Coffeehouse Porter - Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.43/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a CBS snifter

A deep, dark brown body with a creamy khaki cap. Sticky lace coats the glass. The head has a little cascading action before settling to a thick layer of foam.

The nose is mostly roast with some coffee notes. A bit of dark fruits. Not a deep or broad beer by any means.

On the palate, this guy follows the nose. The coffee is not very pronounced, but rather just an accent flavor. Roast malt is the prominent flavor with some dark fruits in the back. Little disappointed in the lack of depth and complexity.

On the lighter side of medium, carbonation was a little high for my liking. Watery in spots.

This is a decent coffee porter, better than most.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 17:32:43 | More by ColForbinBC

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.6/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

An extra from someone, but sorry I forgot who.

Pours black with a small wispy tan head and spotty lacing.

Not as much coffee on the aroma as I'd like. No bottle date so not sure if this one is fresh. Some sweet malts and not too much else.

A little more coffee in the flavor, but still not much. Some bitter roasted malt up front rounding into a chocolately sweetness. Finishes with a touch of coffee and slightly astringent.

Mouthfeel is a bit too thin for the style. Carbonation levels are good.

Nothing horrible with this, just kind of run of the mill. I like my coffee stouts to have more coffee and the thin mouthfeel also detracts a bit, but all in all it's still an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 20:39:51 | More by jmarsh123

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pouring an almost entirely opaque jet-black, Coffeehouse Porter opens with a lovely nose, full of coffee-laden malts. But unlike many of its peers, the aromas here are delicately, skillfully blended so that no one aroma dominates. In other words, this smells not like a coffee-bombed porter, but an intricately crafted brew that brings about the best fusion of both ingredients. Specifically, on the malt side the beer brings brown sugars, molasses, vanilla, caramel, and touches of tobacco and ash, while the coffee beans add fresh-ground espresso and French roast aromas, heady with coffee bean oils. Ever-so-slight fig and raisin fruit esters add complexity, and the faintest pine resin and grapefruit rind edges balance with bitterness. As a whole, the nose is excellent, my only qualm being that the aromas did fade faster than I was expecting, wearing off to half-strength within thirty seconds.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a got shot of coffee, coming at the taste buds in medium-strength blackness. This is joined by a larger-than-expected addition of hops, adding a grapefruit flavor to the coffee which, while strange, largely mingles well, though it does remind me of a Merlot wine, which is not something I would normally drink with coffee. Malts add the aforementioned caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, and molasses notes, but on the tongue these flavors are diminished and more watery than expected. Touches of ash and tobacco linger far below. The beer does lose a bit of potency from mouthful to mouthful, especially noticeable in the diminution of sugars, with later mouthfuls being largely coffee, ash, and grapefruit/Merlot. The aftertaste is a continuation of the main mouthful's flavors, and lingers for a good time. Mouthfeel is medium-light, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, while the initial aromas were very promising, the actual flavors didn't quite live up to promise. The coffee and ash flavors did remain potent during the transition, but much was lost in the sugars, and the grapefruit-y hops didn't mesh well with the coffee. The beer is by no means unpalatable, but could use a bit of tweaking to emphasize the proper flavors.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 20:31:51 | More by jondeelee

EagleTalon

Arkansas

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

@ The Gaff in Waltham. Pours to a thick creamy permanent head and ample lacing. Aroma is coffee, malty, more coffee, creamer... Flavor is coffee, malts, and a tinge of hops. Mouthfeel is medium-full and very much stoutlike. Overall, a very good coffee porter. Good choice.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-23-2012 02:48:10 | More by EagleTalon

Dope

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: A very dark brown pour with a good sized very light brown head. Quite dense. Leaves a decent spiderweb of lacing too.

S: Lots of fresh coffee as you would expect. Creamy with some roasted malt in there.

T: Lots of coffee and roasted malt. Creamy, almost vanilla aspect balances it out nicely.

M: Medium bodied, super smooth and creamy.

O: Great simple coffee porter. Coffee isn't overpowering but of course it's still quite strong. Mouthfeel is off the chart, super creamy and smooth. Goes down easily.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 02:30:45 | More by Dope

htomsirveaux

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bottle tried 6 Nov 2011. Trade from amphion1065, thanks! Served in the 0.5 L Adambrau becker.

Large tight brown head. Medium carbonation. Dark brown in color, opaque. Aroma is lots of roasty malt, cocoa and coffee. Lots of coffee and roasted malt to start. Some bittersweet chocolate. A says like a mocha latte. Milky body, mild ethanol. Coffee intensifies as it warms up. Roasty coffee finish and aftertaste.

Quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 15:29:08 | More by htomsirveaux

jujigatame

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber into glass.

Almost black with thick & frothy light tan head. Lots of sticky lacing.

Big coffee and roast smell. A good dash of chocolate too.

The coffee, chocolate, and roasty elements are all up front in the taste. A very nice flavor. The hops hit later on and also seem to show more as the beer warms up a bit. They give some balance to the big coffee hit. The malt seems to fold in with the coffee. Hard to say more than “it’s in there” at times. I wondered if there would be a point where the beer might start to feel heavy but it stayed pretty crisp as I drank. Can’t taste a single bit of the alcohol in this one. I sense none of it up front. Quite easy drinking for a porter.

On the thick side and smooth in the mouth. I think back to Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and wish it had this velvety feel. Little carbonation activity. The aftertaste is deep like you’d think for something with coffee but with only a small amount of bitterness here and there.

Coffee porters and stouts are one of my favorite subcategories of beer. This one is a really solid contender for me. I liked this beer on all counts. Another winner from Berkshire that’s local, affordable, and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 01:57:21 | More by jujigatame

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.28/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from nitro tap at Sunset Boston.
Pors a thick airy black. Thick white fluffy foam.
Smell is fantastic - coffe and malts.
Taste is of coffee, malts, and a bit of chocolate. So so smooth. Similar to a guinness.
Overall, one of the most well balanced, flavorful, and smoothest coffee brews I ever tasted. This is a fantastic brew!!

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-28-2012 01:06:37 | More by DrinkSlurm

davey101

Connecticut

4.48/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz pour into a pint glass. On nitro tap at a local bar.

A - Cascading effect typical of nitrogenated beers. Dark brown body with a fluffy two finger light mocha head with very tight bubbling. Dies down to about one finger but lasts the entire beer. Lacing and retention is crazy.

S - Really fresh coffee aroma followed by some lightly roasted caramel malts. Finish is of bitter beans and hops.

T - Similar to the nose. Lots of sweet roasted coffee beans and bready caramel malts. Finish is almost similar to an IPA, bitter beans and piney hops. Very well balanced and delicious. Mouth feel is creamy and silky while still remaining light and easy drinking.

O - Probably my favorite local beer, made even better by the nitrogen tap. Really well balanced and fresh tasting coffee porter at an awesome value. 22 oz bombers sell for under $4.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-26-2012 18:23:53 | More by davey101

brureview

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Wow- what a beer! On nitro- tap at the Flatbread Company in Somerville, MA. The beer poured a huge head with three colors: the mid-colors a lighter coffee, and the bottom pour a dark coffee tone.

The mouth feel is very malty with a milkshake quality, lemony with slight carbonation.

The finish is a tangy dark-roast- with deep coffee tones and brewed with a balance which is not overwhelming.

The coffee finish becomes smoother and mellows with warming.

This beer is at its absolute best on nitro-tap. It's important to drink it with rich, non-spicy cheese foods such as the meat and cheese pizza.

This beer may become one of my on-tap favorites.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-18-2012 14:12:30 | More by brureview

tehzachatak

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

bomber poured into a flared pint glass.

A - pours a deep, barely translucent brown- body is ok looking. head, however, is magnificent- three fingers of coffee-tan foamy head, leaving some pretty lacing and retaining decently well for the style.

S - coffee and malt- also some of an odd aroma that i would expect more in a bitter or pale ale.

T - yum! huge hit of roasted malts and coffee up front. just a touch of hop bitterness and some sweetness at the end. really, really good.

M - thick and wonderful body- carbonated to just the right point.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 23:01:49 | More by tehzachatak

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown that takes on a bit of a red hue when held to light. Clear, but hard to see through due to the dark color. Medium-size, dark khaki head turns a touch rocky as it settles mildly rapidly to a skim. The skims sticks around pretty good and it keeps a ring while depositing some okay bits of lace.

S: Surpringly fruity in an estery way. Then I pick up coffee as wet/spent grounds. Behind that is some dark chocolate and some toasty / lightly roasty notes. Fair strength, but less robust than I expected. A sort of thin & watery smell for a porter.

T: More porter than coffee – which is okay – and it is a pretty damn decent porter. Chocolatey with just a pinch of roast. Backbone nutty, biscuity, & toasty malts show through firmly. Hint of bread crust. Malty sweetness blends nicely with firm dark fruit notes – raisins and plums mostly with a hint of fig. There is a hint of earthy, slightly citric, and slightly herbal hops at the end. The end also gets increasingly roasty and the coffee really comes out and lingers into the finish. Starts alright and just get better.

M: Medium body with just slightly over-matched carbonation. Minimal sugars and texture. Doesn’t feel the least bit big or robust. Light and refreshing feel for a porter. Finish is mostly neutral with just a hint of drying.

D: Certainly not amazing, but very, very solid. Coffee isn’t as big as I would have liked, and it is also less robust than I anticipated. Preconceptions aside, this is very okay & drinkable porter with a nice bonus addition.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 00:37:38 | More by SickGnar

tylerprince

Colorado

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass and enjoyed with some slow cooked buffalo chicken...awesome meal. A pretty fresh batch; vibrant and I wonder how it would cellar.

A: Pours a light black with a dark brown edge, SRM 60? One finger light tan head with excellent retention; gives way to ample foamy lacing. Just light enough to see some bubbles.

S: Mild and subtle; coffee with hints of chocolate and mint. A bit of tart. As it warms, the smell gets much stronger and is noticeable from several feet away.

T: Coffee with a bit of chocolate. Quite a bit smoky. Strong alcohol presence lingers.

M: Smooth, with a touch of creaminess. Low on the carbonation, which fits this beer perfectly.

O: A delicious porter that I would most certainly buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 01:19:38 | More by tylerprince

CTbeerboy

Connecticut

3.18/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Berkshire Brewing Company Dean's Beans Coffeehouse Porter (what a mouthful) pours as black as morning coffee. It hits the glass and quickly dispenses a medium brown/khaki head with a finger or so of a nice tight head.
S- Overall, I getl ots of smoke, tar and a strong roasted grain bill around. Very black coffee-forward, with something slightly sweet (caramel notes) on the front of the nose. The heavy Porter notes really come around on the back of the nose.
T- Lots of smoke and coffee up front, a nice combination of traditional porter notes mixed with the addition of Dean's Beans. A subtle bitterness on the back of the palate with a very dry non-lingering finish.
M- On the mouthfeel, you definitely get more of the Porter notes than on the nose or in the taste of the beer itself. Heavy while on the palate, but it really doesn't linger like you think it should. Honestly, I don't want to forget the taste this beer as quick as I do. It really should linger a bit more than it does.
O- The flavors are good, maybe not as coffee-forward as it could be. I also don't get the lingering that I want out of a beer like this. I miss it too quickly.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 16:30:53 | More by CTbeerboy

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nitro tap served in a tumbler pint, the beer is jet black, with a creamy, dense, thick, biege colored head that looks solid and delicious. Cream and coffee aromas, with a hint of bitter dark chocolate that blends everything together very well. The beer has a good roasting to the palate, with a heavy coffee character, slight mocha highlights, and a very subtle hopping that cleans up the end of the brew. Very smooth body from the nitro, with a light overall feel. Clean on the glass, as well, and very easy to drink. Slightly bitter aftertaste, but very mild, and the beer has a smooth, creamy, and easy finish. Decent brew that is ridiculously easy to drink.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-28-2011 18:34:51 | More by GarthDanielson

ahamlin

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is currently my favorite beer. Every time I go to the Horseshoe Pub, I am tempted to ignore the other 79 offering and just order this flawless beer. Bold, rich flavor. No bitter aftertaste. Nice roasted notes, without being overpowering. And yes, I like the fact that it will kick you in the butt if you drink it too fast on an empty stomach.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-23-2011 13:07:54 | More by ahamlin

Gatch

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On nitro-tap @ The Horseshoe Pub in Hudson, MA.

A - Deep, dark brown with shades of red at the edges. No light comes through. Thick, pillowy, frothy, light brown, latte-like head. Just sits there. Love it.

S - Coffee, raisins, cocoa, and roasted, charred malt.

T - Strong coffee and chocolate. Like a milkshake or chocolate cake finished with a shot of espresso.

M - Perfect body for a porter. Chocolaty and roasty goodness. Highly enjoyable to drink.

Such a fantastic beer. It may be due to the nitro-tap, but I gotta give this beer a perfect "5". Everything the style should be.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-23-2011 03:02:01 | More by Gatch

aorloski

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a very dark brown to black hue, fluffy off white head. Looks a little thin bodied.

Smell - You get some coffee but you have to look for it. The base porter is barely robust and is struggling to be something. Very faint roasted malts and tobacco.

Taste - Again, pretty moderate, nothing too special going on here. Very mellowed coffee, barely there even. The base beer is neither rich or robust but rather smooth, i assume to give way for the coffee. Maybe my bottle is old? I do get hints of vanilla, tobacco, roasted malts though, but very subdued.

Mouthfeel - Nothing special, pretty thin.

Overall - Just a middle of the road porter for me, at 4 bucks for 22oz though i can't complain, definitely worth it if you ask me, but far from world class.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 02:50:07 | More by aorloski

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed 25 November 2011, reviewed from notes.

Pours deep brown with reddish tones. One finger of medium-tan head, good lacing and retention.

Smell has a wonderful mellow coffee aroma, smooth and clean like cold-press, without any bitterness or sharpness. Dark roasted malts are similarly smooth - no char or sharp edges.

Taste has a great balance of coffee and porter. The coffee is clean, smooth, and delicious, and sitting comfortably on top of the porter base. A nice amount of smooth dark roasted malts. A little less complex than I would like, and not quite as potent as I want. Finish is a slow fade.

Mouthfeel: Medium-heavy body, on the heavy side for a porter. Medium carbonation, enough to give it some bubble, but not enough to detract from the beer's weight.

A really solid, well-balanced coffee porter - perhaps the best coffee porter I've had. Has a mellow coffee flavor that complements the rest of the beer quite well, without taking over. It's like adding coffee to a smooth, mellow porter. Impressive.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 06:05:05 | More by zeledonia

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.23/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle as an extra from Aberration. Thank you, Nick. Best by 09May 2012, which probably means this is pretty fresh. Thank you, Nick.

Pouring a dark brown with a dense, light brown head with excellent retention and gorgeous lacing, this is a particularly attractive porter. The nose is solid.Plenty of fresh medium roast coffee with a mild acidic tinge is present, along with a nice roastiness, a touch of cream, caramel and finishing with a mild hop note. The hop character is mostly leafy and mildly minty, complementing the roast and coffee quite well. Moderately fruity as well, I get a little peachy note - is that from the coffee or the (I'm guessing) American ale yeast used. Strangely, there's a touch of sulfur as well.

The palate opens with the coffee front and center with a medium-light roast, moderately fresh with a moderate fruity character. There's something distracting going on, with something that tastes like a blend between a faint sulfur and faintly metallic character. The roast is actually on the lighter end of moderate, allowing the creamy and mildly caramel-like flavors to come through. However, that doesn't entirely work either. Mildly sweet on the finish with a blend of caramel, light coffee . Light in body with moderate, creamy carbonation, this beer is solid.

I'd drink it again, but I think this beer has a bit of an identity crisis - the base porter is neither a rich and roasty robust porter, nor is it on the sweeter, more caramel-heavy end of the spectrum. And while I think it has some flaws, part of me wonders how much of that is due to the base recipe not particularly aging well in this day of double coffee this and triple imperial that.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 05:30:53 | More by DefenCorps

Blanco

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours jet black with light tan head. Smell is light, with a hint of coffee and some dark malt. Taste is very nice. Coffee is obviously present though not as forward as some coffee beers. Slight roastiness to the flavor. Light mouthfeel.

This is a solid porter. I don't get a lot of coffee flavored ones so this is a nice change of pace.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2011 03:15:08 | More by Blanco

SawDog505

New Hampshire

3.53/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into my Duvel 20 oz giant tulip. Poured this almost pitch black beer aggressively into the glass and got huge dark tan four inch head, that hung on around 5 minutes, then settled into a bubbly film, lots of webby lacing. Smell is roasted coffee, dark malts, little whiff of raisins, and some dark chocolate. Taste is mainly the roasted coffee, kind of one dimensional in a pleasant way. Body is thinner than expected, with plenty of carbonation, on the dry side, and very easy drinking. This is a nice tasting porter.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 13:55:18 | More by SawDog505

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bomber picked up at Anconas, poured into a pint glass.

Pours jet black with dabs of brown foam. Some lacing. Very strong coffee smell. Roasting. Smooth creamy taste, coffee finish. Subtle carbonation. Hard to tell between being a beer and being an iced coffee. Gets heartier as it warms.

Actually didn't like this as much as other Berksire's I've had.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 10:47:53 | More by KTCamm

DrunkPagan

Rhode Island

5/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love coffee, and I love beer. Naturally, I love coffee beers. This beer is easily one of my favorites, if not my favorite. It is simply perfection in a bottle.

It's smooth, creamy, rich but not heavy, and tastes like the most perfect coffee married the most perfect porter. This is one of those beers I could drink all night if I didn't need to sleep at some point.

I originally had it in a bottle, but when I had it on nitro tap, I was blown away. The nitrogen gives the beer just a little added crispness that turns it from a 9 all the way up to 11.

I could go on about how perfectly the malt and the coffee work together, or the way it's perfectly balanced, or how I really want another one right the hell now. However, if there is one flaw in this beer, it's that I can only have one, or maybe two before I'll be up all night. I already drink a lot of coffee as it is.

Still, this may be the perfect coffee beer.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-11-2011 13:17:49 | More by DrunkPagan

bristei

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle to a Glass (A Boston lager pint glass)

A: Dark. Almost black. Very small cap.

S: Coffee (obviously) and dark chocolate

T: Dark chocolate hints. Coffee grinds more so than a brew. Has a good amount of bitterness but not overwhelming at all.

M: Smooth. Nothing too impressive here. The taste doesn't really linger.

O: Great porter. I think it could have benefited from a bit more alcohol to round out the flavor and add more of the warmth I tend to expect from porters, but still a well done beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 21:29:35 | More by bristei