ends here.

S - I do get a good deal of cocoa but it smells like it went...bad. I'm not sure if there's malt creeping under the chocolate but it smells like the cocoa was less than average when it went into the brew. I'm not saying this bottle is infected, but it smells off.

T- Thankfully, no rotten taste. It holds its own as chocolate porter, but only just. The chocolate is forward along with a little bitterness. A malt profile follows softly on the aftertaste that was otherwise absent.

M- Thin. Just thin and watery. It reminds me of a homebrew I made off the second runnings from an imperial stout. Weak.

O- This beer had a lot going for it. I was coming off an extremely stressful week, it looked spectacular as far as I'm concerned, but wow was it a let down. The smell was terrible, taste barely decent, and a mouth presence that left me wanting. This is refreshing enough to shun it from the winter warmer category. Thankfully it was a gift so I spent no money on it, but I would still avoid this beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 05:21:21 | More by kingmaker

Bills453

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - dark chocolates brown. When held up to light it looks about the color of a Hershey's bar.

Smell - chocolate and cocoa powder. Smells very good, something I feel I will enjoy drinking.

Taste - solid porter taste with a bit of an extra chocolate aftertaste than expected from most normal porters I have had. Not sure If this is a good or bad thing...

Mouthfeel - quality

Overall - a decent porter, but not my favorite. Still a very drinkable brew though.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 21:56:26 | More by Bills453

suspect

New York

2.75/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Deep brown color. Aggressive 'glug glug' pour leads to a half finger off white head. Lots of lacing.

S: Decent toasted malts, some smokey notes as well.

T: Ok malt flavors with some toasted notes, some smoke...not much else.

M: Kills this beer. Absolutely awful thin mouth feel on top of being undercarbonated.

O: Yuck. I really wanted to like it - seeing as I like cocoa...and porter. AVOID.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 00:43:09 | More by suspect

WastingFreetime

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from session notes.

Poured out a very dark bown, but only with a single finger of fizzy head that receded back to almost nothing in less than a minute with minimal lacing left behind. The cocoa powder and honey are both in the aroma and in the flavor, but mainly as a garnish level on top of a standard toasted malt... body is smooth and the finish is slightly more dry than the rest of the sip. Not great, but not bad either.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2012 17:30:10 | More by WastingFreetime

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

3.05/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours a sludgy brown. Doesn't look as thick on the pour as I was hoping. The head dissipates quickly.
S: Not as much smell as I was expecting either. The chocolate doesn't really come through. There is some malt in there.
T: Tastes a little bitter and the flavors are less than complicated. Again not a lot of chocolate. Some malty notes but it about stops there.
M: Sits with a medium-light body. Not bad.

Overall a not so great beer. It wasn't terrible but the cocoa they are touting doesn't really come through. The bitterness of the cocoa powder really shows it's self. It was alright.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 15:15:43 | More by Jamesthebrit

Billolick

New York

3.65/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle, with "Best by" dating of Jul 16, 2012.

Pours darn near black, under a whimpy darker tan head, that quikly goes to a fine film, slim colar and minimal fine lacing.

I pick up some chalky dark chocolate and cocoa in the nose.

Chocolaty porter, on the dry and chalky side. With a hint of cherry or something else sweet. Nothing terrible, but I'm not really lovin this one.

Would likely go well with some thing like a, suprise,chocolate dessert.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 01:14:38 | More by Billolick

jbierling

Michigan

2.43/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Coriander and pine (gin). Little coffee and no cocoa. Slightly bitter. Aged 1 yr past best by date. Older label?

Coriander and pine (gin). Little coffee and no cocoa. Slightly bitter. Aged 1 yr past best by date.

Older label?

Wish I was more wordy?

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 04:24:06 | More by jbierling

ChrisPratz

3.98/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Less then a fingers worth of head calms down to very minimal lacing. Lingers with little clouds of lace and some all around the edge. Deep dark coffee coloring.

S: Cocoa is most noticeable of course, with some toasted dark chocolate and deep malts. Scents become stronger as it warms. Very nice.

T: Other then then the chocolate, it almost tastes like a big mouthful of chocolate malt balls. Transitions from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. Maltyness is def noticeable towarss the end. Very nice flavors flowing around here.

M: Very mild carbonation, leaves almost a creaminess feeling in the mouth. Bit heavy but what are porters for?

O: Very enjoyable, they've done well here. Everything works together well and everything seems to amplify as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 06:02:54 | More by ChrisPratz

phishsihq

Colorado

2.98/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Tommyknocker Cocoa Porter pours a deep, dark brown, opaque and nearly black, with a thin off-white head that leaves not much in the way of lacing. Dark roasty malts are predominant, with hints of cocoa, honey, and some sweetness filling out the aromas. Cocoa and chocolate are strong on the pallet, with some sweetness lingering on through the finish. Cocoa Porter features a big, bold body, and a medium-light amount of carbonation. These temps aren't supposed to be around for long, but it was a excuse to bust out a Winter warmer.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 19:19:02 | More by phishsihq

312HopBomb

Illinois

4.48/5  rDev +32.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle from the brewpub poured into a big, heavy Big Horn Brewing pint glass.

Appearance: It's black with no light shining through. Nice 2 finger head settles down to a thin coating which lasts down to the last sip.

Smell: Cocoa, cocoa, and more cocoa with brown malt too.

Taste: Chocolate malt creamy goodness with brown sugar.

Mouthfeel: Silky and light/medium body with light carbonation.

A tasty offering from the most picturesque Brewery location on the planet. Similar to a milk stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 06:36:42 | More by 312HopBomb

57md

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown to black with a ruby hue. There is only a thin head to this offering.

The faint smell of chocolate is a bit too subtle to be enticing. There is some chocolate upfront in the flavor profile, but it is not particularly bold. More important, it lacks the strong roasted character of a good porter.

There is some bitter cocoa in the finish, which is a nice way to end.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 04:30:06 | More by 57md

Bung

North Carolina

3.2/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz. Darkish brown pour, some light tan head.
Aroma, Smells of the mentioned cocoa.

Taste, Quite a bit of cocoa, but not enough sweetness or maltiness to balance so it was a bit sour. Pretty clean finish.

Tad thin. Drinks ok, buy I didn't care for the sour note. Not terrible, but I think they could have done better.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2012 02:21:01 | More by Bung

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

2.93/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The clearly marked “BEST BY” date printed on the label is “May 14 12.”

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color looks black but I think it is very dark brown; light passed through when I held it to a lamp. A pathetic pour (my fault) yielded a pathetic, one-finger of lightly tanned head, which dissipated quickly to leave a bubbly ring around the edge.

Smell: Cocoa — surprise, surprise. Caramel, dark chocolate, and dark malts keep it from being too hot chocolaty and there are hints of roasted malts. The label says honey is added but I do not smell it.

Taste: The flavors are muted and the mouthfeel is watery. The taste, though, mostly mirrors the smell: cocoa, dark chocolate, and dark malts. The roasted malts, however, play a much more prominent role. They do not dominate, but the roasted quality is much more pronounced in the taste.

Drinkability: This is pretty lackluster beer. It is porter with training wheels.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 05:44:47 | More by TheQuietMan22

TownDunkel

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cocoa Porter Winter Warmer - I have been meaning to try tommyknocker beer for awhile, and I figured this is a good one to try out.

Appearance - A medium brown that looks decepitvely too light to be a porter. Good frothy head that forms when opened.

Smell - A more subtle smell than I would have expected. It has hints of coffee, hops, and bits of hazelnuts.

Taste - This is where the beer impressed me. The inital taste is that of most porters, but the tastes mellow out and leave a great chocolate taste.

Moutfeel - A very satisfying after drinking experience. Enough carbonation and taste to leave me smiling.

Overall - A good daily drinker for winter time. I think this beer would be out of season quickly for a 70 degree day though.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 20:33:40 | More by TownDunkel

Merkur

Tennessee

3.23/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Beer pours a nice dark brown, almost pitch black color with a half fingers worth of white foamy head.

Beer smells very sweetly of cocoa and malts.

Beer tastes very strongly of super sweet chocolate. However, the taste feels like it was added and is not very balanced with the rest of the beer. Beer has a matly finish.

Mouthfeel is fairly thick.

Overall, a bit too sweet and unbalanced

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 12:41:13 | More by Merkur

samie85

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours an opaque dark brown color with an 1/8 inch of light brown hump.

Smells of huge notes of cocoa with some dark chocolate and earthy hops.

Big cocoa that fades into some dark chocolate with light bitterness on the finish.

Rich at first with medium body and low carbonation that finishes thin and a little dry.

This started out promisingly enough but has kind of a weird aftertaste that lingers in the throat.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 02:58:57 | More by samie85