Walker's Reserve - Porter - Firestone Walker Brewing Co.

StoneTSR

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

APPEARANCE: Pours a deep, dark brown. It looks black until held up to the light when some brown and slightly reddish light passes through. The head is thin and evaporates into some wispy foam clinging to the edges of the glass very quickly.

SMELL: The aroma is weaker than I expected, but some coffee and a little bitter hop aroma is there along with some very mild lemon.

TASTE: Robust is an excellent word to describe this porter. It is bold and aggressive, particularly in the hop department. The bitterness seems to be provided more by the hops than the coffee flavors. A little chocolate compliments the coffee and a very strong nutty flavor also makes itself known. What is surprisingly absent is that roasty, toasty flavor associated with so many porters, but given the hoppy and coffee-fueled bitterness it works well with this beer.

MOUTHFEEL: Smooth and lightly carbonated. There is just enough sparkle here to make it feel like a beer and no more. There isn’t much sweetness, but the dryer feel is not over the top.

OVERALL: After a getting into some bigger, Imperial/Double Stouts/Porters recently, the regular old porters and stouts can be a bit of a letdown. The Walker’s Reserve holds its own in the flavor department, however and makes for a really strong porter when a huge dose of booze might not be the best idea.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 10:46:28 | More by StoneTSR

fredmugs

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-18-2013 23:22:23 | More by fredmugs

MattGoose

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +22.4%

06-18-2013 14:27:19 | More by MattGoose

Liondiscs

California

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-17-2013 01:15:07 | More by Liondiscs

sansho

Tennessee

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-16-2013 06:59:56 | More by sansho

12packpoet

Arizona

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-16-2013 01:28:57 | More by 12packpoet

Mikecap

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-15-2013 16:34:59 | More by Mikecap

Lare453

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-15-2013 00:49:20 | More by Lare453

doremite

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-13-2013 21:13:11 | More by doremite

JMUbrewz

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-13-2013 16:25:12 | More by JMUbrewz

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.64/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a dark black with a solid head at pour. Head remains mostly around the rim of the glass. Some chunky lacing is present.

S: Really good - malts and an overwhelming chocolate aroma - somewhere between sweet and dark.

T: roasted malts up front followed by chocolate and malts on the back. Lots going on and really, really good.

M: Perfect carbonation from front to back. Good heft.

O: Awesome brew and at this ABV almost sessionable with loads of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 01:07:33 | More by Oakenator

RichardMNixon

Delaware

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-11-2013 03:38:07 | More by RichardMNixon

BJasny

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +16%

06-11-2013 00:50:59 | More by BJasny

jarrgal

North Dakota

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-10-2013 03:25:29 | More by jarrgal

BobZ

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 oz Bottle poured into a Duvel Tulip.

Appearance: Rich dark brown with a nice 1/2" tan head that disappears quickly leaving only a cap, nice lacing.

Smell: Coffee/Roasted Malt over dark chocolate, maybe a small whiff of smoke.

Taste: The bitter dark chocolate is what I noticed first quickly followed by the coffee and roasted malt flavors. Really a nicely executed balance of flavors.

Mouthfeel: Seems a little light in body even for a porter, clean on the finish.

Overall: A very nice and flavorful porter, good when you're looking for a lot of flavor in a lighter bodied beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2013 16:34:08 | More by BobZ

Ted

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-08-2013 03:57:07 | More by Ted

timontheroad

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-08-2013 02:30:18 | More by timontheroad

ThickNStout

Georgia

3.45/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

22oz bottle from Lets Pour. No bottling date. Served in a Southern Tier tulip snifter.

Pours cola brown with two fingers of pale tan head. The head settles to a thin cap that leaves bits of lace.

I get aromas of chocolate and burnt figs.

A roastiness dominates the flavor. Char, bitter cocoa, smoke, weak coffee, burnt carmel, earth and semi sour dark fruit.

Thin bodied with a fairly lively carbonation. Roasty dark fruit in the finish.

Quite rich and complex for such a low gravity brew. Ultimately too weak and thin for my preferences but it was worth this one try.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 17:36:05 | More by ThickNStout

DeutschesBier

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

06-07-2013 14:19:18 | More by DeutschesBier

jmmy3

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

06-07-2013 01:03:59 | More by jmmy3

Axnjxn

North Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22oz bottle into a Goose Island pint glass. Bottled on 2/1/13

Pours a dark blown, almost black with a half inch thick head that quickly dissipates. The aroma of burned chocolate and a smokey forest is what i gather from the nose. Not bad. Taste is quite impressive for a porter. good characteristics of coffee and smokey chocolate. roasted malts. exceptionally easy to drink. on the lighter side of medium bodied with tangy carbonation. so easy to down this bottle.

overall this is a very well made porter and so far this is my favorite offering from firestone walker. everything i've tried from them has been well above average and this one is excellent.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2013 19:06:58 | More by Axnjxn

POTABLE83

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

06-06-2013 13:02:40 | More by POTABLE83

Topher78

California

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-06-2013 00:03:15 | More by Topher78

pinnser

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +16%

06-04-2013 01:55:58 | More by pinnser

jtc33

Colorado

4/5  rDev +3.1%

06-03-2013 21:06:34 | More by jtc33