Shallow Grave - Heretic Brewing Company

PHBoiler

Illinois

4.36/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bomber poured into Sam Adams perfect pint

Deep dark brown with a perfect 1/2 inch chocolate brown head

Inviting to drink with the eyes, but the nose isn't strong. Difficult to pick up what is on the way.

Deep, rich chocolate flavors with a nice roast that stays roasty but doesn't convert to coffee. Dark chocolate richness with only mild bitterness that balances the flavor. Perfect mouthfeel that is rich and satisfying but not overly thick.

This beer stands up with Midwest heavyweights like Edmund Fitzgerald and Founders Porter.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 03:23:26 | More by PHBoiler

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.14/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

thanks to archenemybrew for this beer!

poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: black bodied beer with 3 fingers of tan head that results from a hard pour. Spotty lacing and good head retention.

Smell: Chocolate and mild roast malts! This is a great smelling porter!

Taste: Exactly like the nose. Nice chocolate note with a mellow roast malt flavor. As you keep drinking this beer, the roast starts to build a little bit. A hint of sassparilla and light smoke in the finish.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation. Really nice and easy drinking porter. Mouthfeel is appropriate for the style with just a little bit of creaminess. Not a hint of 7% abv. A well made beer.

Overall: Great example of a porter. Great chocolate notes; thats definately my favorite part about this beer. Its a solid beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 01:29:44 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

AWolfAtTheDoor

California

3.78/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Second beer of my NYE taste-a-thon. First beer from Jamil and Heretic.

Pours VERY dark into my pint glass, hints of ruby shine through at the right angle when held up to the light.

Delicious roasted goodness on the nose. Sweet chocolate notes as well.

Tastes more like an American Stout than an American Porter (is there such a nothing? Not according to the BJCP). Roasty and bitter. Hint of hop character. Bitterness is a touch strong for a Porter.

Mouthfeel is nice. Thickish and well carbonated. Spot on for the style.

Overall this is a good beer. It somewhat straddles the lines between American Stout and Robust Porter, but honestly should have been called a stout. Naming/marketing discrepancies aside, this is definitely a really nice beer. Highly recommend seeking it out if you're not afraid of stouts or robust porters.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 08:35:46 | More by AWolfAtTheDoor

bnes09

Illinois

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown, near black color and mostly opaque. Finger and a half or cream color foam leaves behind sticky lace patches.

Roasted malt aroma with bourbon tones. Herbal hop character.

Solid biscuity malt backbone with roasted toffee and chocolate sweetness. Oakey. Cooked corn. Herbal, earthy hop character well balanced with the malt.

Medium bodied and well carbonated. Good texture.

Great porter. Complex and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 14:50:08 | More by bnes09

heygeebee

Australia

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottled May 12, From Jims.

Pours a two finger tan head over black body. Head lasts a while but not over long.

Aromas on the money. Dark and rich, choc and coffee over a subtle smoke element. Little wood.

Taste is more sessionable and light than the ABV and smell would suggest. More smoke on palate and cigarbox than the smell would suggest, add in chocoalte notes. Roast malts are quite smooth.

Mouthfeel a little light.

Very well made beer, just not massive - as such may not suit diehards.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 10:21:38 | More by heygeebee

SHODriver

California

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: poured into a nonic pint to a deep black with ruby edges and a small tan head with decent retention
S: smells of coffee and chocolate with a bit of bitter hops and a touch of roasted barley
T: roasty and chocolatey with some coffee flavors a bit of caramel sweetness as well through the middle but the roast and chocolate battle it back. swallow is coffee and a bit of bittering hops with a touch of chocolate
M: smooth body and a medium amount of heft on the palate. it feels a little thick for a porter. good carb as well
O: pretty impressive. it's a well made beer and it tastes good. it's a little heavy but it makes up for it with flavor and the carbonation helps keep it from being too big. It's a solid beer and I look forward to trying some other stuff from Heretic Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 04:39:10 | More by SHODriver

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.55/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz bomber purchased from Slowbeer in Melbourne.

Pours a dark, but relatively fluid black colour, with a fine ring of beige-foam around the edges. Spotty, patchy lace forms erratically. Body looks really quite light, and the carbonation, while fine, runs through it pretty quickly. Looks ok, if not spectacular.

Nose is pleasantly deep and dark, without being too sharp, smoky or ashy. Roasted notes, some chocolate, a bit of turned earth, tobacco and coconut. It's all pretty smooth, and while not aggressive, it's quite full-flavoured. Nice stuff.

The body is very light—it's the first thing I notice when I take a sip—meaning that although the flavours are pleasant, they feel a bit weak and thin. There's more of that nice chocolate and mildly roasted grain character, a hint of something vegetative and supple, and a slight coffee note on the finish. But for 7% ABV, I'm surprised at how dry and thin it feels. It really needs more.

It's a shame, more than anything, because in many ways this is a very nice beer. It has some pleasant, well-integrated flavours and subtle complexities, but it feels like it dropped the ball overall. It should be better.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 07:42:27 | More by lacqueredmouse

BryanCarey

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

With aromas of coffee, roasted malt, and chocolate, this ale pours from the bottle with much promise. The body of the beer is dark brown/black and the tan head of foam maintains its presence for some time, leaving a good deal of lacing as you consume.

Heretic Shallow Grave Porter is a full bodied beer with a taste that combines coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt- exactly as expected based on the aroma. Digging deeper, there are some other flavors such as caramel, some milk, and some toasted notes. The beer finishes bitter, with the taste of bittersweet chocolate and hops.

This is a very tasty porter, but potential consumers must remember that the overall flavor profile leans toward the bitter side and this bitter finish could prove to be a turnoff for some- at least those who prefer their porter taste a little sweeter. I still find this a good porter overall, but even I admit this is not the type of beer I could consume on a regular basis. It is not a session beer by any stretch, but it is still flavorful and interesting enough to consider a drink or two when the urge for a bitter, robust porter strikes.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 01:58:00 | More by BryanCarey

stlunatic15

California

3.83/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Black & thick (that's what she said). Hardly any head or foam. Lacing falls along down the pint glass.

S - Difficult to tell since I have a stuffy nose at the moment, but I can contract some mocha (which I fucking love).

T - Spicy! Little kick of heat in the end there. Still maintains its standard Porter profile of coffee/chocolate/spice. However, it really tastes like a Chipotle porter. Reminds me of Mikkeller's, but not as smokey.

M - A bit different from the typical porters. A slight burn sensation occurs in the back of the throat as you're swallowing (not a negative aspect, though). I also noticed that it's not as thick or viscous as other porters. I'm actually diggin' the mouthfeel on this one - it's interesting.

O - Not as chocolate/coffee forward compared to most porters, but this is still a damn good one.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 07:45:00 | More by stlunatic15

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle from Beer Deluxe.

A - Poured black with slight red edges. A bit of carbonation coming up the sides. Three finger brown, creamy head. A few spatterings of lace and a half finger of retention.

S - Chocolate and roast.

T - More of the same with a bit of coffee roast.

M - Mild carbonation, medium to full body and a sweet then dry finish.

O/D - Well within the style guidelines, just not really pushing the boundaries. Everything is done well and it's enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 02:42:35 | More by tbeckett

JustinQ

California

4.23/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Serving Type: 22 oz bottle Poured into Imperial Pint.

Appearence: Opaque, No red hue even in the right light, though it may be my lighting. Tan, maybe even brown colored head.

Smell: Chocolate, Roast, sweetness, almost like hot cocoa aroma. No hops no Diacetyl.

Taste: Chocolatey Roast flavor, Classic Porter beer with a fruity sort of twist to it. In my opinion the fruitinss comes from a yeast character.

Mouthfeel: Thick and creamy then dry in the end. Perfect for a late night relaxing.

Overall: Great beer. I am amazed. This is really a great beer. Good job to Jamil and all the folks at Heretic

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 04:35:43 | More by JustinQ

dgilks

Australia

3.73/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Opaque dark brown colour with no head. The head is a disappointment but the rest is good.

Roasty and clean with a clear coffee and roast malt note. Some earthiness. A classically English robust porter.

Roasty, earthy and dry with some maltiness on the palate and a nice chocolate undertone. Hints of fruit. Very good.

A medium body works well with moderate carbonation. A truly good beer without being exciting.

A nice enough porter. While I expected more from Jamil it is good and would hit a lot of the requirements to be called 'to style'.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 10:10:05 | More by dgilks

Falcon91Wolvrn03

California

3.88/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance – A super dark brown beer, with a good tan head and nice lacing.

Smell – The smell wasn’t very strong; roasted malt and a little chocolate.

Taste – A very classic porter. Roasted malts with a little extra sweetness that makes it above average.

Mouthfeel – Medium body, lightly creamy, good carbonation for the style.

Drinkability – This is an easy drinking porter. It’s above average, but I didn’t find anything exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 20:26:41 | More by Falcon91Wolvrn03

ADZA

Australia

3.95/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours the darkest kola hue which leaves a mocha laced two finger head and nice lacing here and there,the smell is roasted dark malts,chocolate fudge,herbal earthy hops and milky coffee,the mouthfeel is medium bodied and velvety smooth with tastes of dark belgian chocolate,roasty dark malts,caramel fudge,earthy herbal hops and finished just like a nice bittersweet milky coffee and overall its a nice porter with a beautiful creamy feel and definately one of the better porters that ive tasted lately and would buy again cheers.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 11:40:07 | More by ADZA

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bomber into a 25cl Duvel tulip. Thanks, Matt, for sharing!

A: Black body, clear persimmon highlights. One finger of fine tan head. Mediocre retention, plenty of lace. Nice.

S: Vanilla, rotten fruit (in an OK way, I swear), chocolate, and light smoke. Interesting, and enjoyable.

T: Coffee, chocolate, char, and fruit. Dry, roasty finish. Still a little overripe tasting with the fruit, but pretty good.

M: Fairly light body, creamy carbonation. Nice.

O: While the fruitiness was a little off-putting, it also set this one apart from your normal Porter. Enjoyable beer, and well worth a try.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 19:11:20 | More by woosterbill

srandycarter

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Almost black, brown. Tan head, fast to ring. Lots of cling.

S - Cocoa, choc chip cookies, very pleasant.

T - Not so nice. Astringent, harsh, no sweetness. Dry as all get out.

M - Good carb, medium body, balance is hard when it's so one sided.

D - Liked it up to smell!

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2012 04:46:22 | More by srandycarter

mactrail

California

3.65/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thoroughly black in the tall glass with a nice beige head rising high. Not too much aroma, just a note of dark malt. Pleasant mouthful of suds. Strikes the balance between sweet and dry. Fairly malty with more of a medium body. So dark, but the charred flavor seems to have been kept at a minimum. Just a hint of burnt raisin toast. A little bit woody, a touch of nut shells. Modest hops with a slight bitter aftertaste.

Nothing really stands out with this, but it's a very drinkable and pleasant Porter. 22 oz bottle from Olive Tree Market in San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 05:52:10 | More by mactrail

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a dark black with a hint of brown and a finger of frothy chocolate head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lace.

S - Aroma is full of deep roasted chocolate malts with some coffee some sweet caramel and a touch of lactose sweetness.

T - Starts off with some rich roasted dark chocolate malts with some coffee and a bit of earthy hop. Through the middle some sweet caramel and a bit of hop bitterness and chocolate bitterness. The finish is a mix of roasted chocolate with a touch of sweetness and some coffee.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and roasty finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nicely balanced Porter. The chocolate and coffee flavors are near perfect and the touch of hop flavor is really nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 04:57:48 | More by ngeunit1

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.88/5  rDev -26.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours black with a thin off white head that fades immediately with minimal lacing.

A little bit of chocolate and some roasted malt, but really struggling to find any substantial aroma to this.

Flavor is similar. A little chocolate and roasted malt. Not overly flavorful. Just a standard porter.

Thin for the style. I'd prefer a bit more creaminess. A tad too much carbonation as well.

I thought this one was pretty bland. There are no huge off flavors, but it kind of lacks flavor in general.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 22:33:52 | More by jmarsh123

DocJitsu

California

3.55/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear reddish-black with a root beer head. Poor head retention. Dark chocolate and sorghum bouquet. Dry dark chocolate flavor that yields to a bitter coffee finish. It was strongly recommended that I have this beer. He must've been drunk. Heretic's Evil Cousin and Evil Twin are both far more interesting.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 01:13:58 | More by DocJitsu

Philousa

California

2.4/5  rDev -39.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Pours an inky black with a half finger tan head. Chocolatey, roasty, and sweet aromas. Some phenolic plastic characteristics. I get some fresh coffee as it warms up. Dark chocolate hits the tongue first. Thick caramel flavor turns to bitter chocolate and coffee. Phenol is not as pronounced in the taste, but still there. Good mouthfeel, quite creamy. Balanced, drinkable.

Just not very impressed. Obviously the plastic aroma isn't appetizing and it stuck with me throughout, even though it wasn't that pronounced. Hopefully I got a bad bottle, because the other reviews show this can be a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 05:17:30 | More by Philousa

BrewerB

California

4.53/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Grabbed this beer at Healthy Spirits earlier tonight and was anxious to crack it open. I'm a long time listener to Jamil Z's Brewing Network-aired shows and am stoked he finally opened up his own brewery.

Pouring this one into a 3 floyds pint glass. Very dark brown with a medium tan head, good formation and retention. Attractive lacing clinging to the glass.

Nose at first, is spot on for a robust porter with dark chocolate and prominent roasted maltiness. Smoky, earthy, hints of caramel. French pressed coffee.

Roasted malts lurch forward again here on the palette. Brewed coffee, bittersweet chocolate. Bitterness is moderate/moderately high although the hop flavors are modest, making sure the robust malt profile takes center stage. Just enough hint of malt sweetness to keep this from being over-the-top roasty. Slight burnt flavor. Dry finish.

Medium-full in body with a hefty thickness you might expect from a beer this dark and roasty. Carbonation is sufficient for the style and in concert with the rest of the character.

Russian River Brewing has made my favorite robust porter ever since I first sampled it over 3 years ago. And now sitting here with my 3/4 full pint glass of Heretic Shallow Grave, I'd have to say it's going to be a photo finish on which of the two I prefer. Absolutely delicious. Job well done Jamil & Co!

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 04:00:40 | More by BrewerB

Pintofbrown

Iowa

4.4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I dug myself a shallow grave with a nonic pint.

Appearance- The body is as dark brown as dark brown can get before being called "black". Of course, the body is completely opaque. The brown sugar foam is incredibly dense and the lid is very smooth. It grew to almost two-fingers, and has retained it's mass well.

The beer also produces a good amount of sheet lacing with each drink.

Smell- Well that is something special! A good amount of milk chocolate and only a little roast. Even a little bit of tart and dark fruit is showing, kind of smells like figs.

Taste- Whoo! That is very roasty! It is almost overwhelming on the first couple of sips. Then a very great thing happens, cocoa powder and a slight piney, hop bitterness begin to cover the palate.

The finish is long and has a ton of that roasted malt and only a slight bitterness. Some big flavors in this one!

Mouth feel- This is fantastically creamy with very good coating. Chewy certainly applies to the viscous feel of this beer. For such big roastiness, it finishes so easy.

Overall- This porter has a nose that promises a slightly sweeter palate. However, it surprises with huge roastiness and sublime cocoa flavors. The hop bitterness is a nice touch and not over done.

This is a great porter that I would gladly have again.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 00:14:23 | More by Pintofbrown

claspada

New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pitch black espresso color with no escaping light. Light brown soapy head that slowly recedes leaving some spotty lacing.

Aromas begin with typical standard for a porter. Light roasted espresso beans, milk and dark chocolate. Darker sweet toffee and caramelized malt aromas emerge as it warms. Much less roasty than your average porter, which I like.

The tastes directly follow the nose with lightly roasted coffee, dark and milk chocolate as well. The toffee, toasted bread and sweeter dark caramels become more dominant as it warms and overtake the roasted flavors. I really like this beer and it's perfectly balanced flavor profile.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with medium carbonation. Finish in somewhere between dry and semi-sweet. Perfect once again. ABV is no where to be found; drinks like a session porter but with much more flavor.

Overall, this was the third beer from Jamil and Heretic Brewing and all have been super. Really great porter, maybe one of the best I have ever had; up there with Fullers and Deschutes which is special company. Nothing mind-blowing, just super super solid. Recommended especially for the low price point.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 00:02:28 | More by claspada

JohnGalt1

Idaho

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 picked up today at the COOP... prepping stuff for dinner tomorrow... poured into my Cigar City snifter.... good dark tan head.... the brew is dark brown but still has great clarity. drapes of lace as the brew drops...

Wow.. the nose on this one is fantastic .. it just smells "brown" ... chocolate ... brownie batter ... deep caramel essence ... great malt profile without too much hop presence messing up a good thing.

Flavor begins with a nice dark malt bite.. chocolate/carob... lite coffee and roasty malt.. a bit of malt sweetness makes the roast components linger for a bit.. long lasting finish.. almost like a liqueur..

Body is medium and nicely coating.. sorta lighter carbonation lends to a higher drinkability with the overall brew... I dig this one for sure.

4/4.5/4.5/4/4

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 05:13:53 | More by JohnGalt1