Eugene - Revolution Brewing Company - Brewpub

samie85

Illinois

4.8/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Reviewed from notes; originally 10/07.

A-Pours a deep brown color with a cascading two and a half finger, dense brown head. This one leaves lacing to write home about.

S-Smells of roasted and chocolate malt with a little bit of a spicy hop note.

T-Rich dark chocolate and roasted notes with a spicy hop finish that delicately balances the richer aspects of the beer.

M-Lusciously rich and thick bodied with low carbonation and a thick sticky, coating mouthfeel.

D-For the complexity that you get with this one, it's also insanely drinkable. By far the best beer on cask I've had yet.

Serving type: cask

10-10-2010 05:28:42 | More by samie85

philberinghele

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Jet black with a creamy head tends to dissipate yet cling to the glass. Very roasty and chocolately taste. It is fairly thick but not nearly as chewy as the Founders Porter (my current benchmark for the style). Definitely the best beer they had on tap for their opening.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2010 01:02:39 | More by philberinghele

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.63/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This here is a great porter. I wish Revolution Brewing would start bottling and distributing their beers across the country if only for this one (not to discount their other excellent beers).

Standard porter appearance, dark brown with an excellent head and lacing. Not an astounding smell, but good.

Flavor wise, I can't find fault with this beer. It tastes great! A perfectly balanced porter. Smooth feel.

I really, really liked this one, but at the same time I have other porters in my area that will suffice in my time away from Chicago.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2011 03:46:43 | More by TheRealBigC

IrishHockey

Indiana

4.6/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This porter was f'in fantastic! So easy to drink and very tasty.

It definitely has a coffee up front tast and smell. Very smooth and creamy. I love it and will be buying it often. Revolution has hit a home run.

Find it. Buy it. Enjoy the hell out of it!
Poured from a can into a Founders snifter glass

Serving type: can

11-11-2012 13:46:13 | More by IrishHockey

homebrew311

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've had this many times on draft and from the can. This review is from the can. Pour is jet black with dark brown dense head. Decent retention and almost no lace. The smell starts with big bold waves of chocolate and roasted barley. A touch of cream comes through next and smooths things out. Then comes a reasonably aromatic hop profile that adds a little pine to the mix. The taste has some sweetness up front with a heavy malt profile. Dry roasted grains, bitter chocolate, and some piney hops (Chinook?) balance things out. The flavors pop and provide for a very robust porter. Mouthfeel is smooth and appropriately carbonated. Overall, this is one of my favorite porters around, the only thing that competes with it is Founders Porter. This is a solid beer and an awesome value at $10 per six pack. This has become a mainstay in the fridge, enough said.

Serving type: can

12-10-2012 06:09:05 | More by homebrew311

AndyP612

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz Can poured into Darkness chalice.

A- Pitch black with a small light khaki head a top that dissipates quickly.

S- Very smoke heavy, Big malt nose

T- Super heavy in smokey malt. Chocolate overtones present as well as coffee with minimal bitterness.

M- Medium velvety bodied very well balanced porter.

O- Just extremely solid porter, absolutely delicious. I will be buying this again for the colder months but at this point I will be putting more emphasis on the lighter fare even though it is 80 degrees outside I can still drink this without worrying about it weighing me down too much. Cheers.

Serving type: can

05-16-2013 23:16:09 | More by AndyP612

mttaylor1066

Connecticut

4.46/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Classic porter, dark and just a little carbonation. I admire its limpid yet alive appearance.

S - This has more aroma than most non-Breakfast style porters. A little chocolate, a little malt, some coffee notes.

T -- Eminently drinkable, the malt character gives it a strong backbone, just the kind of porter to spend the next hour with. Good stuff.

M - A filling dextrinous/malt mix. Satisfying. This ain't no black lager!

O -- A winner of a porter.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2013 18:28:23 | More by mttaylor1066

JohnnyChicago

Illinois

4.45/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the brewpub; served in a pint glass.

A: Nearly black with a two-finger rocky white head.

S: Smell is pretty chocolate-forward for a porter. A bit of roast and coffee in the finish.

T: Smooth and robust! The chocolate is powerful here as well. Coffee and hops round this out nicely and it finishes dry and toasty.

D: It has a relatively high ABV for the style, but the alcohol is completely hidden. Just great balance and a decent mouthfeel as well.

Overall: Perhaps the best of the everyday lineup from Revolution. One of the best American Porters I have had yet. Smooth, complex and incredibly tasty, just a great beer all around.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2011 08:15:35 | More by JohnnyChicago

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Black with deep brown hues and a thin creamy tan head.

S - Roasted malt, milk chocolate, coffee, dark chocolate, roasted nuts, cream.

T - Roasted malt, coffee, the taste alternates between milk chocolate and dark chocolate, slightly nutty.

M - medium body with good carbonation. Creamy

D - Very solid and highly drinkable porter.

Serving type: can

12-17-2012 00:14:30 | More by brewcrew76

AJacob81

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

More canned goodness from the Chi's emerging powerhouse. Can into a shaker pint.

A - Deep garnet, nearly black. Minimal khaki head, patchy lacing.

S - A deep whiff conjures aromas of cocoa powder and instant coffee, w some leathery earthiness in backup.

T - Chocolate, coffee, and the slightest hint of cherry cola up front, lightly roasted walnuts and grassy hops follow up, and a dry yet semi-sweet finish. A lot going on for a porter, in a good way.

M - Medium to full, creamy and soothing on the palate w low but appropriate levels of carbonation.

Just a phenomenal porter all around, gives Edmund Fitz a serious run for its money.

Serving type: can

10-27-2012 03:58:58 | More by AJacob81

Mavigo

Michigan

4.36/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Got this on tap from the brewpub in Chicago, nice place. Was served in a pint.

A: Was a nice deep brown black color, almost opaque with a short, dark toffee color head with good amounts of lacing.

S: Smells of malts, barley, oats, chocolate, brown sugars

T: Tastes delicious, very sweet, like milk chocolate, malts, brown sugars, toffee, caramel

M: Rich, full bodied, lower levels of carbonation, giving it a richer, thicker texture

O: Overall, I though this was incredible, after wandering around Chicago in freezing weather, one of the most delicious porters I've had in a while, maybe one of the best. Recommended by me for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2013 01:00:42 | More by Mavigo

sholland119

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewpub, 10/12/10.

A-pours a beautiful deep opaque brown with a frothy mocha head and great lacing.

S-roasty with a strong chocolate malt undertone and a lactic sweetness.

T-Delicious. Sweet chocolate and milk stout notes in front, followed by medium roastiness and a mild sweet finish.

M-medium bodied with a nice lingering finish.

D-does not in any way seem like 7%. Extremely drinkable. Delicious.

HV

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2010 23:43:16 | More by sholland119

lstokes

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on-tap at The Norse. This was very dark and opaque with a nice frothy tan head. Black roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, dry finish, completely delicious with a full-bodied kind of feel and a lactic acid sweetness. Very drinkable--the boyfriend informs me that it was a "BEAUTIFUL beer," and I think I agree.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2012 05:30:23 | More by lstokes

mecummins

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Can poured into a pint glass.

Appearance- dark, dark brown. No light was shining through this glass. It poured at least a 2 & 1/2 finger tax head. Decent lacing.

Aroma- The coffee notes hit me right way followed by milk chocolate. Roasted malts and sweet molasses were also present. As it warmed, I could detect a bit of smokiness to it as well.

Taste- It tasted very similar to how it smelled. The roasted malts and sweetness from the chocolate were balanced by the bitterness from the coffee. I could taste some raisin and maybe a bit of piney hops on the back note, but it was more of a whisper.

Mouthfeel- Medium with a medium to almost long finish. It was extremely smooth. I wish it was just a touch creamier.

Overall- I love this beer. It's just heavy enough for a cold winter's day, but light enough to have more than one. I've been drinking it with very simple dishes. So far my favorite is a pint of this porter with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Serving type: can

01-03-2013 20:13:29 | More by mecummins

jvande7

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- dark brown (as one would expect from a Porter). I would have liked more head, but I'm not sure what kind of head most Porters have (I don't usually drink them).

S- roasty/chocolatey/coffee aromas (or maybe that was all in my mind?). Should have taken notes, drank too many of these 7.0% brews to recall the specifics, but it smells good and fresh. I have a nose for off-flavors/smells and dirty beer lines, and I did not detect any of that.

T- quality brew here. Tastes like it smells (roasty/malty) with hints of chocolate and coffee (or did I make that up because of the color of the brew? does it even matter?) This is one of my favorite beers by Revolution - perfect for warming up Chicago winters.

I never really got into Porters all that much, but man I really dig this brew. I must have had 5 or 6 of them while we were at the brewery. Very good beer, very drinkable, but STRONG - a dangerous combo. =)

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2010 15:59:46 | More by jvande7

pschul4

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First time out of the can, lez do dis

A- Pours a dark brown with a beautiful 1 1/2" head that leaves nice lacing

S- Very roasty with notes of chocolate and coffee. The roasted malts are excellent here, its tough to convey without exeriencing it

T- Very coffee forward, in an amazing way. Great hints of chocolate in the background but the tasty coffee owns the taste

M- Medium thickness for a porter, a little thicker might help the overall but can't complain

O- Super solid for the price and I can see myself going back to this time after time

Serving type: can

10-23-2012 01:23:09 | More by pschul4

barnzy78

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12oz can, pours near-black with brown at the edges when held to a light; thinner light brown head dissipates quickly leaving minimal lace. Aromas are roasty, bittersweet chocolate, coffee roast, faint anise. Tastes are sweeter but with plenty of roast, dark chocolate, oatmeal, molasses, coffee, mild earthy/piny bitterness at the end, but finishes exceptionally clean. At 7%, I think i can say the alcohol was well concealed, albeit it's not a huge ABV. Mouth-feel is velvety smooth, rich & creamy, while being medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Overall, very solid porter! I would buy this again. I need to compare it back-to-back with some of my favorites, because this one holds its own!

Serving type: can

11-27-2012 00:05:00 | More by barnzy78

Onenote81

North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to wyatt13 for this can tossed in as an extra in our recent trade. I've never had anything from these guys, and I'm always up for trying new brew. Can poured into a chalice.

Pours a thick deep black, with just a sheet of lace on the top after what I thought was an aggressive pour. Bits of lace cling to the glass. The nose is full of roasted goodness: ground coffee, chocolate malt, toasted bread, and a kiss of sweet vanilla on the finish.

Good hefty body. Chewy but easy to drink. Good bubble play on the palate. Big milk chocolate flavors all over this beer. Some mild roastedness rounds it out a bit. I've had far too many Porters that are heavy on the roasted aspect and it just wears on you, but this one is perfectly balanced, even erring on the side of a little more sweet. Some vanilla and almond noted as well.

Really a stand out beer here. Were this available to me locally, I think I'd have regular stock of this in my fridge as my go-to dark beer. Thanks again, Wyatt!

Serving type: can

03-19-2013 13:54:13 | More by Onenote81

sbxx

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance - Pours a nice, deep chocolatey brown. 2 fingers worth of dark caramel head appears. A nice looking beer.

Smell - Rich chocolatey malts.

Taste - "Now that's a porter!" Much like it smells. The chocolate notes were balanced very nicely.

Mouthfeel - Med/heavy body, medium carbonation, clean finish

Overall - Easily one of my favorite porters. It is rich and robust, smooth & easy to drink. Looking forward to having more!

Serving type: can

04-17-2013 00:34:40 | More by sbxx

bruachan

Rhode Island

4.28/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

opaque body with quality froth above it. lacing was good, though not quite as good as anticipated immediately after the pour

coffee and burnt aromas are strong, though there's enough sweet to keep things normal, and may even bump the beverage to stout territory

strong coffee and other nearly-astringent flavors. bitterness at the finish, which also clears the way for some fashionably late fruity flavors (from the darker end of the spectrum of course: plum, date)

solid mouthfeel contrasts well with the lingering bitterness

Serving type: on-tap

06-09-2010 01:25:10 | More by bruachan

Sean9689

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Northdown Cafe.

A - Pours a dark brown, almost black, off-white head, thin collar, spotty lace, some wisps on top.

S - Excellent notes of roast, dark chocolate, some oak, cream, and toasted nuts. The nose really got me digging this one.

T - Roast, coffee, dark chocolate, oak, cream, some toffee. Hard to find a bad thing to say about the taste on this one...just excellent. The roast, chocolate, and woody notes are wonderful.

M - Medium, good carbonation, creamy and rich, roasted finish.

O - An excellent porter, to say the least. If you're in Chicago and see this on tap, get it (if you like the style). It's really good.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2011 16:20:40 | More by Sean9689

Treebs

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at Palmer Place. Served in a shaker pint.

A: Pours a dark black with a thick mocha head. Sticky lace is left down the side of the glass.

S: Smells of light cocoa and coffee fill the nose with a touch of roasted malts. There is also a hint of sweet vanilla.

T: Roasted malts are complimented with a nice mocha flavor and some milk chocolate. There is a little bit of vanilla sweetness in the middle and some minimal dark fruits towards the backend.

M: Medium bodied with a full flavor. There is a little prickly carbonation to play with a tongue a bit and keep it interesting.

O: A very solid and flavorful porter. High drinkability. I recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2012 15:02:31 | More by Treebs

Etan

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had a pint on draft at the UofC pub.

A: Straight black, small tan head. No retention, no lacing. Nice amber highlights come out as it goes down.

S: Mild sweet milky aroma. Some dark grain, a bit of hoppiness.

T: Silky lactic sweetness. Nice moderate hop bite to keep the sweetness in check. Chocolate cake, light coffee, roast on the end.

M: Thick and silky. Quite nice.

O: Really enjoyed this. Revolution nailed the mouthfeel and taste, even though the aroma and appearance were a little lacking.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2012 00:38:51 | More by Etan

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Medium brown to black in color with a few dark garnet highlights. Pretty quick head, only a residual ring of foam, brown in color.

The aroma is roasted malts full of coffee, dry chocolate, cacao, coffee beans, and a little vanilla.

Coffee and well roasted malts upfront. Somewhat burnt, and a little bitter malts and hops with dark chocolate, coffee beans, and a dark toffee, cappuccino on the finish.

The palate can be dry in the middle, but a little more slick on the finish. Very tasty porter thats easy to drink.

Serving type: can

01-18-2013 02:02:31 | More by scruffwhor

Hopfist

Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It's a robust porter, so it's dark brown and has fantastic chocolate and coffee notes. It's got a gorgeous brown head, and the contrast in colors between the beer and the foam make this beer look like a doberman or rottweiler but it's so sweet (not literally) it's name could be "princess". This beer was named "Best beer in Chicago" in 2010. I don't recall who named it that, but I don't necessarily disagree. I've had this on tap, on cask, and even Bourbon Barrel Aged... it just won't stop being awesome. It's 7% abv is quite well hidden (8.5% in the BBA version I believe), and if it's fairly big body wasn't there to slow you down, you could easily find yourself quite over-served after more than two or three. This is a fine beer in the summer, and one of the best around come Winter in Chicago.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2011 18:11:17 | More by Hopfist