Pot Kettle Black - Yeastie Boys

TheDudeImbibes

Australia

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Alright folks, finally getting around to posting a review.
Bought a growler of this from warners at the bay bottlo on Monday, finally cracking it on Saturday. Poured into a gouden Carolus chalice.

A: Pours a 1 finger head that settles swiftly to a fine film. Splodges of lacing. Not terrible considering it's been in the growler so long (that's what she said). Black with chocolatey tan edges when held to the light.

S: Burnt toast, roast malt. Might be some hops in there but the toastiness dominates. Smells like a porter.

T: Porter roastiness to begin and then, ah, there's the hops I'm looking for. Could use a bit more in my opinion. Bittersweet finish. Quite dry and kind of refreshing to begin with, but the bitterness is more prominent as it warms. Overall quite a balanced flavour though. Not too bad.

M: Pretty on par for a porter. Maybe a bit thin.

Overall this is better than I was expecting, considering yeastie boys tend to hype up their beers to a ridiculous degree. A decent 'new world porter'. A bit too much for a whole growler maybe, time for some of Headlessclown's home brew to refresh myself.

Serving type: growler

05-07-2011 10:12:08 | More by TheDudeImbibes

farrago

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Damn near foams out of the glass with an average pour, gives you about a finger of LIQUID below the head, excellent retention not helping matters, it’s a very deep brown color, quite airy with hardly any larger bubbles, lots of cratering as it does finally dissolve, the lacing is thick and above average. The liquid likewise is a dark brown, clean but mostly opaque, with a brightening orange cast at the glass bottom. Heavy roast to the nose, coffee beans, dark chocolate, baguette, hard toffee, at times leafy with pungent white citrus and also pine sap notes, too much toast for much fruit to come through, lots of kick and energy. Medium-bodied, dry with an almost dusty texture to it. The carbonation acts like sandpaper gently scrubbing the tongue, doesn’t really provide lift. The coffee roast knit back into a larger and milkier chocolate base, more caramel than toffee. The white grapefruit citrus remains comfortably in second place. Pine, licorice and some cherry pit next, the more you sip the hoppier it seems. Might actually benefit from additional smokiness. Does not strive for crazy complexity, chooses an interesting array of flavors and keeps the recipe simple.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 23:59:23 | More by farrago

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.64/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

330mL bottle, no date

pours a very dark brown, almost black. ruby colored highlights when held up to the light. thin off-white head, good head retention. smells of slight mild roast and nice earthy hops. pleasant. the taste starts slightly sweet, but finishes more balanced with dank herbal-like hop flavors. none of the roastiness that I picked up the aroma. medium to full bodied, medium level of carbonation, it works.

I have a feeling that the hops may have faded a bit on the journey half-way around the world. but still a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 03:41:37 | More by jmdrpi

cooler4life

Quebec (Canada)

3.66/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A: Poured a monstrous four finger mocha head. Beer is a pitch black color. Lacing and glass retention are great.

S: Slightly acidic, coffee beans, peat, cacao.

T: Slight malt and hops. Balanced with coffee notes and bittersweet chocolate.

M: Crispy clean. Great balance of stickiness and carbonation. For coming all the way from Down Under, it was really pleasant.

O: Average +

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 16:18:22 | More by cooler4life

tykechandler

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

note: 12 oz bottle aged for approximately 2 months (not likely a huge difference, but must be noted)

A- dark brown with a nice lacing head, about two fingers high poured delicately from a bottle

S- dark berries! some malt as well.

T- actually much smokier and maltier than i remember it being fresh (dunno if that's my memory being faulty or due to the moderate aging this bottle has accrued). still light, but with more pronounced chocolate notes, maybe some coffee.

M- light, slightly fizzy actually, which is a bit surprising.

O- better than i recall. again, not sure how much is due to the slight aging and how much is due to memory. but a totally fine beer regardless. now i kinda want a fresh one, and another to cellar for a year, just for fun. certainly recommended for fans of the style.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 07:20:41 | More by tykechandler

SLeffler27

New York

3.75/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Almost black with dark brown highlights in a Dogfish Head snifter. The head is explosive and glistens chestnut brown as it ranges from creamy to rocky and quickly overwhelms the glass. The head slowly turns completely rocky and barely diminishes.

The aroma is reminiscent of dark berries with a light, but distinctive, pine and faint roasted malt. Additionally, one may find some baker’s chocolate.

The flavor is surprisingly light with bitterness and sweetness. Roasted malt is varely noticeable in the mild finish. As it warms, some coffee and chocolate is released.

This one has a medium to light body with a watery texture and surprisingly light, fizzy carbonation. The alcohol is as expected.

Pot Kettle Black is easily consumable once the head tames a bit. Overall it is okay on its own, but better when accompanied by food.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 21:04:50 | More by SLeffler27

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Draft offering served in a mug at the Trapp Door. I never had an offering from the Yeasty Boys before so I had to try this. It appears dark brown in color with ruby clarity through the body. A rich finger of khaki head sits atop and slowly fades leaving a wall of lace on the glassware.

The aroma is fruity with a mixture of alcohol esters and fruity to floral hop quality. A hint of licorice root and something almost like root beer fills the nose midway. Some roasty grain is the last scent noted.

The flavor is roasty with a solid inclusion of fruity and floral hops blending with fruity esters of alcohol. Like the nose suggested, a flavor of licorice and root beer is noted mid-palate which is a bit strange.

This is on the lighter side of medium bodied with a modest amount of carbonation visually and a bit thinner in the feel. It is smooth, easy drinking and quite unique. I had no problems finishing my glass but style-wise it made me scratch my head. Think something along the lines of a weak porter blended with root beer. The hop additions seem to come all late in the process providing plenty of aroma and flavor but little bitterness. Strange but decent.

Serving type: on-tap

11-05-2012 19:25:38 | More by stakem

kiya

California

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Got this part of my monthly beer club from Plumpjack SF.

Opening the bottle the brew bubbled up and out of the bottle. Pours a very dark chocolate brown with an extremely milk shake thick head. Head retention is extreme on this guy, even through the entire glass it still remained thick and heavy.

Smells of roasted walnuts with a strong campfire mustiness that becomes more pronounced as it comes up to room temp.

I'm expecting more than what i got from the flavors here considering the smell and look of the beer. There's a roasted malt flavor in the front mixed with a very smokey flavor creeping up. A sourness that seems like it doesn't really belong lingers even minutes after the last sip.

The brew stays heavily carbonated through the session to the point of almost being too bubbly.
A fine beer for it's style for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 22:46:25 | More by kiya

FreshHawk

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark cherry cola color. Very large, light, bubbly, sticky, frothy, ecru head. Very nice retention leaving plenty of sticky lace.

S - Loads of roasted/earthy malt. A good amount of dark chocolate/cocoa with some stale dark coffee. A bit of a fruitiness as it warms (both dark fruit and a sweet citrus). Some licorice as well. Not overly hoppy.

T - Again, not overly hoppy. A good amount of general roasted flavor. Fair amount of licorice and dark fruit that probably pairs and slightly hides the fruity hop flavors. Strong dark coffee and chocolate flavors with that roasted malt.

M - Medium body with average carbonation. Fairly smooth and creamy. Slight dryness on the finish but not too dry.

D - Easy to drink with a smooth body and flavors that compliment each other. Tasty but not overly tempting.

Notes: Decent Black Ale (not my favorite style). Not too hoppy but it seems to go along with the licorice/dark fruit. Light hoppy porter, roasty black ale, something in between; not sure what to classify it. Overall it's good but not great or worth the price. But the brewery name is fun, right?

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 02:54:25 | More by FreshHawk

oberon

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a standard pint glass nearly pitch black except for a tinge of reddish brown,a one finger tan colored head atop.Earth and roast with some green leafy hop notes,not overly complex and on the dryer side.Flavors of roast and bitter unsweetened chocolate and charred fruit with low handed leafy hops in the finish.A lighter hopped ABA in my mind,a decent amount of char and pretty dry,pretty average for the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 18:05:53 | More by oberon

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Chunky lace from the lumpy and frothy beige head. The broth is deep ruby brown where bright light will shine through the center of the glass.

This smells like a fudge brownie--sweet and rich with double dark chocolate. There's a bit of oatmeal to the nose as well.

More burnt malt than the nose suggests. Comes across like a cross between a dry porter and a stout. There's notable hop in the swallow. Short aftertaste because of the dryness of the liquid. Thin bodied in an appropriate way. The low carbonation helps.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 01:43:01 | More by smcolw

JaredKent

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: This is a dark beer. It is black and even when a light is held to it, not much gets through. The head pours softly, about half a heads worth. It lingers though, providing a "crema" like appearance throughout drinking.

Scent: Right up front a get quite a bit of rich chocolate and coffee. This is followed up by a hint of smokey ash. The hops come through a bit, but nothing too overpowering. Lots of roasted malt coming through. Definitely stands in the forefront.

Taste: Once again the roasted flavors come through strong. Definitely get a coffee taste with minimal chocolate. The hops come through a bit more on the palate, but really their contribution is in the bitterness, which there is plenty of on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied. The carbonation is well balanced, what you would come to expect from your average beer.

Overall: Before purchasing this I wasn't sure what style it was. Some legitimate sources called it a black IPA, some called it a Porter. Yeastie Boys' website officially calls it a Black IPA, while acknowledging the "Hoppy Porter" title as well. I would definitely describe it as the latter. The roasted barley is the strongest flavor in this beer. The hops are fairly mild. In my own experience I like the reverse for Black IPAs; Hops upfront and roasted barley as a support. Still a very enjoyable beer though. I'd mark it down as a hybrid between a Black IPA and a Porter. If a Black IPA is halfway between IPA and Porter than this is about 3/4 of the way, leaning towards the Porter end of the scale.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 22:25:29 | More by JaredKent

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from an 11.2oz bottle into a duvel glass.

A: pours a nice deep black with a hint of dark brown around the edges when held to the light.... A semi gentle pour but not much head at all here... Maybe half a finger.... Dissapates quickly.... A few touches of lacing... But nothing impressive.

S: sort of dry musty aroma to me... Dry roasty chocolate with a touch earthy hop... Honestly I was expecting more hops in the aroma.... A bit of black licorice and a kiss of dark fruit ... As the beer warms the roasty character really comes out.

T: taste... Deffinatly steps it up from the aroma... Nice and roasty, with notes of chocolate and black licorice and coffee... Very tasty... Not much hops... But delicious overall.

M: light medium body and dry.... Creamy with nice medium/high carbonation... Perfect for this brew

O: a very good very tasty brew, creamy, roasty and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 01:20:52 | More by PeterIngemi

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a nice looking black color with a large brown foamy head. The lacing was pretty good on this brew as well as the retention on it. The smell of the beer was hoppy and roasted. More along the lines of a porter in my opinion. The taste of the beer had a nice burn flavor to it as well as the hoppy crisp finish. The mouthfeel of it wasn't too bad, rather drinkable with a dry finish. Overall this was a pretty good brew I thought. Looking forward to having more from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 23:37:41 | More by Knapp85

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

4.15/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

330ml bottle. ½ Pint glass. Enjoyed on apr´12.Very dark amber in color & deep ruby to the light. Beige, creamy & copious, lasting crown. Rocky collars. Head lasts on to top ´til the end. Roasted malt, floral, citric aromas with oat hints. Flavorful malt, viscous taste of subtle roasted cereal flavor. Dry bitterness & earthy touch to the palate followed by a soft velvet sensation. No esters. Slightly grainy in the middle. Hops show their personality in a perfect balance with such an intense malty profile where malts provide creamy viscosity. May be chewed it up! Full body, soft carbonation. Dry finish & earthy hops on the aftertaste. Amazing beer not as refreshing as usual Brown Porters but much more pleasant in flavor. Gentle mouthfeel & more delicious than regular Robust Porters. Highly recommended for malt lovers. Outstanding job, Kiwis!!

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 09:40:49 | More by GONZALOYANNA

danieelol

Australia

3.25/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours black with good head and lacing.

Nose is that of a high quality, rich stout. Toasted, roasted caramel and chocolate. Slight bit of hoppiness following through. Bit of soy and barleywine-malt, marshmallows. Almond nuttiness.

Taste is weak and kind of watery. Bit of bitter soot.

Mouthfeel is similarly thin and kind of lacking.

Overall an OK beer which kind of falls apart with wateriness and astringency when it gets to the taste buds.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 13:48:52 | More by danieelol

Brad007

Vermont

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I've heard the Beastie Boys and the Yeastie Girlz. This is my first introduction to Yeastie Boys brewery straight outta Wellington!

Pours a pitch black with reddish undertones and a huge head that is quick to fade.

Lots of citrusy hops that mingle with dark malts. There's a bit of cream too.

Interesting textures. The malt seems unusual for some reason (it's grainy?) but there's enough pine resin, caramel and light cocoa for the enthusiast.

Very little lingers in the mouth. Dry and bitter. Nothing else.

Middle of the road. Very drinkable regardless of rating.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 00:49:08 | More by Brad007

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.55/5  rDev -32.2%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours out a dark brown, near black body with a huge, slowly creeping, light beige head.

Smell: Faint roast, a little hint of green hops, but not much slipping out past this unyielding, headstrong head.

Taste: Dark, roasty maltiness with a sliver of chilled coffee and a faint dusting of cocoa. Modestly sweet. Lightly spiced. Hint of dark fruitiness, also some underlying earthiness. Touch of hops, bitterness. Sweetish and aggravatingly foamy on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. High, pesky carbonation.

Overall: I think Joaquin Phoenix said it best: It vexes me. I'm terribly vexed.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 17:07:56 | More by ChainGangGuy

flexabull

California

3.78/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown color with a large off white head.

Aromas are malty, vegetal, and creamy sweet.  Smells pretty good, but not like the black IPA / hoppy porter this claims to be.

Taste is very roasty, nice dark burnt malt sweetness, hints of smoke, coffee, and a lightly bitter, with an earthy hoppiness on the finish. While the hoppiness wasn't very strong in the nose, it showed up nicely in the finish.

Mouthfeel is good, a touch thin though.

Overall a nice beer, that doesn't fit the style (Black IPA) as well to me.  I like it, but this is much more like a hoppy porter than an American Black Ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 21:39:15 | More by flexabull

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from Purvis. From notes.

A - Poured a root beer colour with one finger of beige head. Good carbonation with good lace drapes and half a finger of retention.

S - Milk chocolate, roasty, very light hop. I wouldn't expect this to be a black IPA if this was a blind tasting, but it smells pretty nice.

T - Milk chocolate, a little coffee and roastiness with a French Vanilla kinda flavour. Light hop there as well.

M - Medium carbonation, rich silky body and some sweet chocolate in the finish and a light hop bitterness.

O/D - Much closer to a porter of sorts. Hops are very light to nonexistent. As a porter or stout it's great but as a black IPA it's weak. I enjoyed it but it misses the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 00:41:18 | More by tbeckett

cwguy5

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A - pretty darn dark, black as i can tell with maybe some deep brown highlights; sticky, foamy, smooth, cinnamon colored head that left lots of lacing

S - some rubber tire, raw nuts, cream, toast - unique...

T - roasted malt, nuts, then some bitterness that starts very mild and then increases a bit ending in a dry, moderately bitter aftertaste

M - very, creamy mouthfeel on a medium body; light, smooth carbonation not unlike nitro

O - different take on the style; not sure if the hops were faded or just very light to begin with but the flavors were actually pretty balaced; i enjoyed the nuttiness and creamy texture; the smell is weird though

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 02:19:46 | More by cwguy5

DoubleJ

California

2.98/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Yeastie Boys has a certain ring to it that I can't resist. It must be the fact I used to listen to the Beastie Boys years back. I did not expect to find this when I was shopping at Palm springs Liquor in La Mesa, CA. So, from a 330 ml bottle, on to the beer:

There's a big billowy head sitting on top of this black beer. It does fade to a dark brownish color towards the smaller part of the chalice, so it's not black as black can be. Admirable head retention to this stuff, and it leaves glops of lacing around the glass. There's a little dose of roastiness, a touch of tangerine, and unfortunately some amount of a phenol problem (plastic band aids).

Damn you plastic band aids. You wreck what tastes like a good beer. A little chocolate brownie, a dose of sweet citrus, pine, lingering chocolate roast. Hmmm, even with an infection, this doesn't tastes horrible. Its medium body and smoothness seem to help too.

After smelling it, I though it would taste worse. Still, meh. Don't say you were warned American geeks.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 05:34:42 | More by DoubleJ

aasher

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This just arrived this past Friday. It pours a light to medium bodied chestnut brown in color with a beige lacing around the glass. The nose is really nice. It features soft and smooth light chocolate, coffee with cream, a mild malty sweetness with just a touch of hop bitterness. Very complex for the style. The flavors are dry and hoppy with a moderate amount of bitterness. It begins dry and finishes with a nice slightly sweet chocolate maltiness. It's very approachable and has great drinkability. I like it. It's worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 00:39:56 | More by aasher

metter98

New York

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very dark amber in color and poured with an off white head that didn’t last all that long.
S: Light aromas of dark malts are present in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of roasted malts and is accompanied by a moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. The finish has some dryness.
O: This beer tastes like a hybrid between an English IPA and an English Porter as it has a good balance of a light amount of bitterness and roasted flavors.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 04:37:39 | More by metter98

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

bottle from Premiere Gourmet. Roasty, but thought it was a shwartzbier, which it is posted correctly as I thought on our Dear BA. Satisfying though carbonation right there and not complex. Good drinkability, smooth, not an off-note. Black as night with a little mocha coloured head and lace.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 04:10:31 | More by northyorksammy