Elemental - Renaissance Brewing

DoubleJ

California

4.1/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

What's from New Zealand, a porter, and won a Silver at the Australian Beer Awards in 2010? Renaissance Elemental, that's what. 500 ml of Kiwi porter, on to the beer:

Nearly black with definate red hues towards the bottom of the glass. The head on top is semi-creamy and forms very thick on top. The retention is excellent and covers the glass with lace. Its got a good nose, definate raisin, unsweetened choclate, and light tones of molasses.

Little flavors of marshmallow, baker's chocolate, esters, and a woodsy note make this porter mellow and pleasant. Light-medium bodied, though it does have a little chew to it.

This Kiwi brew has a very strong English influence, and it is one that works well. I'm already imagining what pulled pork would be like with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 05:38:51 | More by DoubleJ

dansmcd

Australia

4.47/5  rDev +14%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Moinette goblet.

A - A truly beautiful sight. Extreme dark brown body beneath 3 fingers of fluffy thick head. Thick sheets of lace adourn the glass.

S - Cocoa and coffee with sweet maple syrup.

T - Roasted malts, bitter chocolate, the coffee is there but not overpowering. A subtle fruitiness comes through. Yum.

M - So smooth and milky with a dry finish. A joy.

O - Beautiful, rich porter. Probably not as complex as some but wonderfully drinkable. I thoroughly enjoyed mine with cheese and smoked ham. Do not pass up the opportunity to try this.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 01:15:32 | More by dansmcd

joecast

Australia

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Near black with attractive red highlights. Lightly tanned thin frothy head, good lacing.

Nice toasty chocolate aroma. Quite stout like. Faint floral hops in the background. Great start here.

Great integration of all the dark malt characters. Some dark crystal and chocolate notes. Light toffee sweetness. Very well rounded. Finish is neither too dry nor too sweet.

Really nice beer. Another winner from New Zealand. The beer scene there is really taking off and I'm happy to be on the receiving end.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 11:19:37 | More by joecast

Macca

Australia

3.63/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This pours dark brown with a solid tan head.

Aromas of milk and dark chocolate. Some dark sugar. A touch of coffee.

Quite astringent on the palate. Burnt malt dominates for me in the beginning. It seems to mellow as my palate gets used to it. Chocolate starts to pokes its head through the burnt characteristics and it all rounds out nicely.

Medium bodied at best. High carbonation.

A good porter but not awesome. I think it would be a good food beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 12:43:28 | More by Macca

avalon07

South Carolina

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

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a dark brown color and a mostly opaque texture. There was an inch of tan-colored, foamy fairly long-lasting head. Very good lacing.

S: A robust aroma of chocolate, malt, and a hint of coffee.

T: Tasted basically like it smelled: Chocolate, roasted malt, and some coffee in the finish. There's a slight hoppy bitterness, but nothing overwhelming. A nice flavor.

M: A solid amount of carbonation with a smooth, if slightly thin, finish. Medium-bodied.

D: A well made, enjoyable, drinkable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 14:25:26 | More by avalon07

dgilks

Australia

4.47/5  rDev +14%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Rich, rounded dark chocolate flavour with notes of bitter coffee. Really smooth on the palate with a medium full body and moderately low carbonation. The aroma is of coffee again with some roast notes. Well balance. The colour is dark brown with garnet highlights and the persistent tan head is also great.

Serving type: on-tap

08-28-2010 07:13:50 | More by dgilks

irishevans

Alaska

4.13/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A- Brown/black, with a rather dark tan head. head retains well, and leaves a good bit of lace.

N- Really burnt malt aroma, bit of coffee and chocolate in there as well. oh and I do mean burnt not simply roasted. mild hop presence also.

T- the burnt coffee and caramel dominate, but burnt does not mean bad, it is a rather nice rich flavor for a porter. there is again only a mild hop taste as one should expect from a porter, and a hint of chocolate flavor as well.

M- a bit over carbonated for me, but other than the crisp nature of most kiwi beers, nice malty and dry. true to style other than the bubbles, but not anything special.

D- If I lived down in these parts (as in New Zealand at all, not just Marlboro) I would for sure make a habit of drinking this as a fall/winter session ale. drinks very nice even with a nice porter viscosity.

Serving type: on-tap

06-02-2010 13:06:17 | More by irishevans

mulder1010

Australia

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500 ML bottle poured into a Shiner Bock Pint Glass

A-- Poured black, with just a bit of red on the sides of the glass. Got a huge head from the pour and looks to have at least medium carbonation. Head is a Brown Sugar color, very well constructed and held a 2 finger head for quite a while. Looks more like a root beer float.

S-- Fresh Licorice is the dominant smell, followed by coffee and dark sweet berry chocolate.Very big smell and quite earthy and a bit of a pungent smell.

T-- Still get a bit of the licorice but strong roasted coffee is very prevalent, more like overdrawn cold espresso. Quite bitter and still earthy. Very rich dark chocolate is also there, as well as blackberries and raspberries

M-- Coffee taste sticks around for a while but the rest of the flavor is a little flat and disappears very quickly, a little bit thin. Needs more hops. The coffee and chocolate flavor hides it well and in some ways overdo the hop presence. Could use a bit less carbonation.

D-- ABV, 6%, is very well hidden. Very easy to drink and the 500 ML bottle is a good idea. Australian brewers should do more of this bottling size. One in a sitting is enough for me. Well made beer and a good take on an English Porter.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 15:42:04 | More by mulder1010

laituegonflable

Australia

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark murky brown, cabernet-coloured tinge when held up to the light. Nice frothy beige head, quite dense webs but sinks to a 3cm crown, leaving some nice ebbs of foam lace on the glass. Seems to be fairly bubbly, certainly a decent-looking dark beer.

Nose is fairly astringent. Certain quantity of charcoal on that as well as some damp coffee grinds, red bean and brown sugar. Slight meaty undertone adds to that sour character, bit of bacon to it and some saltiness, like a curing agent smell. Pretty good nose but not extremely enticing as a drink.

Taste is far more interesting, with a more pronounced dark malt character. Starts out slightly bitter and ashy and gathers speed as it plunges into the murky burnt blackness. Never reaches the depths though, there's a shallowness to the flavour, like the burnt flavour is there but not in great abundance. Fair amount of smoke and dark cocoa, some milkiness in there and burnt toffee. Hint of boot polish and leather as well on the mid, but finishes more sweet than bitter, with a nice dark spice that adds piquancy. A decent dark beer for my taste, not sensational though.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin and watery in the mouth. Improves as it goes down, but the lack of body contributes to the shallow flavour sensation.

Decent drinking, certainly sessionable as far as dark beers go.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2010 04:14:12 | More by laituegonflable

lacqueredmouse

Australia

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep heavy black colour, just tinged with lighter brown at the edges, and a full and frothy head of mocha-coloured foam. Lacing is excellent. Body is quite full, evidenced by the wonderful static carbonation when it's swirled. Overall a very nice looking beer indeed.

Dusty refined character on the nose. Some roasted grains, and a decent organic cellar mustiness. Hints of barrel and wine cork, and even a light smokiness. It's very sophisticated, well-integrated and incredibly tasty.

Taste is very similar - a nice dusty roasted character on the fore, never verging into the territory of being charred, before a soft, sweet and mellow nutty character comes through on the back. Mouthfeel is soft, but not too thin. Could use something more, but it actually goes rather nicely with the rest of the palate.

A very drinkable porter, one with subtlety and finesse. It's not the strongest, or most robust beer you'll ever drink, but its structure is very good, and it stays interesting and drinkable to the last drop.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2010 22:14:17 | More by lacqueredmouse

sammiles

Australia

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up at Purvis Cellars, Melbourne.

Looked good before I even poured it. Was still happy after I poured it, nice almost completely black - what I always hope for. Good amount of lacing. Getting the roasted coffee and chocolate smell which is nice, true to the style. Taste does not let does not let down either, maybe a little too much as expected. Could maybe do with a bit more complexity on the finish but overall a very sessional and delicious porter from NZ.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2010 11:13:17 | More by sammiles

ADZA

Australia

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a jet black coca cola colour that lets no light thru at all it has average carbonation which leaves a nice creamy one finger head that leaves spontanious lacing down the glass,it has nice aromas of chocolate,coffee,blackberries and roasty malts,it tastes pretty much the same with some nice chocolate,coffee notes coming thru quite prominently and it leaves you with a nice full roasty maltish mouthfeel quite pleasant indeed and would put this porter up there with the best ones.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2009 14:48:16 | More by ADZA

brendan13

Australia

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours a very dark brown, verging on black with close to an inch of dense light tan head that slowly falls away. A fair bit of lacing is left down the glass.
S - Cocoa powder & roasty coffee aroma initially. With a swirl and deep inhalation some vauge fruity & floral notes come through.
T - Much like the smell - full of cocoa and roasted coffee with subtle fruit and floral hints,
M - Medium bodied, lowish carbonation and quite a dry finish.
D - A very tasty porter. Something I'd drink again.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2009 13:59:05 | More by brendan13

TubaManJack

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance- Very nice black body with ruby highlights. A full bubbled head what leaves a fair amount of lacing. Slight indication of carbonation.
Smell- A real strong roasted nose with complexity between the malt used. There is cocoa and slight unroasted coffee bean sweetness.
Taste- A rich blend of dry roasted goodness. The malt drives an even bitterness through out each sip. The coffee bean is more evident in the nose, but the cocoa flavor is present behind the roasted flavor. Not overly complex but straight forward and enjoyable.
Mouthfeel- A medium body even with the carbonation, thickening as it warms to cellar temp. Dry body and assaulting so pair it with something good to eat.
Drinkability- Very good, try it with dinner. Although at 6%ABV its not really sessionable, I dare you to have more than a glass. It is a great change when the weather gets cold or you need a little roasted character.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2009 02:21:51 | More by TubaManJack

willjansen

Colorado

4.08/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Very dark, murky brownish-black... very much like muddy water, but somehow still appealing. Nice, fluffy tan head that is persistent and leaves nice rings denoting each swig line. Nice...

Smell - Srong notes of powdery cocoa, backed up by a nice wall of complexity consisting of hints of subtle berry-like fruitiness and perhaps oats. Alcohol reveals itself slightly as well, but very much in disguise.

Taste - Roasty chocolate flavors explode on the palate with a pleasant hop bitterness in the finish. Complexity not as apparent on the platate, but coffee and chocolate are well-balanced with hops and nothing is out of place for the style.

Mouthfeel - Watery, slick mouthfeel, but appropriate for the style. Low-medium, yet agressive, carbonation - great flavor delivery for this porter.

Drinkability - Excellent example of a porter in my opinion... very well constructed - complex, yet simple enough for a porter. Highly drinkabile brew, and a great introduction to renaissance brewing... hope they keep it up.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2008 10:16:48 | More by willjansen

belgbeerdrinker

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a: dark color with brown highlights, medium head settles to a veil, carbonated trickles evident
s: mix of crisp (carbonated) and roasted malts
t: roasted malts throughout tempered with a softness, subtle bitter coffee finish
m: nice balance of roasted malts and carbonation make for a smooth, medium to heavy body
d: enjoyed this brew because of its balance and coffee taste wasn't overpowering. recommended

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2008 03:11:54 | More by belgbeerdrinker