Twilight Of The Idols - Hill Farmstead Brewery

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.63/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler filled at the brewery on 11.04.2010. Poured into a Bruery tulip.

Color is near black with a really strong tan head and loads of spotty lacing with a ring of light head and spots atop throughout. The nose brings a really nice, slight bourbon character. It's not overpowering, but is somewhat mellow with a nice vanilla and oak creaminess to it. Some slight chocolate in the background as well.

The taste is nice with a bittersweet chocolate character layered underneath a good presence of vanilla. Again, some really nice and mellow bourbon notes and a hint of oak. Medium body with a slight hint of booze. Overall, a fantastic brew from Shaun and the vanilla really shines through.

Serving type: growler

11-16-2010 11:53:56 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

4.4/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to jmgrub for sharing this one at my tasting.

Fall/Winter 2012 vintage.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, coffee beans, and vanilla. Taste is much the same with a rich cocoa, coffee, and vanilla flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer with some great aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 01:58:27 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Riding on the heels of Everett Porter, the winterized version ramps up with added vanilla and coffee, and a spicy zing that only cinnamon can provide. Without over doing it, this in many ways is the perfect winter beer, or spring beer, or summer beer.... you get the point.

But with the most well-built Porters, Twilight of the Idols pours with the deepest, darkest and most ominous dark brown color that is could easily be confused with Stout. Billowing with a creamy, dense, sand-stained head, the foam slowly recedes into a blanket across the glass that holds crazy-firm and laces the glass with broken lace in the beer's wake.

Chocolate, coffee, cream and vanilla fill the nose with a lush scent of dessert, robust, and ale scents. Firmly malty and balanced, that scent is decorated with notions of tangy yougurt, nondescript spice, and woodish hops.

Its delicious taste is lead by a blend of bold roast coffee and bittersweet chocolate. Those tastes are supported by the lavish taste of sweetened whipped cream, heavy cream, vanilla, and a tangy malt taste that offers up a pleasant acidity to match that of the roast. Delving a tad deeper, the roasted flavors reel in auxiliary tastes of walnuts, woody hops, a modest spice of cinnamon, and a tinge of burnt fruit. Finishing earthy and modestly bitter- the coffee tones seem to carry the beer's final impressions.

Full bodied, but not absurd- the beer's velvety texture presents its cream character early and retains its structure very deep into the session. A gradual turn to dryness yields a malty-dry close with light warmth, slim acidity, and high rate of satisfaction!

Its sinful of how well this beer satisfies the taste- and does so with no real gimmicks, over-selling attributes, and keeping within style. Its raises the bar of what is the best Porter on the market!

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 05:29:41 | More by BEERchitect

drabmuh

Maryland

4.1/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

At the time of this review, this beer is #8 on the "Top Beers - American Porter" list on beeradvocate.com. Impressive, at least to me for sure. Served in a stemmed tulip from Hlil Farmstead. This has been a long time want and brings me slightly closer to finishing the BA top 250 list. So that's pretty sweet (four to go).

Beer is black with a thin tan head of small bubbles, head needs coaxing to come out but once it does it is made up of tiny bubbles, some lacing, moderate retention, low carbonation.

Aroma is sweet, mild chocolate, no cinnamon unfortunately.

Beer is medium in body and fairly sweet, the finish isn't bitter or spicy at all, it is super drinkable and makes me happy. I really enjoy this beer and hope to have it again in the future, perhaps on draft or fresher when the spices are still dominant.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 13:56:05 | More by drabmuh

metter98

New York

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is essentially jet black in color and has just notes of amber near the edges of the glass when it is held up to a bright light. It poured with a finger high brownish tan head consisting of large bubbles that died down but left a good amount of bubbles still covering the surface.
S: Moderately strong aromas of roasted coffee beans in the nose.
T: The taste has lots of flavors of coffee beans (slightly roasted) and chocolate malts along with notes of vanilla beans, the latter of which particularly stand out in the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: If you like coffee and vanilla beans, you'll find this to be a beer that's packed with flavors and is also very well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:33:33 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Growler shared by Sean, to cap off a day of debaucherous drinking. Served in an unknown vessel - probably a Darkness glass.

A - Late-rising tan foam settles to a thin collar, leaving minimal lace. Black body.

S - Huge, rich chocolate cake aroma, with notes of molasses, vanilla, high-end coffee, roasted malts, and a touch of smokiness.

T - The taste is also heavy on the chocolate and roasted malts, with light coffee and vanilla bean notes creeping in from time-to-time. The cinnamon finally makes its presence known in the finish, but it's exceptionally well-integrated. I don't really like cinnamon much (particularly in beer), but it works in this case.

M - Medium body, pleasant medium-low carbonation, chewy and sticky texture, with a viscosity that implies a bigger beer. No perceptible alcohol.

D - Delicious stuff that I would gladly drink again on any occasion. I'd like to get another growler, as I don't think my mental facilities were quite up for the complexity and depth of flavor when we drank this beer. I'm extremely hopeful for Birth of Tragedy.

Serving type: growler

11-27-2011 18:43:37 | More by MasterSki

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had a glass at the Farmhouse in Burlington VT. Damn, that's a porter. The coffee and vanilla are wonderfully blended into the beer. So many coffee porters and stouts go too heavy on the java, and even get a stale taste. This beer takes a great cup of joe, adds a dash of subtle vanilla, and still brings a great porter. The malt brough a dark, chocolate character with a sharp roasted edge that's balanced by the sweet vanilla. The beer is formidable, but never too heavy. Find this porter.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2012 03:41:35 | More by tempest

mdfb79

New York

4.48/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 12/01/12 notes. Big thanks to Franch for sharing a fresh growler of this at Zwanze Day 2012.

a - Pours a deep brown, almost black color, with one inch of light tan head and moderate carbonation evident. Looks pretty good.

s - Smells of coffee, roasted malts , vanilla, caramel malts, sweet milk chocolate, toasted malts, light cinnamon, and gingerbread. Awesome nose; ton of nice coffee, chocolate, and vanilla to it.

t - Tastes of coffee, milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malts, vanilla, cinnamon, spice, toasted malts, bread, burnt malts, espresso. Follows the nose very closely, which is a great thing. Love the taste.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Pretty smooth and creamy body, and no heat whatsoever. Great mouthfeel.

o - Overall a fantastic porter. I've had 2 darker beers from HF now between this and Damon and both have been great. This one just has a ton of coffee, vanilla, and chocolate to it, with no heat whatsoever and is easy to drink. Would love to have this one again sometime.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 20:37:36 | More by mdfb79

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tap at the Hill Farmstead tasting room.

Tap at hf brewery

Big fluffy darker head, lacing, pitch black beer with no light.

Nose lots of dark malts, roast, hint of cocoa, black patent, chalky powdered choc, caramel, lots of oats, espresso fresh coffee grinds.

Taste creamy malts , chocolate milk and milk chocolate, hint of dark, cocoa, then coffee grinds and espresso, roasted malts, oats, caramel, vanilla, deep bakers chocolate, flaked and powdered cocoa and coffee. Finishes a bit bitter, dry, lots more chocolate and roast.

Mouth is med to a bit heavier bodied, decent carb.

Overall really nice, great dark malt flavors without too much bitterness or any burnt flavors, nice and creamy and tasty, drinkable, a big time winner!

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 23:07:46 | More by jlindros

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ Lord Hobo (Cambridge, MA) on 2/3/12. Served in a cervoise.

Pours black, with a thin mocha colored head. This retains with some creamy ringing around the edges, leaving back a nice enough looking cascade of spotty lacing behind. Chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon sit right at the forefront, with flavorful roasted coffee flavors moving in next, before it is all undercut by a floral green citrus presence. There’s just a nice ebb and flow to the nose, with the flavors intertwining beautifully here.

The taste is just as rich, with chocolate, toffee, and dark burnt grains spreading out into more of a roasted espresso presence. Hops are bit more assertive here as well, with a profile of green citric bitterness. The vanilla addition really works nicely here, as it helps smooth out some of the rough edges from the hops and roast but they still return in the finish, with a combination of citric bitterness and a dry charred feel. Cinnamon is spread throughout, with me probably picking it up in backend and finish of the profile the most. The mouthfeel is full bodied, with a big mouth filling firm creaminess to the carbonation which pops that roast and hops on the tongue. This gets a much more smooth and silky feeling along the back, combining with that ridiculously well hid ABV to get this a extra creamy feel that goes down effortlessly.

I’ve been anxious to try this one for a while now and man, I was impressed! I just loved the combo of flavors involved here, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, with roast and hops adding a bit of an edge to things. But this was so well balanced and smooth overall. Wow, I love their takes on American Porters from here. Just tremendous stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2012 15:37:13 | More by Kegatron

HopHead84

California

4.23/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12/29/2012

2012 Fall/Winter release 500ml bottle poured into Hill Farmstead stemware.

A: The essence of black, possessing neither brown nor crimson tones when held to light. The khaki head is mousse-like and lingers for a few minutes before settling to a bubbly froth. Sheets of lacing are scattered.

S: Firm roasted malt presence (slightly charred) with soft vanilla notes and earthy coffee. Dark chocolate is pervasive and there's a little licorice in there. I'm not really getting cinnamon in the aroma, despite the site's description of the beer. I'm not sure if this batch has it.

As the beer opens up I detect a nutty quality to the coffee, and now I'm getting some cinnamon. Very nice.

T: Bittersweet dark chocolate blends with roasted grains and a little licorice. Coffee is potent, bringing to mind earth and char. Vanilla is soft up front but a bit stronger on the back end and it tastes quite nice. There's a moderate level of bitterness and a little alcohol in the charred coffee finish. Cinnamon becomes apparent when the beer warms to room temperature, bringing to mind Mexican chocolate.

M: Lower full body with upper medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is chewy, sticky, silky, and viscous. Hill Farmstead nailed this aspect of the beer.

Overall: I'm really enjoying this. The beer has a nice blend of flavors that go well with the base Porter. It really opens up when allowed to breathe.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 02:56:08 | More by HopHead84

Brad007

Vermont

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep black color with a nice, thick brown head.

Aroma is full of cream and chocolate. Just a hint of roasted coffee.

Taste is dark and rich with roasted coffee and a light hint of cream and chocolate.

Only a touch of roasted coffee remains. It pretty much seeps into your pores.

This ale is marvelous. I would expect no less from Hill Farmstead. Shaun knows how to take a style and make an excellent interpretation of that style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2010 00:04:46 | More by Brad007

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks go to BA Deuane for sharing this growler over the weekend. I got to have several pours into a snifter. The brew appears black in color with thick mocha colored head. The cap fades slowly producing a full wall of lace. A light swirl revives a finger back to the surface.

The smell is pretty strong with vanilla beans. Almost a sticky feeling to the nostrils before the onset of roasty coffee, charred grain, earthen elements and then citrus hops. Across the back as this brew warms up, it is somewhat reminescent of an oyster stout with its mineral inclusion and roasty elements.

The flavor is super roasty with dark kilned grain and an accenting bitterness of citrus bitter coffee coupled with herbal hops. A pronounced sticky vanilla bean flavor and sweetness persists though the middle of this brews flavor profile. The finish goes back to a bit of that previous mentioned oyster stout feel with plenty of mineral character somewhat earthen and reminescent of cinnamon bark.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is smooth and easy drinking with lots of pleasant roasty stout quality contrasted by sticky sweet vanilla bean addition. I had no problems finishing my glass and reaching for more. My only complaint is the mineral aspect thy seemed a bit out of place.

Serving type: growler

11-13-2012 15:19:49 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.89/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pure black in color. Tan head.

Flavors of coffee and chocolate. A lot of roast. The vanilla and cinnamon show. It is actually kind of spicy. Red hots. Very malty.

Mouthfeel is roasty and smooth. Ends kind of dry.

Overall this is a nice coffee stout. Very unique. I couldn't drink a lot of it, however.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 03:29:26 | More by mothman

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler shared by starrdogg. Thanks Matt!

The beer is dark brown with a quarter inch of beige head. The aroma is roasty, with a touch of spice. Vanilla presence hits immediately upon the first sip. While vanilla presence is muted in the aroma, it is rather assertive in the flavor. Smooth, silky feel with lingering vanilla, chocolate. Delicious. Another fabulous beer from Hill Farmstead.

Serving type: growler

11-03-2012 01:50:30 | More by Huhzubendah

largadeer

California

3.8/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks, Nick. Growler into a tulip glass.

Opaque dark brown with a black center. A small tan head forms and quickly recedes to a thin collar.

The nose is heavy on roasted malt, quite bready and bordering on burnt. It smells like a bar of bittersweet chocolate when it warms. Pleasant enough, but not terribly aromatic.

It's bolder on the palate, with flavors of anise and baker's chocolate, burnt bread, French roast coffee. I've read that this was brewed with cinnamon and vanilla, but I couldn't pick out those flavors above all the dark malt. The mouthfeel is dry, medium-light in body, perhaps a touch thin for the 7.5% ABV. An enjoyable beer, easy to drink, but not particularly special.

Serving type: growler

01-07-2011 00:18:45 | More by largadeer

dirtylou

Washington

4.11/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, split

Note: Despite the description on this page and the claims of some reviewers, there does not appear to be cinnamon in this beer. It's not listed in the description or ingredients list, nor is it detected anywhere in the beer.

A good porter, but not really stand-out. Dark and roasty with a big dry roast finish. The vanilla beans are subtle, cocoa and cocoa dust seem to permeate. Heavy on the dark chocolate, chocolate malt, and a secondary blast of coffee. I liked, but not really an upper class porter to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 00:12:23 | More by dirtylou

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.99/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Thank you, Eric. Fall 2012 release.

A very dark brown that ends up being black in my Duvel glass, this beer is capped with a dense, light brown head with excellent retention and moderate lacing. The nose is pretty solid. Coffee and vanilla bean are immediately noticeable, along with an undercurrent of roast, caramel and unsweetened chocolate. Hop character is minimal here. The vanilla is surprisingly potent, lending sweetness as well as flavor to the nose. The coffee character is interesting. Unlike many coffee beers, this isn't loaded with dark roast. Instead, it's closer to a medium roast, with the fruity notes pairing well with the chocolate and vanilla.

The palate is a step up from the nose. Creamy and gently carbonated, this beer opens with a blend of vanilla, caramel, coffee and chocolate. Not as roasty as my favorite porters, though there is a pleasant grainy bitterness towards the finish. Vanilla characteristics dominate, with the unsweetened chocolate and coffee coming in second and third. The combination is quite enjoyable, though. The finish is creamy, almost with a touch of lactose, with chocolate and vanilla dominating. The medium body on this beer is just wonderful, a sentiment that is heightened by the fantastic level of carbonation. A very good beer, though pricey for what it is IMO.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 06:06:46 | More by DefenCorps

FosterJM

California

4.18/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

1761st review on BA
Bottle to snifter
500ml

Thanks to GuruDel for sharing.

App- A very dark pour. Not at all the brown porter I was expecting. Much more of a black inky pour with a big and full brown head. Good scattering of cling and falls semi slowly.

Smell- I liked the addition of the vanilla in this one. The base porter wasnt as malt forward as I would have thought and instead was a bit sweeter on the nose. A bit thin on aromatics and draws more from the additional vanilla. I like vanilla. I dont mind.

Taste- This porter was damn tasty. I like the balance struck between the line of thin stout vs. full porter. The flavors are balanced and complimentary without overshadowing the malt line. Additional vanilla really enhances the flavors and balance on this one.

Mouth- A thicker body and a thicker carbonation make this one a better sipping beer. A bit full for the style but the residual vanilla and char make up for it.

Drink- I really thought I would have to trade a ton for this one. Thanks for sharing vince. I appreciate it.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 00:50:37 | More by FosterJM

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

3.54/5  rDev -19%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle poured into tulip 28/4/13 cheers Rutager for the bottle

A gushed upon opening but I managed to get it all in my glass with a massive mocha head that has great retention leaving a few chunks of lace, the liquids nearing black

S has some nice chocolate, vanilla, coffee and licorice, but a an infections setting in with a little funk being noticeable, its not too bad but I doubt the funky notes are intentional

T anise and licorice are a little stronger and has a little spice I can't place, a little mint I didn't smell, chocolates not as dark and I want to love it but there's some bretty funk in the background that seems out as place

M a few extra bubbles and a little thin for the color, finish has a little char to it and still just a little funk

O even a bad bottles still decent? I'll need to read some reviews but I'm pretty sure what I'm drinking isn't what HF intended, even with a little funk there's still enough nice roasty notes to make it enjoyable

quite disappointing when you open a top 250 for the first time and it just isn't what you expect, I'm almost certain I got a bad bottle so please send me all you HF so I can do some quality control

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 17:11:27 | More by wordemupg

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the NYC Gingerman into a goblet. Reviewed from notes.

A: Black body with a finger of creamy light brown head; average retention and good lacing. Solid.

S: Rich roasted notes of espresso and dark chocolate, along with some oak, dark candied fruit, and spice - anise and cinnamon. Lovely.

T: Opens with huge, authentic-tasting cocoa, molasses, and anise. Vanilla oak and candied fruit come on strong midway through, leading to a smoothly bittersweet finish. Absolutely decadent.

M: Robust medium body with light, soft carbonation. Pleasant enough.

D: I don't know the ABV, but I could drink tons. Very rich and yet supremely smooth.
[edit: I originally gave this a 5 for Drinkability, but in light of the change to Overall I've lowered the score to a 4.5]

Notes: This was just a fantastic porter. The spice, roast, and sweetness all worked together beautifully, making the whole package one of the most enjoyable and satisfying winter beers I've had. I wish this were more readily available, and count myself lucky to have gotten to try it.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2011 16:28:04 | More by woosterbill

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to benz08 for picking this up on his visit to VT in December.

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with some very dark amber highlights and a light to moderate amount of gentle visible carbonation at the surface. The beer has a finger tall dark tan beige that slowly reduces to an extremely thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer with a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of dark roasted malts with moderate to heavy amounts of chocolate and slightly lesser aromas of vanilla and coffee.

T: Moderate to strong flavors of dark roasted malts with some chocolate notes to it, then there are some moderate flavors of freshly brewed coffee. After that, there is a light amount of vanilla that imparts a touch of sweetness. Moderate amounts of bitterness which fades over a fairly short amount of time.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth and slightly creamy.

O: This is a really enjoyable brew that I was happy to get my hands on, and I would be happy to have a few more of these - it is a really nice brew. Very nice complexity to both the smell and the taste with nice coffee and vanilla notes (one of my favorite combinations).

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:27:39 | More by dbrauneis

oline73

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a growler into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours very dark, almost black with a layer of light tan head. The head fades to a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Sweet and packed full or roast. Some mild dark fruit and chocolate in there as well.

Taste: This is a very smooth beer. Lots of roast, but it is smooth like silk. Dark chocolate shows up as well. The finish is a bit sweet.

Mouthfeel: The body is on the thick side with very mild carbonation. The finish is dry.

Overall: This is just a fantastic porter. Nothing I didn't like about it.

Serving type: growler

11-26-2011 18:51:30 | More by oline73

billab914

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a growler into a tasting glass. Black in color with a huge frothy head to it. Nice head retention and great lacing. Great looking porter overall.

Aroma has very nice notes of both chocolate and vanilla. There is a herbal almost piny presence to it as well. Vanilla is pretty good, but the aroma doesn't seem to quite come together as well as the taste does.

The taste has some really nice roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla flavors to it. The vanilla lingers into the finish. There is a little coffee to it as well. Very smooth and drinkable and the vanilla compliments it perfectly.

Mouthfeel is creamy and somewhat thick with carbonation being moderate. Great mouthfeel for the style. Overall, it was a very good beer. The aroma was a little off but the taste completely made up for it. Very good beer overall, I especially loved the vanilla component.

Serving type: growler

12-21-2012 17:21:03 | More by billab914

ehammond1

California

3.4/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle (2012)

Acquired via trade
Thanks, mkabull!

A very appropriately pretty porter. Very dark brown, bordering on black, with a moderate-sized, and somewhat persistent dark brown head. Leaves irregular spiderwebs of stick down the glass.

Miscellaneous roast in the aroma along with definite cinnamon. Simple and straightforward, and the cinnamon definitely adds uniqueness, though I don't think it's particularly complementary.

The flavor follows the aroma: roast, mild chocolate, some definite cinnamon character that adds some licorice and spice notes, though could be confused with an acidity. I don't think it's complementary nor works very well at all with the base beer. I would prefer this without the cinnamon. Nice, lingering chocolate character on the finish, however.

Medium bodied with moderate-high carbonation for the style.

Different strokes for different folks. A rather ordinary beer made less appealing through the addition of cinnamon.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 02:29:32 | More by ehammond1