Black Marlin Porter With Cocoa Nibs - Ballast Point Brewing Company

OutFox

New York

4.72/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cask enjoyed at Rattle N Hum in NYC (God bless that place)

A - Yep you can tell by watching the bartender pump the cask handle your in for a fantastic beer. It was dark in the bar but the beer came off almost black with a fluffy tan head.

S - Good lord, it smells like straight coco powder which is a delicious thing. There are hints of the normal porter nose here but the coco dominated.

T - Same as the nose and even better than I expected which is insane to think about. The coco dominates the taste buds but in a balanced way if that makes any sense at all. This is just ludacris good.

M - Everything youd expect from a cask porter. Heavy but not too much so, warm and good.

O - Ballast Point is da bomb. Thats all I really need say here. I mean this porter was over the top with coco in a fantastic way.

Serving type: cask

10-08-2011 19:11:25 | More by OutFox

atsprings

North Carolina

4.7/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On cask at Flying Saucer during Raleigh Beer Week. Served in a tulip glass a deep opaque black with a thin diminishing head. Aroma is very abundant dark chocolate. The taste is smooth dark cocoa with slightly roasted malts and subdued hops. The beer is very smooth, crisp, refreshing and easy drinking. This one was absolutely delicious, one I would love to have again.

Serving type: cask

09-03-2010 16:09:54 | More by atsprings

GJ40

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sampled on tap at Rattle & Hum in NYC.

Black with virtually no light coming through and a very small beige head. The aroma was cocoa and molasses. The flavor was mostly cocoa though not over the top. It had a moderate sweetness and a decent complexity. It was somewhat creamy with a nice low carbonation.

This was a fun and interesting twist on the Black Marlin.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2010 11:03:49 | More by GJ40

DoubleJ

California

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at 38 Degrees in Alhambra, CA, on to the beer:

Creamy dark brown/chocolate colored beer, the head leaves some thin rings of lacing as the beer is consumed. While the cocoa isn't pure noticable cocoa, it is there in both aroma and flavor. Moderate intensity of cocoa mixed with some sweeter, roasty malts. A semi-sweet beer, and a very drinkable one too.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2010 04:21:04 | More by DoubleJ

womencantsail

California

4.22/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at 38 Degrees

A: The pour is nearly black with a very creamy mocha colored head on top. The lacing is thick, sticky, and pretty to look at.

S: The chocolate really comes through strongly on this one, as you might hope considering the treatment. There is also a nice note of vanilla which goes well with the chocolate and roasted malt aromas.

T: The chocolate flavors are a nice combination of sweet and lightly bitter. Although not as potent as in the nose, there is a touch of vanilla. The roasted malt and coffee flavors provide a bit of bitterness and balance to a beer is, otherwise, a bit on the sweet side.

M: A medium bodied beer with a smooth feel on the tongue and a fairly light carbonation.

D: I don't know how much better this is than the regular Black Marlin, but I love chocolate in my porters, so this one was very nice to try, and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

04-15-2010 15:49:52 | More by womencantsail