Vanilla Porter (Stranahan's) - Breckenridge Brewery

blindpiggie

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

02-04-2013 23:45:56 | More by blindpiggie

Caleb

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -10.7%

04-26-2013 20:33:07 | More by Caleb

Adkins1203

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

03-27-2013 02:56:35 | More by Adkins1203

TBarJr

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

03-19-2013 01:41:45 | More by TBarJr

HeyYoMar

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

03-19-2013 01:32:41 | More by HeyYoMar

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -16.7%

03-14-2013 19:50:33 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

buschbeer

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

03-10-2013 02:39:28 | More by buschbeer

coloslc

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -22.6%

02-22-2013 01:15:56 | More by coloslc

Titans77

Maryland

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

On tap at the Old Line Skype the Brewery event.

A - Dark brown with hints of red where the light hits the glass. Half finger of head that vanished in no time. Solid looking porter.

S - Vanilla and Coffee. Huge smell to this beer. Hints of chocolate and whiskey. Barrel quality is there and it smells fantastic!

T - Vanilla up front with coffee and whiskey in the middle and a slight coffee flavor at the end. The vinilla is very up front and makes this beer a real treat.

M - the barrel aging makes this amazing. Huge stickiness that coats the mouth and lingers. Sticks like a stout. Very good stuff.

O - for only being 2 months in whiskey barrels, this beer takes a HUGE step forward. Breckenridge got it right with this project. Big ups to Jason and Todd

Shoutout to Brewers Alley from Jason!

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2013 01:12:08 | More by Titans77

tsco7

Colorado

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%

02-13-2013 05:15:35 | More by tsco7

MaseFace

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -4.8%

02-07-2013 03:26:50 | More by MaseFace

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

With the vanillans from oak and caramel-rich tannins impart spice and dryness, it was only a matter of time before Breckenridge embarks upon barrel aging for their quaint Vanilla Porter.

Deep brown in color, the beer's tawny ruby-ish character seems to have taken on a charcoal-filtered appearance the lightens the beer's look considerably. With less haze, the beer casts mohogany highlights through its dark malt. Capped by a creamy off-white head, the sweetness and oils of the beer eventually have their way and strip the beer from any extended head retention or lace.

Its aromas take on imperial-like complexities as the common coffee, chocolate, and caramel components are pushed slightly into the background to make more room for barrel aged attibutes. Oak, butterscotch and, of course, vanilla notes are projected to give the beer's aroma a decidedly sweet and succulent edge.

Flavors behave similarly. As the mouth is met with candy-coated sweetness of Werther's Originals, the taste of caramel malts, creamy vanilla, milk chocolate and nutty coffee continue to seem into the taste buds. Creamy and very sweet, the middle palate in tempered slightly from the mild taste of woody hops and spicy wood tannin. Boozy alcohols insinuate bourbon, but without the sweet oaky booze and vinous fruit barrel complements. Still the beer carries just enough alcohol spice and wood tannin to signal some semblance of balance.

Richly textured, the sweet malts sit and saturate the palate and cause the beer to become much more of a "sipper" than a "drinking" beer. But with the relatively moderate body, it's easy to want to turn it up. It's long sweet middle palate evokes fatigue onto the mouth quickly, hurting drinkability for more than a snifter. Finishing nearly cloying, the beer celebrates the sweeter and complicated side of both beer and whisky.

The beer is a real discovery as the whisky notes not only complement the base Vanilla Porter, but overtakes it- not offering glimpses of complexities, but changing the beer altogether. It just so happens that the changes offer a lot of excitement and enjoyment, much like Founders Backwoods Bastard and Alltech's Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-05-2013 18:17:52 | More by BEERchitect

Sturmthis

Ohio

4/5  rDev -4.8%

01-24-2013 21:08:21 | More by Sturmthis

Beergelden

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.8%

01-16-2013 12:44:46 | More by Beergelden

tswater

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

01-11-2013 02:43:24 | More by tswater

pathman

Ohio

4/5  rDev -4.8%

01-11-2013 02:10:16 | More by pathman

throwback

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

01-07-2013 21:25:15 | More by throwback

Cris4545

Indiana

5/5  rDev +19%

11-25-2012 01:14:41 | More by Cris4545

Hacksaw34

Colorado

5/5  rDev +19%

10-26-2012 03:52:05 | More by Hacksaw34

AnaMosity

5/5  rDev +19%

07-07-2012 22:22:55 | More by AnaMosity

TownDunkel

Texas

3.98/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Vanilla Porter by Breckenridge... I guess this is a rare or very unpopular beer by the lack of reviews. Giving it a shot@

Appearance - A nice hearty medium brown this porter has. Not as dark as some porters out there but still really nice and lighterness reflects the flavor

Smell - A nice hoppy flavor that of course has hints of vanilla. Also, it is a nice sweet earthy smell added that tells you it is a bit different from your daddy's porter

Taste - I really like this porter! That vanilla bean smell translate to a "sweet" porter. Very enjoyable and translates well.

Mouthfeel - I was very sad when I realized that the taste is downed by the mouthfeel. The carbonation doesn't seem to go well to the flavors and almost overpowers them. After a minute or two it leaves a chalky taste in your mouth.

Overall - Nice beer, even better with less carbonation

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 00:50:39 | More by TownDunkel

DenverLogan

Colorado

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

I'll admit the regular Vanilla Porter is not a brew I regularly pursue, though it's fine enough for it's style. But whoa, put it on Stranahans and what a fine change. Pours brown with lingering tan head. Aroma of vanilla, whiskey and cocoa. Taste of dark roasted malts, chocolate, whiskey, toffee, caramel. I was fortunate enough to walk away with a growler full. Delicious seasonal.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2012 15:03:52 | More by DenverLogan

lbour

Texas

5/5  rDev +19%

02-06-2012 22:38:49 | More by lbour

otter20dt

Ohio

4/5  rDev -4.8%

01-19-2012 17:39:49 | More by otter20dt

denver10

Colorado

3.31/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

It poured a brownish color that was a bit translucent in quality at the right angles. A sugary sweetness is there in the smell but the whiskey is the sharpest specific aroma. Flavor wise matched the aroma. A sweet, smooth whiskey flavor. It was dessertish with its caramel and vanilla sweetness. Medum bodied and a very creamy mouthfeel. Overall, I liked this one . Not sure I could have had more than the one glass of this at a time, but I definitely enjoyed that one glass and would get again. I preferred this to the original form, but the two are very different. The beer in this gets lost, but if you like whiskey, as I do, this was enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2012 16:50:43 | More by denver10