Vanilla Porter - Breckenridge Brewery

jlenik

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

a: not much head, amber notes through the dark brew. looks unspectacular.

s: chocolate, biscuit flour, vanilla, bitter sweet chocolate.

t: taste is pleasant, mild dark malt flavors, some dark chocolate, a healthy dose of vanilla as well.

m: smooth, not flat, carbonation coats the tongue well, I get some alcohol feel which I find strange for such a low abv beer.

o: not as robust as it should be but a decent vanilla porter. if only founders would do a vanilla version of their porter. until then I shall settle with alternatives!

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 23:35:35 | More by jlenik

oline73

Maryland

4.05/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown color with some light coming through at the edges. There is a half finger of creamy off white head that fades to a ring around the pour.

Smell: Some sweet roast with lots and lots of vanilla. The vanilla may be a bit artificial, but it's still quite nice. I'm also getting some dark fruit notes.

Taste: Some roast up front. This beer isn't very sweet until the finish. The finish has the sweetness along with the strong vanilla presence. Nothing earth shattering, but not bad.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with fluffy, smooth carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: The first time I had this beer it was a real eye opener for me. I didn't realize the kind of things you could do with beer. That being said, it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 01:22:41 | More by oline73

harrymel

Washington

3.03/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Couldn't find a bottle or best by date.

pours a brown ale with some etching on the surface and when I give a good shake and theres additional bubbling. Up front artificial grape and then the vanilla kinda comes through, but I feel like it is a real stretch. I'm getting the feeling there is something wrong with this bottle. Flavor is vanilla with some nice cocoa and some toasted grains, but nothing particularly special for a vanilla porter. Medium bodied with moderate carb and a dry finish. It is okay.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2012 04:05:06 | More by harrymel

socon67

New York

3.3/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this many years ago at the Brickskeller. Grabbed as part of a mixed 6'er.

A - Dark brown to black pour. Tan foam settles quickly. Spotty lacing around the glass.

S - Some scent of cream soda. Really reminded me of the A&W cream soda. Hint of darker malt is there as well.

T - I really don't get a vanilla taste as much as this comes off as a sweet porter. I felt the sugary taste actually took a bit from the malt flavoring.

M - Easily sessionable. Kinda thin for the style. Leaves a bit of an aftertaste, but the initial feel is very rich.

O - I wouldn't seek this out again, but if offered I wouldn't mind trying. It just isn't a robust porter, and the hook of vanilla is not present enough.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 16:06:08 | More by socon67

BigCheese

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Near ink black , thin tan head, some lacing, head dies down quick.

S: Molasses, roasted malts, coco, some vanilla, espresso and honey. Pretty sweet overall with coffee backbone. LIke a liquid tiramisu.

T: Some caramel, toffee, vanilla sweetness upfront. A bit of milkyness/lactose. Some honey and bourbon notes as well.

M: Thin but creamy, a rare session porter, sweetness might take away its session-ability though.

O: Solid dessert beer or breakfast beer. Would pair well with food as sweetness may be overbearing.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 01:25:40 | More by BigCheese

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Deep brown in color with ruby highlights and a tan head. The head is somewhat fizzy, not as solid and long-lasting as it could be. The aroma is a pleasant mix of malt and vanilla. Vanilla extract best describes the aroma...not quite vanilla bean. Some chocolate and graininess as well. The flavor is semi-sweet, with plenty of malt. Very smooth. Nice body...medium-full and satisfying. The flavor could have more richness and depth, but this is still a decent and enjoyable vanilla porter.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 22:32:05 | More by Suds

hypoboxer

2.95/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I picked this porter up at the store solely based on the fact I had never tried this before. I am the type of drinker that will try anything once and try as much as I can (in moderation or course).

Anyway, I spotted "Vanilla Porter" on the shelf and brought it home. I've had vanilla porters before and enjoyed them a lot.

Pouring the beer wasn't terribly impression. There was an average vanilla smell as I brought the beer up for a taste after pouring it. There was a trace a vanilla taste to it, but at least it wasn't a artificial flavoring. I even let it sit out for a bit for the flavors and scents to develop...still average.

This is an average beer that I more than likely wouldn't pick up again. It was, unremarkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 20:49:55 | More by hypoboxer

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.05/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip.

A: Pours a very dark burgundy color. The head is a one finger eggshell color that fades to a very thin collar in no time.

S: Light vanilla, chocolate, hazelnut, and cream soda. Nice sweet smell, but not very porter-y in my opinion.

T: Cream soda...a LOT of cream soda in general. This isn't like Stone Smoked Porter w/ Vanilla Bean where the (overpowering) vanilla totally clashed with the smokiness...the (overpowering) vanilla here at least meshes moderately well with the base beer. There's a little bit of nuttiness near the finish, but this beer seems like little more than a canvas to show off the vanilla flavors.

M: Pretty creamy, but at the same time, too oddly foamy and light feeling...just like cream soda! Carbonation could be toned down a little, as well.

O: Well, your enjoyment will come down to one question - do you like cream soda? If so, you'll probably like this too. A one and done for me, but I don't regret trying it.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 03:25:28 | More by ThisWangsChung

eclipse54

Idaho

3.13/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A 12 ounce bottle that I dropped in a little porter mix-six I built at the store today. I'd never tried it before, and love vanilla, so I decided to give it a shot. Poured into a tulip.

"Pours a dark brown that glows with deep ruby hues when held to the light. A thin veil of cream-colored head appears, but dissipate quickly to a ring and scattered patches of bubbles across the surface. Distant patches lace the glass.

The aroma is of roasted malt, cane sugar, sweet vanilla, and a bit of toffee. Really smells ""sugary"" in front of the roast aromas, and nearly artificial.

Tastes of raisin and plum fruits, surprisingly, a bit of roasted malt and bitter chocolate, some natural vanilla, and loads of sugar. A bit of caramel and/or toffee on the back end. Much fruitier than anticipated.

Mouthfeel is thinner than hoped, without any real roast or bitterness coming through. Velvety towards the end, but finished with what I can only describe as ""oily,"" and there seems to be a slick veil coating the palate for a while. Strange.

Overall, this seems to be a rather average porter that tried to rise above via the addition of vanilla beans. A good attempt, but I feel like the base beer wasn't up to par to accept the beans. It comes off as more of a vanilla ""brown ale"" than a vanilla porter. I'll enjoy this bottle, but probably won't spring for more any time soon."

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2012 01:31:43 | More by eclipse54

Moontang

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my trusty highball from the bottle with dinner.

Appearance: white-coffee coloured head that is quite thick and dissipates very slowly. The body is nearly black, with faint amber tones.

Smell: Unfortunately, I'm congested so I'm not getting much here. Faintly smoky with plenty of vanilla.

Moutfeel: average viscosity and very low fizz.

Taste: nice, strong, dark malt balanced by as much vanilla as the scent advertises. Very nice.

Drinkability: solid. Chuggable, sippable, I'll probably seek this out again at some point.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 21:38:25 | More by Moontang

acevenom

Louisiana

3.45/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a glass mug. Pours dark brown to almost black with a finger length, light tan head. Some bubbles can be seen along the side of the glass, but not many. The head dissipates quickly, leaving only a cap of head atop the beer. I definitely detect the vanilla in the aroma, though this is not strong. I detect chocolate and some coffee and roasted malt aromas. The taste of chocolate and vanilla are very forward here. There is a nice malty backbone that is roasty and mildly sweet. The body is light to medium with some carbonation. The beer is smooth and is highly drinkable. This is a very good porter.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 21:30:53 | More by acevenom

KomodoDragon

Virginia

3.15/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark, even for a porter, very modest carbonation. Quite silent

S - I pick up chocolate malts more so than the vanilla. Hints of coffee

T - While I do welcome the smooth nature, this porter gets lost in a vanilla cream blast, like a porter mixed with a cream soda. Very light body, but not easy to drink. Become a warm french coffee as it warms up.

M - I like the light carbonation, but this just makes it feel like sugar water.

won't be coming back to this one, maybe vanilla should stay out of my porter.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 03:56:33 | More by KomodoDragon

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served on tap at Cork City Pub in Hoboken, NJ

A: Pours a clear very dark amber to medium brown in color. The beer has a thin (less than quarter finger) light tan head that reduces to a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate amounts of light coffee roast and roasted malts along with a strong flavor of artificial vanilla - very sweet.

T: Similar to the smell with a strong malt body of dark roasted and caramel malts upfront with a strong presence of artificial vanilla in the finish that lingers for quite a while.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly thin/watery.

O: A little too light for the style in my opinion and the artificial vanilla flavor is a little overpowering for my tastes. The beer is not the easiest to drink and is nothing special in my opinion. Just average and probably not one I would order again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-12-2012 01:35:05 | More by dbrauneis

Maxwell

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The bottle looks like a cross between a Woodstock look and the 1950’s homemaker/June Cleaver design. The lightning bolt company logo is awesome and the vanilla flower seems like it’s out of a naturalist’s book, but the bottle is a little boring overall. If I had a collection of bottles similarly designed to this one I might display them on a shelf, but as an individual I wouldn’t keep it.

The beer pours a nice and dark amber caramel, almost black at its middle with a cream browned head that starts tall and wheedles down to a half a fingers length, which retains for quite some time. The smell is actually quite weak… I really had to dig to find it. In the end I detected a sweet with caramel malts. The slightest tinge of vanilla can be found, but nothing near what I was hoping for. There is also a slight tingle in the back which seems bready with a slight ouch of fruit. The taste is also underwhelming with vanilla, if it is there, it is in the faint lingering sweetness of the beer. This is definitely a solid porter, though, with a good chocolatey malt taste and slight breadiness in the back of the mouth. The more you sip it the more you think you taste the vanilla on the edges of the tongue, and it definitely builds into an actual vanilla taste by the end of the beer, but it still is not the leading flavor in the beer. The beer is very clean on the mouth, leaving little to no tingle or taste, but the initial sip has a little harsh kick of carbonation but then washes away entirely. The tongue is left with sap-like strings of vanilla streaking over it after the beer has washed down. This is a terrific porter with great subtle tastes, just not the kick of vanilla I was hoping for from something called a “vanilla porter.” Maybe I am just unfamiliar with the vanilla porter style but I feel like you should be able to get more of a vanilla flavor than this beer delivers. I’d call it a vanilla-kissed/touched porter rather than a straight up vanilla porter. This is a great beer but is just labeled incorrectly.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 02:49:23 | More by Maxwell

Giggy

Michigan

3.25/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: nice looking porter. Dark black color, nice frothy beige head.

S: strong vanilla, slight maple syrup, funky old chocolate.

T: coffe taste is there but is overpowered by the vanilla. There is also nuts, chocolate, and molasses flavors that come through.

M: low carbonation like you would expect but the body seemed very thin and watery.

O: just ok. I prefer more of a smokey flavor to my porters.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2012 00:52:10 | More by Giggy

Danny1217

Florida

3.85/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown color with some red hues. Nice color. Unfortunately, there is very little head, and it disappears completely in mere seconds. Not a very good sign.
Smells of vanilla and roasted malts. The scent is slightly subdued, but the vanilla smell gets me a little excited. The taste is very nice. Roasted malts, nuts, caramel, and of course, vanilla. Vanilla dominates. Slightly sweet, but not excessive. Medium body, slightly creamy, and medium carbonation.

I really like the vanilla taste. It's very well done. It isn't one of the best porters in the world, but it has its place.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 22:39:04 | More by Danny1217

N3ptune

Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -15%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served: bottle into a mug.

L: Worried right away. Not nearly as dark as I would have expected. Finger, finger and a half of head that dissolved very quickly.

S: Vanilla, coffee, malty, even getting a hint of cherry. Smells lovely.

T: Malty. Slight coffee roast. Vanilla and caramel come through at the end. No big flavors.

M: Very thin for a porter. More carbonation than expected.

O: Not a bad beer. Not exactly what I expect from a porter though.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 22:10:35 | More by N3ptune

viverlee

Ohio

2.7/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

STYLE: American Porter

ABV: 4.7%

LOOK: I was justifiably worried when the short head dissolved to nothing within seconds. Runny, really, though the color is nice. Roasted coffee on top and lighter down the glass.

NOSE: Coffee, vanilla, malty, dark cherries.

MOUTH: Cloying vanilla, faint grapes and cherries, dry but subtle tobacco finish. There seems to be a hokey trend among larger “craft” breweries of adding flavors instead of developing them, and that’s a problem if you ask me. “Brewed with real vanilla beans” is supposed to be a selling point. Maybe it is in some circles. But to me this watery mouthful tastes like a flat vanilla soda begging for some body.

BA Rating: 80

Hayward Abbey Rating: 75

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 02:17:57 | More by viverlee

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.45/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a very deep brown nearly black color with a thin off white head. The head faded fast to give a light amount of lacing.

Smell – The smell was largely of roasted malt with a lighter ccoffee, nutty, and cocoa aromas. Mixed with these is a nice strong vanilla smell.

Taste – The taste begins largely of roasted malt with a lighter coffee flavor. Towards the middle, flavors of a light sweet caramel and some vanilla work their way into the flavor profile. The vanilla intensifies as the taste advances from the middle giving a rather strong flavor at the end. At the very end a bitter nutty flavor mixes with the bready roast vanilla flavor leaving a somewhat off bitter roasted flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The creaminess of the body is only slightly above average with a carbonation level that is just below average. The carbonation is very good for the more roasted malt and sweet vanilla flavors, but the body is a little thinner then would be desired.

Overall – It had some nice roasty and vanilla flavors, but left a somewhat more bitter flavor on the tongue at the end due to the nuttiness that came in. Good, but nothing I would really go to on a high occasion.

Serving type: on-tap

06-15-2012 00:15:57 | More by Darkmagus82

Shrews

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served - bottle into Pint Glass

Appearance
Black rich color, which you cannot see through. Nice foamy head with great retention.

Smell
Immediate sense of vanilla smells in this porter. Compliments the roasty malts and some dark nuts.

Taste
The vanilla taste is amazing on this porter. It compliments the malty flavor very well. You can sense some chocolate and some caramel too.

Mouthfell
Very full and rich as it spreads throughout your mouth. Gives you a great aftertaste as well.

Overall
A marvelous porter with a vanilla taste that compliments everything else very well. The malts and the vanilla really make this an easy drinker if you are a fan of porters.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 00:44:30 | More by Shrews

SawDog505

New Hampshire

3.38/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a 13 oz tulip glass. Pours a dark brown, with a one inch white head, that leaves behind a collar of lace. Smell is smoke, vanilla, tobacco, leather, and peat. Taste is similar, dominated by vanilla and smoke, better flavor than smell for me. Body is medium thin, good carbonation, a touch dry, and nice drinkability. This a good Porter, a touch thinner than I expected.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 12:59:50 | More by SawDog505

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

3.5 A: Black color. One finger of frothy beige head. Retention is about average and a short ring of lacing is left.

4.0 S: Foremost, there's lots of vanilla. Grainy roastiness underneath. Coffee with cream. It almost smells like creme brulee. Very nice.

3.5 T: Grainy roastiness. Light coffee with cream. Plenty of vanilla. Tasty, but not as vibrant as the nose.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Crisp without much creaminess.

3.5 D: Good enough. Good flavors, but lacking depth and force.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 02:45:39 | More by DavoleBomb

darinwmoore

Texas

4.2/5  rDev +17%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bought a six-pack of this beer at the grocery store. Haven't tried it before this, so this is a completely new review.

A: A great-looking dark brown beer when settled, with an amber pour (poured from bottle to glass).

S: More hoppy smell than initially expected, but slight hints of vanilla to mix in.

T: Lighter hops than the smell suggests, but still a little overpowering on the aftertaste. The vanilla is just as slight as in the smell, and the flavor has been overtaken by the hops. A little hint of caramel. Still great taste overall.

M: A little malty and very refreshing.

O: A malty and light beer to quench thirst; great taste, even though less vanilla flavor than a vanilla porter should have. This may be due to a flavor imbalance, in my opinion. Not too hoppy, but a good overall beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 13:18:18 | More by darinwmoore

cjgator3

Florida

3.68/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle

A- Pours a dark brownish black color with a creamy off-white head with great lacing and retention.

S- The aroma is roasted malts and some vanilla.

T- The taste is roasted malt, cocoa and a lot of vanilla flavors. 

M- The mouthfeel is medium bodied and very smooth.

O- Overall, not a bad porter. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 02:37:04 | More by cjgator3

MIchelle

4.13/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very easy drinking porter. Nice full flavors but really well balanced. Has a great smell to it also, I can really smell the vanilla. But has a more heavier coffee bean flavor on the end of the sip. I'd highly recommend giving this a try if you haven't had this one before and are a fan of porters.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 21:48:48 | More by MIchelle