Bad Moon Porter - DuClaw Brewing Company

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.63/5  rDev -5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into pint glass from tap at duclaw in Bowie. Pours a deep brown with ruby wine color hue. No head at all. Meh
Smell is roasted chocolate malts which dominate. This carries over to the flavor. Dominating sweet roasted chocolate malt. It does have a nice bitter finish though. Its a solid porter. Not amazing but not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2012 00:18:23 | More by DrinkSlurm

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on 2012-11-04 at BWI airport Duclaw pub.

A - Dark brown with 1-finger tan head and very light lacing.

S - moderate aroma of chocolate, expresso and medium roasted malt.

T - medium roasted malt with a bit of char. Light chocolate and coffee. Slightly sweet. Mildly bitter and sour dough finish.

M - Medium body and medium carbonation. Thinish.

O - Good but not remarkable

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2012 16:28:21 | More by Tucquan

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Very dark body with a hint of amber highlights on the top and bottom. Thin tan head that leaves behind some bubbles as it settles.

S- Roasted malts with a hint of chocolate malt. A slight aroma of coffee comes through as well.

T- Very roasty with a dash of coffee and hops.

M- Medium bodied, smooth.

O- Nice, solid porter.

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2012 23:05:36 | More by stephenjmoore

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Draft offering served in a standard pint glass. The brew appears black in color with a mocha head. A thin film of bubbles maintains across the top and rises with an aggitating swirl.

The smell is dark and roasted grain with an essence of cocoa and unsweetened chocolate. Some citris coffee bean element is present that smells more abundant than hops which i have no complaints about.

The taste is roasty with citrus hops and just like the aroma hinted, a bit of citrus coffee bean element. Some chocolate and coffee lasts into the aftertaste mixed with some mineral and herbal inclusion that is mildly reminescent of melon-like yeast aspect.

This is a medium to light bodied brew. It is easily approachable and light but there is some dirty yeast/herbal inclusion almost vegetative that I just didnt care for. Its not terrible by any stretch but its strange enough that im not interested in paying to have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2012 13:05:51 | More by stakem

nickfl

Florida

3.68/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A poured with a small head of tan foam on a black body, good retention and lace.

S roast malt, light coffee and some smoke.

T sweet malt up front with a bit of coffee. Some toffee in the middle and a toasty, dry finish.

M medium light body, moderate carbonation, and a bone dry finish.

D not bad, it is definitely a porter rather than a stout,but not overly complex.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 02:20:25 | More by nickfl

kylehay2004

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Half finger dark tan head on a clear but dark brown body. Excellent lacing. Aroma is full of coffee and espresso with a subtle dark fruit sweetness. Flavor follows nicely with Coffee, roasted malts and like dark chocolate moving to a light cherry and toffee sweet finish. Semi dry finish with light to moderate carbonation and typical thin porter body. Very flavorful compared to do many porters out there. A must try IMO.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2012 02:13:32 | More by kylehay2004

JerseyKirk

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pitch black in color. Nice khaki colored 1 finger head.

S: Smells like coffee, cream, cocoa, dark chocolate and dark roasted malts.

T: Tastes like coffee, cream, cocoa, dark chocolate and dark roasted malts...same as above.

M: Nice and crisp beer that has a long dry coffee finish.

O: Great. However, this beer tastes a lot more like an Irish Dry Stout than a porter. Based on the style though this loses a point here but otherwise it's a great beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2012 00:26:49 | More by JerseyKirk

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bacon Infused Bad Moon Porter on cask at Bad Decisions.

A - Deep, dark brown body that bordered on being black...the head was a light brown color...it was short lived as all that was left was a bubbly ring...not much lacing...a nice piece of bacon was dipped in the beer

S - The nose was smokey and meaty with notes of roast and chocolate...the bacon stood out especially as the beer warmed

T - Roasted malts catch your taste buds first...they help to coat the palate and leave some dark chocolate flavors behind...the bacon sets in towards the middle and finish...it gives off a decent smoke flavor, but after a while it becomes too much...there is a chewy, meaty flavor that lends itself to the beer

M - Medium bodied...adequate for a porter with a meaty texture

O - I liked the idea behind this one, but I'm not sure how well it went over...the bacon garnish was a nice touch as it was delicious at the end of the beer...the smoke became too much and the meaty texture might scare some away...it was hard finding the base porter

Serving type: cask

01-17-2012 18:47:29 | More by thain709

ckollias

Maryland

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this draft beer out of a pint glass at Duclaw in Bowie, MD.

A: Dark black with a thin light brown ½-finger head that quickly dissipates and leaves a wispy lace.

S: Nice smoky roasted malt flavor – hints of coffee/mocha, chocolate, and cocoa powder.

T: Smooth rich ale with a nice smoky roasted malt bitterness. Has great chocolate and coffee overtones, with a nice malt background.

M: Medium body and carbonation

O: This staple beer from Duclaw has been good every time I have had it. It is smooth, well balanced and very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2011 02:41:38 | More by ckollias

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

poured into a pint glass the beer is black in color with a beige, tan creamy head. Very inviting! The small head sticks around for a couple of minutes.
The smell has o smoked character, like you would expect from a Rauchbier. It has hints of coffee.
Up front you can taste a nicely crafted coffee and dark chocolate flavor, induced with those roasted malts, which give that smoked feel to the beer. In the middle the taste becomes a little bit sweeter. Caramel and brown sugar are noticable. A nice finish at the end with a slight bitterness to round everything up.
A good and drinkable porter!

Serving type: on-tap

05-08-2011 03:58:58 | More by Hopfenpeter

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On nitro-tap at DuClaw.

A: This beer appears a near black shade with a creamy, white one inch head.

S: The aromas are quite subtle, with some roasted malt and chocolate.

T: The beer is pretty tasty, but again, the flavors are a bit subdued. I would prefer more roasted malt flavors and a creamier, denser beer. The nitro-tap creates a pretty velvety smooth feel, but I wish this beer had a fuller body.

M: The feel has a slightly watery feel, but makes up for it with a silky smoothness, mostly due to the nitro-tap, I'm assuming.

D: Overall, a pretty good beer. It wasn't amazing or special, but I'll probably order it again at some point in the future.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-02-2010 23:56:53 | More by Huhzubendah

jwc215

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From growler purchased the previous day:

Pours black thin a thin tan head that stays. Some trailing lace sticks.

The smell is of roasted coffee and chocolate - very robust.

The taste is of roasted coffee, chocolate, some grainy notes and some caramel. Smoky notes, sweetness and an earthy bitter touch blend for a nice balance.

Medium-bodied with medium carbonation.

A very nice porter - aromatic, nicely balanced and pretty smooth. Very good.

Serving type: growler

07-27-2008 13:56:23 | More by jwc215

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I've had many pints of this over the years but with it soon being taken off the taps, I figured it was time to finally review this. On tap at the Arundel Mills location.

Pours black with some ruby highlights around the bottom and a 1/2 finger of creamy light tan head that retains nicely around the edges and a thin layer across the middle that leaves good lacing behind. The aroma is roasted malts, chocolate, caramel, and a big ole' whiff of coffee.

The taste is an assertive roasty mix of chocolate and caramel sweetness up front, followed by coffee bitterness and a hop bite to finish things off. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a nice creamy and easygoing feel.

I'm sad to see this one go on hiatus as I think it fits the DuClaw staple lineup's need for a dark beer perfectly. Full flavored character and easy drinkibility make this a go to whenever I visit one of their locations.

Serving type: on-tap

04-13-2008 16:50:52 | More by Kegatron

hdofu

Maryland

4.9/5  rDev +28.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is the reason I am into porters. I tried this as part of their beer sampler at the Bel Air Location, and it was the most memorable of the beers. The color of this beer was a black like onyx. The smell was of rich dark chocolate, it had a an intense mocha tastes with a creamy feel to the tongue. It paired excellently with the cheesecake for desert. It goes down easy and is very drinkable. The next time I get over there I will be getting a growler of this.

Serving type: on-tap

02-11-2008 20:01:20 | More by hdofu

davidt

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This American Porter is dark brown with a moderate head. The rich and pleasant aroma is malty sweet with a hints of coffee and chocolate. The taste is lightly sweet, toasted malt with some roasted coffee. Bad Moon Porter has a very creamy, thick mouth feel. The after taste leaves you with expresso and faint hops. This is a very nice Porter.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2007 17:08:51 | More by davidt

Deuane

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A--Dark brown/black with a a thin tan head and no lacing.

S--A lighty roast and maybe a hint of molasses, nothing outstanding.

T--Nice, rich roasted flavor...hints of coffee, cocoa and burnt malt

M--Smooth and easy to drink. Nothing overpowering or outstanding, solid but nothing that wows or disappoints.

D--Solid, but I don't think it is a beer with much character. Some nice roastiness but then it leaves you down. A good beer that has potential to be better

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2007 13:34:54 | More by Deuane

sideshowrob

Maryland

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This was a special version of the Bad-Moon Porter, it was cask-conditioned and flavored with vanilla. Yum.

Appearance is identical to other BMPs. Dark color, nice head

Smell was fantastic. The vanillia (bean or extract?) really adds to the nose, and shines above the background. Likewise, the vanillia really adds a layer of complexity to the taste not present in the regular version of this beer. Mouthfeel remains unchanged, which is a good thing.

BMP is normally one of my favorite beers at Duclaw, but if this version was on, I'd order it over Venom any day.

Serving type: cask

08-13-2007 23:33:35 | More by sideshowrob

cichief

Virginia

2.78/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had from the cask at Friscoe's Grille, Columbia, MD.

A- Pours a deep brown, nearly black, with a thin brown head.

S- Smelled of coffee and roasted barley.

T- Tasted of coffee and chocolate, but finished with a slight wet cardboard flavor, which really disappointed.

M- Smooth from the cask, medium on the tongue.

D- I have had this beer at the DuClaw outlet in Arundel Mills and enjoyed it much more, maybe this was a one-off bad batch?

Serving type: cask

08-04-2007 19:16:05 | More by cichief

claytri

Maryland

3.05/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The beer poured a rich black with a fine tan head. The aroma was of toasted malt with no evidence of hops. The taste was of toasted malt, but not overly sweet a pretty standard stout. The feel was appropriately medium and dry. This was a decent, but not outstanding stout.

Serving type: on-tap

06-06-2007 01:59:24 | More by claytri

3.53/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fells Point Location

Deep, dark mahogany in color. Looks great! Medium sized, light brown head.

Aroma is very sweet. Chocolate and coffee, with the coffee picking up as the beer warms.

Taste is fairly sweet as well. Chocolate and coffee, very light roast notes. Herbal and grassy at the finish. Bit of alcohol. Nicely put together, with the roast notes and hops blending together well at the finish.

Medium + body. Medium carbonation. Slightly dry.

Overall a very nice porter. Easy to drink. Could tone down alcohol flavor and it wouldn't be missed.

Serving type: on-tap

04-30-2007 17:52:32 | More by

mrasskicktastic

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark brew with a medium head and no lacing.

S - Faint, slightly stale malty aroma. Slight molasses.

T - Coffee, burnt malt, slightly sweet - it almost has a cola flavor. After is burnt malt and lingering coffee.

M - Smooth, medium bodied, very refreshing.

D - Alright. Not a powerful porter. I don't think it is a beer with much character, porters generally aren't. But this has almost too much personality to be really drinkable, but not enough to be a beer to experience.

Serving type: on-tap

04-07-2007 05:16:49 | More by mrasskicktastic

Jredner

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a growler. The aroma is strong with roasty notes, coffee, earth, puppy breath and a dose of soapy/detergenty chocolate. The body is flat black and golds a firm two finger thick mocha head that diminishes slowly. Fore is creamy chocolate, light coffee. Very creamy palate. The roastiness isn’t really present the way it was int he aroma. still has a slightly detergenty note in the far finish. Has a great feel to it making it a fantastic session brew, but the flavor range is narrow and isn’t by any means perfectly realized.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2006 11:10:33 | More by Jredner

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Bowie location. Very dark brown to black with no head. Roasty and chocolate aroma is very appealing. A bit of roasty, coffee like flavors, however no very complex or deep, when compared to the aroma. Enough hop flavor and bitterness to balance well. A bit thin. Overall not bad, but from the aroma I was expecting much more. Still, probably one of their more solid brews.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2006 18:08:37 | More by Bierguy5

hunteraw

China

3.5/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled in a pint glass at the Arundel Mills location. Arrived at the table very dark, almost opaque. No head or lacing to speak of.

Smell was reminiscent of french roast coffee beans - there's a burnt characteristic here. A touch of chocolate in the nose as well.

Taste is much the same: roast/burnt malt, with the distinct bitterness associated with it, underscored by coffee and chocolate notes. Level of hops was appropriate for the style.

Mouthfeel: the promotional material calls this "medium to full body," but honestly it's just medium. Lighter than I expected, but I think I had to remind myself that this was a porter, not a stout.

Drinkability: my girlfriend had two of these, one with dinner and one with a chocolate dessert, so it was worth re-ordering. I just had one with dessert, but I'd say this is a solid porter, but I think I'd prefer more of the coffee and chocolate characteristics and less of the "burnt" ones.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2006 15:21:30 | More by hunteraw

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served as deep brown color with modest tannish head. Smell is a good combination of roasted malt and coffee. Taste matches the smell and adds some chocolate notes along with a dark fruitiness. Finishes slightly bitter with presents itself as a nice ending for this beer. Very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2006 01:37:38 | More by tgbljb