Drayman's Porter - Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.

Satchboogie

New Hampshire

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

On tap - 16oz pour into a pub-style pint glass

A: Black/dark brown, light around the edges, just over an inch of light brown head that dissipates somewhat quickly. Leave just a little lacing.

S: Medium roast earthy coffee, milk chocolate, fairly robust roasted malts, slight floral hops.

T: Just like the nose, this is dominated by coffee and chocolate. Medium roasted coffee with earthy tones complements milk chocolate and roasted malt perfectly. Hints of tobacco and smoke arise from the coffee, a good bit of sweetness lend milk chocolate/caramel middle. Good heavy base of roasted malts that are robust, but not to the point of char. Earthy and slightly floral hops are at just the perfect ratio to add a compliment of flavor without bitterness or taking away from the malts. There is a touch of bitterness in the finish, but it's definitely from the roasted malts. Finishes fairly dry with just a touch of sweetness following through.

M: Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Right on point with the style, no more carbonation or body than what I would expect. Fairly smooth and creamy, pleasant finish. A notch above average for sure, but not quite a stand out.

O: A good and noteworthy porter with lots of coffee flavor, though not quite stand-out good. While I generally prefer extreme "dark" beers, this is one of the better "sessionable" porters/stouts I've had. Pretty big, smooth, and balanced flavor with a nice body and moderate ABV. If I'm ever looking for a good dark brew at a place without much craft, this would be a great option if available.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2011 04:45:45 | More by Satchboogie

TommyW

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Dark with some amber/brown highlight; thick, tan head leaves perfect sticky rings down the glass.

S- Faint burnt and toasted malts.

T- Burnt malts throughout the taste but a great balanced between the bitter and sweet aspects from the burnt malt. Notes of dark chocolate come through as well.

M- Medium body with a smooth feel and a pretty crisp finish.

D- Smooth drinking porter; very well balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

06-27-2010 14:44:18 | More by TommyW

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Received a pint of very dark brown brew, with a one finger light brown foamy head. Head stuck around for about 1/4 of the pint.

Decent aromas here of french-roast coffee, some bitter chocolate, some sweet roasted malt.

My rating dropped a bit because of some off elements, particularly a bit of sourness toward the end. You have all of the elements you'd hope for. Coffee, charred maltiness, some light sweetness fighting thru, and nothing that gets in the way of the other flavors. Nice balance. But then you get a couple of rough edges. It had ok carbonation and good body, but the dips in the flavor are what limited my enjoyment of the pint. Almost as if this was really decent homebrew that needed some tweaking. It was on tap, and the only porter on tap. Still worth the try.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2010 13:18:13 | More by OtherShoe2

DNICE555

Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the B. Poured into a 13 oz chalice for 5 bucks... that sucks.

A - Beige head, A few shades shy of black.

S - Roasted malt - Not a ton going on here

T - Toasted malt, some underlying hoppy bitterness to balance it out the taste.

M - Crisp, well balanced.

D - Fresh BBC - always pretty drinkable and this one follows the formula. A nice porter here.

Serving type: on-tap

03-02-2010 18:55:27 | More by DNICE555

msolar

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good beer - nice color, body - very drinkable.

It has more of a burnt coffee flavor and bitterness than I was expecting but it's still pretty balanced.

If given my choice, I'd probably take their Imperial Stout over the Porter. To me, it has a better flavor and body.

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2009 16:14:59 | More by msolar

cbutova

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pitch black with a one finger head that retains decently and has a nice tan color. Smell to me is weak here, straight up malts with a tiny bit of hopa. The roasty and darker notes seem to be missing. I can pick up some chocolate. Taste is solid. Lots of dark chocolate, roasty sugary malts, some coffee and a tiny bit of hops. Mouthfeel is a bit light for the taste, medium bodied. There is an oily texture to it because of the low carbonation. Drinkability is nice, great taste, good growler price, no off flavors or high alcohol taste. This might be my go to porter from now on.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2009 22:10:21 | More by cbutova

oldirtycaffrey

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

beautiful, beautiful porter. pours black with a slight tan head and a considerable amount of lacing on the glass. the smell gives off a smoked chocolate, roasted coffee, malt. the taste is bitter, creamy, and surprisingly smooth for it's 6.2 % ABV. had this at The '6 Pub in Williamstown, MA where they had several Berkshire Brewing Co beers on tap and they were just so fresh. if you're in the area, check this pub and these beers out.

Serving type: on-tap

10-11-2009 02:43:21 | More by oldirtycaffrey

connecticutpoet

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this one at Chandler's Tavern at the Yankee Candle flagship store in Deerfield, MA. It arrived with a three finger, rocky head atop a clear, dark brown brew.

Aroma was mainly roasted malts, but with hints of dark fruits. Not much hoppiness, which was expected.

Taste was mainly roasted malts. A little roasted barley was present, as well as a touch of bitter chocolate.

Mouthfeel was smooth. Quite easy drinking.

Drinkability gets a good grade. Quite pleasant. I like most of Berkshire's brews, and this was a good one. However, I think their coffeehouse porter is even better.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2009 01:41:43 | More by connecticutpoet

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.53/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Draft on-tap at Chandler's in Deerfield, MA, pours a two-finger light tan head that slowly fades to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Baked chocolate nose. Black color with hints of mahogany. Light-medium carbonation and medium-heavy body. Flavor is sweetish baked chocolate. $5.25 for a pint.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2008 22:33:39 | More by jdhilt

auxiliary

Rhode Island

4.53/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

appearance - Dark brown color, small tan head on the pour.

smell - Roasted malt smells here.

taste - A big taste here, i liked this one a lot. Chocolate and cofee flavor here, kinda on the sweet end.

mouthfeel - Medium body.

drinkability - Real tasty beer, another good one from BBC. easy drinking beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2008 03:03:14 | More by auxiliary

scottg

Vermont

3.7/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer in a pint glass poured at Scuffer Steak and Ale House in Burlington, VT.

Poured an espresso color with a minimal creamy head and light carbonation. Strong toasted malt and chocolate aromas. The up front taste is a sweet malty flavor followed by a nice hoppiness and smooth chocolately finish. Great mouthfeel, completely coats the mouth.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2008 14:50:13 | More by scottg

reginaldo

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Almost black with a healthy head. Smells mostly coffee-like, with a slight malty aroma. Strong coffee taste with chocolate, caramel and roasted malt flavors. Coffee taste is complimented by the malt's sweetness. While heavy this porter goes down easily. Not the best porter I've had but still a good effort by BBC.

Serving type: on-tap

01-07-2008 05:52:49 | More by reginaldo

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Pitcher's Pub in Cumberland, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown with a thin tan head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The smell contained mostly chocolate, coffee and roasted malt with a faint whiff of hops.

T: The taste is loaded with the flavor of coffee & chocolate. There a little bit of a hops background along with a mild warmth of alcohol. The after-taste is very sweet.

M: Very smooth, light-to-medium carbonation, medium-to-heavy body, finish is kind of sticky due to the rich sweetness.

D: Tasty with a decent kick, but a little too heavy to pound down a lot of it. This one is more of a sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2006 14:36:58 | More by TheManiacalOne

NEhophead

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Eli's.

Dark maple with shades of black oil. A creamy-soft, off-white head that allows layers of thin lacing down the pint glass.

Dark chocolate packed with dark, roasted coffee beans. Touches of mocha and a slight mustiness. The aromas don't jump out from the glass.

Powdered, dark chocolate; truffles. An intensive espresso and roasted coffee bean flavors. A touch of tartness prior to a coffee flavored, hop-intensified chewy bitterness. A dry, chewy finish allows for an aftertaste of dark chocolate and caramel.

Full in body; chewy, gruff, and ultimately dry on the palate.

A Porter tilting towards the robust side of the scale in terms of flavor and mouthfeel. A full-flavored Porter that is a nice treat on-draught.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2006 15:05:29 | More by NEhophead

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on-tap at RedBones.

This porter poured a very deep, dark brown color with tan foam that quickly settled. The smell was roasted malt, a touch of dark caramel, and a hint of sweetness. The taste was roasty malty with a bit of coffee and caramel malt, and low bitterness. The mouthfeel was smooth with medium-full body and low carbonation feel. The roasted malt and coffee flavors lingered lightly in the aftertaste. This was a good porter.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2005 21:45:37 | More by UncleJimbo

twelvsies

Maine

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got this one at Spring Jam, my last one at college. There's a beer garden... kind of rocks. So I think it would be even better if not consume in the early afternoon, but regardless it is a solid porter. Dark brown color, nice big foamy head, pretty standard. I haven't had their coffee house porter, but this seemed to smell pretty strongly of brewing coffee and some bitter hops, along with some roasty chocolate malts. I love the roasted burnt bitter taste that comes out in the taste... balances out the sweetness. Nice full mouthfeel. A solid session beer and another quality offering from BBC.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2005 20:37:51 | More by twelvsies

wil19b85

Vermont

4.15/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A - Had a solid light tan head that dissipated quickly leaving behind some of the larger bubbles. The color is a very dark amber. About as close to black as you can get without actually being black. No light coming through this one when held up to the light either.

S - Says it has a complex smell but I'm honestly hardly picking up much aroma. Definitely some roasty notes. Little bit of chocolate and coffee. Nothing extraordinary.

T - Hit right away with a nice coffee taste. Very mild hoppiness. There is a level of sweetness that cuts the bitterness. Makes for a great well rounded flavor. Pretty heavy with the coffee off the bat and finishes with a subtle dark chocolate flavor.

M - Definitely a "chewy" beer. Light carbonation which is nice because it doesn't mask any of the flavor.

Overall this is a nice porter. I could down this pretty easily with a nice big burger or a steak. Not sure if I'll be picking up another one anytime soon but it beats a lot of other porters that are available around here such as Otter Creek's Stovepipe Porter or anything Magic Hat has to offer.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 23:34:11 | More by wil19b85

Dools9

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle poured into a Guinness branded shaker pint. Best before 4/16/12 so its really fresh.

A: Dark brown in color, ruby red around the edges when held up to light. Awesome three, creamy finger, khaki head that retained very well and left awesome lacing. Lookin' good.

S: Mocha, cocoa like aroma, some roasty sweetness, vanilla sweetness, almost smells like a milk stout.

T: Roasted malt, lots of chocolate mixed with over sweetened coffee, getting a good dose of vanilla cream, and a slightly smoky finish.

M: Medium light, creamy feel to it, moderate carbonation. Actually has a refreshing quality to it for a porter and goes down very easily, really nice.

O: I liked this a lot, goes down so easy and has everything you want in a solid, well made porter. Will definitely get this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 04:21:36 | More by Dools9

tylerprince

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a fresh bomber into a pint glass.

A: Pours a clear black with ruby hues. A fair amount of light gets through when held to a lamp. One finger off white head with excellent retention leaves behind gobs of lacing here and there.

S: Coffee and vanilla up front with some hints of chocolate. Not overpowering, but strong"ish."

T: Starts coffee, giving way to mild hints of chocolate and mint. Finishes with a potent hoppy bite, leaving behind an earthy bittnerness on the tongue. I'm going to be generous here and say that, since I enjoyed this on tap a few nights ago (no notes taken; cellared version), that this beer mellows exceptionally well. Let's say 3.5 this sampling, 4.0 on tap, cellared.

M: Smooth as all hell. Low on the carbonation, but foams a little in the mouth before going down like a creamy, but slightly thinned stout.

O: This is a great porter greatly improved over time. I would strongly recommend cellaring it for 6 months to allow the hop character to meld with the rest of the beer. On another note, try it as a black and tan with BBC's raspberry ale - a phenomenal dessert combination.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2012 00:34:20 | More by tylerprince

SickGnar

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Dark, dark brown – garnet hued when held to light as it is clear despite the darkness. Large-sized & fairly big-bubbled, light tan head that settles quite quick, but keeps a ring and tries mightily to leave respectable lace.

S: Dark chocolate that is more sweet and bitter. Also a fairly strong malty sweetness of dark scorched toffee. Some nutty base malt pokes through. Ghost hint of darker roast. No hops. Soft hint of dark fruit. Quite sweet & reasonably richly malty. Not all that robust though in the umph department. Malty, nutty, bread crust malt notes do grow as it warms.

T: Quite a bit roastier than the nose, but in a narrow and steely way – dark roast malt without any real acrid bite (black patent?) & a ghostly hint of coffee. Still lots of the dark sweet / bitter-sweet chocolate. Nutty malt backbone is there too, but covered over a bit by roast – at least when chilled, as it warms the base malts grow with increasing notes of bread crust and really come on strong. Malt sweetness hints at both molasses and dark fruits. Noticeable balancing hop bitterness. Character is faint but it does have a faint citrus note. Roast is pleasant & long lasting in the finish.

M: A frog’s hair over medium body with carbonation the barest bit under-matched. Smooth and almost soft initially with just a bit of chew and sticky sugars. Roast pushes it drying & gives the finish a touch of a bite. No real alcohol presences noted.

D: A nice straight ahead classic porter. Perhaps a slight American twist in the hopping. Very solid. If it is readily availably to you, then count yourself lucky. Nothing stands out as great, but it is superbly balanced with a really good mix of aromas & flavors, and a good feel.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 01:14:05 | More by SickGnar

maxk

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured in two pours from a lightly chilled bomber into a DuClaw pint glass.

Little light gets through this rich mahogany beer except at the edges where the red tinge is highlighted. There is good lacing and moderate head retention for the two finger, tan/red head.

The smell is mostly that of sweet malts and chocolate. There is a bit of milkiness to it.

First sip makes me think of somewhere between a porter and a milk stout. There is a good amount of coffee bitterness with smooth chocolate undertones. The sweet malt brings everything together very nicely. It has a very creamy mouthfeel, very good body to it and is well carbonated for the style.

A very good beer and a great price. Good example of an American porter, but it straddles the line of a stout too. Definitely will get a few more bottles of this.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 01:28:51 | More by maxk

albertjr21

New York

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Into a pint glass pours a deep dark brown (black) with a well preserved tan head. Aroma is of sweet roasted malt with outstanding notes of cocoa, coffee and nut. Carbonation keeps itself in check, supporting a rich, flavorful, and smooth roasted malt body. A generous amount of dark sweet chocolate and nut really come through in the taste here.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 02:58:27 | More by albertjr21

elNopalero

Texas

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

I drank this on a chilly New England November night out of a tall ceramic mug that could have passed for a stein. Seemed appropriate for the style and for the season.

This poured a ruddy dark brown with a lot of foam topping it. Some dark chocolate, some coffee and some toffee shined through on the aroma, with a full bodied roast flavor coming through as you tasted it. Sweetness up front, some hints of tartness around the edges, and a semi-dry finish that invited further sips. Really enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 22:31:03 | More by elNopalero

alee42

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to my bro for the beer suggestion.

Picked this up in a growler. Pours a very dark brown color. The head forms nicely at the top; a foamy mixture, smells of hazelnut coffee, roasted notes, and chocolate.

The taste is rather complex, and definitely had to let it sit in the mouth to pick up the subtleties and small nuances. It first delivers a smooth glaze of coffee flavor - the essence of chocolate and truffle are well disguised, and I could detect a nuttiness to the hops. The roasted notes finish it off, and resonate throughout the palate. A good balance between hops and malts, although the malt does take precedence at the finish, and I'm left with a slight blandness.

Carbonation is mellowed out, not too much bubbly sensation happening here - a good thing. Very smooth going down, and a very good transition from smell to taste; almost every element detected by the noise is present in the beer. Very enjoyable, drinkable beer, but could offer more robust flavors.

Serving type: growler

11-29-2011 04:06:50 | More by alee42

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours very dark. Almost stout-like. Tan head is smaller but leaves nice lacing and retains well.

S-Good Porter nose. Getting the typical chocolate and roasty coffee. A hint of fruit. A tad smoky. Light hops in the nose as well.

T-Chocolate/cocoa mixes well with the light cappuccino flavor. Hops trump in a bit on the back end. Overall, a very, very smooth flavor. Not intense but pretty tasty.

M-Medium feel with prickly carbonation. Smooth and creamy. Extremely mellow bitterness in the aftertaste.

O/D- A solid porter. I love the style, and this is a pretty easy drinker. Not unique or very intense, but polishing off a growler will not be a problem. Good feel; matches the flavors well.

Serving type: growler

11-24-2011 03:44:01 | More by VelvetExtract