Imperial Espresso Porter - Flying Fish Brewing Company

warriorsoul

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to zrrbrrt for this one...
Nearly pitch black with no light passing thru...half a finger of tan head that recedes quickly back into the brew and leaves some thin lacing.
Sweet molasses up front with a roasted coffee flavor.
Taste is very nice...a fantastic twist on the style. Rich chocolate and the espresso flavor is heavy enough to be a coffee beer, but not overly sweet so it finishes dry. There is a fair amount of hops in there, making it slightly green and would probably age nicely for up to a year or so...not gonna happen for me, as this is my only bottle.
Mouthfeel is average for the style, but the coffee addition gives the body more depth that carries into the finish.
I could drink a few of these in an evening...good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2007 00:27:29 | More by warriorsoul

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

02-08-2013 08:25:48 | More by RobertColianni

Budinetz

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

02-04-2013 19:45:47 | More by Budinetz

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

09-27-2012 01:59:30 | More by t0rin0

claspada

New Jersey

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

Pours a dark brown color with a wispy, lightly frothed, off-white head.

Aromas begin with sweetish, chocolate, roasted barley malts. Then you get some espresso, candied raisins and some dark brown sugar.

The tastes begin with toasted, chocolaty dark maltiness with some definite sweeter milk chocolate qualities. As it warms you get more and more freshly ground espresso. Light earthy bitterness, maybe hops or maybe the coffee. Tastes of brown sugar and raisins precede the finish that adds a revisit of coffee and chocolate.

The mouthfeel is meedium-bodied with medium carbonation. Finish is lightly bitter from the espresso but semi-sweet from the base Imperial porter.

Overall this is a sweet and easy-drinking, and, semi-complex porter. No dog in the flavor department but nothing worldly or too distinctive in the coffee additional beer category.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 17:20:44 | More by claspada

oldsmuggler

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

01-15-2012 22:58:09 | More by oldsmuggler

djrn2

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

01-12-2012 20:09:19 | More by djrn2

imperialking

Illinois

4/5  rDev +4.2%

01-08-2012 20:35:27 | More by imperialking

rab53

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

12-01-2011 05:54:51 | More by rab53

deapokid

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.2%

11-25-2011 20:32:07 | More by deapokid

victory4me

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.2%

11-17-2011 15:36:29 | More by victory4me

oline73

Maryland

4/5  rDev +4.2%

11-15-2011 03:21:35 | More by oline73

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

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

One of the better beers this brewery put out and they retire it... I'll never figure it out I guess.

This beer poured out much like any other porter out there, it's got a deep dark brown color to it with some nice red highlights. The smell of the beer is loaded with coffee, the taste is also full of coffee and some roasted malts. The mouthfeel was smooth and had a great drinkable quality to it. Overall this brew was really nice in my opinion. I was looking back at some notes I took on it and thought I'd like to get this one again and now I won't be able to. Glad I got it when I did though. It was worth it.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 17:01:39 | More by Knapp85

Nesued

South Carolina

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance - Poured a tan/dark brown color from the 12oz bottle that has been sitting in my fridge for a while. Figured I better review it before too much time passed. Since it's now retired, all the more to give it a parting comment or two. The carbonation seemed slight, causing a very limited head to form upon the inital pour. As I prepared this review the head resolved to nothingness. Needless to say, "head retension" is absent.

Smell - Rich coffee notes are the first to hit your nose, even from a foot away. Some sweet malty/caramel comes through as well.

Taste - The sweetness and coffee battle for top billing from the onset. Big roast coffee notes are here. Don't want to know how much was used, but this may keep me up late this evening. By the time it hits the middle of your tongue, the sweetness has won the middle game. The finish is crisp, almost tart, on your tongue.

Mouthfeel - Thin. Perhaps due to the lack of a heavy (even moderate) carbonation transport mechanism. There is some body, but not much.

Drinkability - Not sure what to say about this one. After getting this far, I looked at a few reviews from others to see if the lack of carbonation was a oddity on my end, or common-place for this offering. It seems the latter, so I'll continue and finish my review. All in all, if you are into a big bold coffee presence in your beer, this one is (was) for you. To me, it seemed off-balance and didn't do it for me. Lots of good and great porters out there.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 00:20:09 | More by Nesued

ajfa531

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2-21-11: No date on the bottle. I want to guess it's about 2 yrs old. Refridgerated the entire time.

Poured gently into a Phillies pint glass. No head. Some whte/off-white bubbles congregated.

Brown-black. Some light coming through the edges of the glass with a bit of ruby color in the thinner areas.

Smells good. I remember the aroma being a lot stronger when it was fresh. (This was one of the first beers I put aside to age before I understood the prereqs for cellaring.) The aroma is dominated by coffee and chocolate. Maybe some earthy hops, a little alcohol, and sweet toffee.

The malts are up front in my opinion. The coffee comes in after. Sweetness from the caramel malt. Along with a little dryness from the black and choco malts. Bitterness from the coffee. Not picking up a lot of hop bitterness.

The mouthfeel is so-so. I imagine the freshness is a huge factor. I can see the right carbonation making this a fuller feel. Sidebar: I find that a lot of porters end up being a bit thin.

Nothing about this beer takes away from its drinkability. The trace alcohol has disappeared in this one. Making it a bit easier to put a few away.

I was completely unaware that this beer was retired. Most likely in preparation for a new anniversary beer. This one was probably meant to be enjoyed fresh, or else, it would've been bottled-conditioned. I know this now.

I have a couple more-- So, updates may follow.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 05:55:33 | More by ajfa531

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle. Pours a dark brown coffee color with a big fat 1 finger head. The aroma is that of coffee roast (duh), molasses, brown sugar, and slight leather. The head recedes rather quckly and leaves minimal lace as it settles. Medium mouthfeel. Sweeter than I anticipated with a mild dark chocolate start that gives way to a more medium roast style flavor of coffee. For being an imperial it doesn't really have that over the top booze flavor that some get. Enjoyable but I'd have liked to see a more coffee forward flavor in this to really put it over the top.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 00:45:55 | More by kbutler1

meatyard

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This bottle is probably at least 1 1/2 year old, maybe older.

Pours a very dark brown with brown highlights at the glasses edges. The head is about 1-finger and a medium tan color that leaves some decent lacing.

The smell is very roasty malt with some noticeable alcohol.

The taste is chocolate and coffee with toasted malt.

Mouthfeel is medium, smooth and creamy.

Drinkability: It appears that age has caused the main coffee notes to almost vanish which is OK by me. It's likely that I've had this much fresher but can't recall exactly. Chances are, I would prefer this with some age. The mouthfeel is nice at this point though it does thin as it warms. It's not great but it is good and I will gladly drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2010 21:49:14 | More by meatyard

DIM

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a: This was a dark, ruby tinted chestnut color. It poured with a small, fizzy tan head.

s: More chocolate than coffee, smells pretty sweet actually. The chocolate masked all but a little of the traditional porter elements.

t: Chocolate first with some mildly bitter coffee showing up at the finish. Its hard to say how, but this was vaguely porter like, though chocolate was the dominant component.

m: Average body for a porter, imperial or otherwise with low carbonation.

d: This isn't up there with the best coffee beers, but it was pretty damn good. I would definitely buy more of these.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2010 10:48:26 | More by DIM

thecarster1

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a- bottle poured into a tulip, one onger of tan, bubbly head, deep, dark oqaque brown coloring, uneven lace with a ring around the glass.

s- lots here, coffee for sure, smells like a pile of coffee grounds, some milky sweetness, caramelized brown sugar, some alcohol as it warms, nice coffee flavor, some bitterness, slightly charred brown sugar sweetness, alcohol slightly evident at the start, showing more and more as it warms.

m- medium to full, coating, with a bit of chew to it.

d- good drinkability, i paired this with fresh strawberries and cream puffs, gotta say it went really nicely! the alcohol here hinders drinkability a bit.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2010 01:40:51 | More by thecarster1

Seanibus

California

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

I am not sure I really get the point of this beer. My tasting notes end with "Why?" The beer is OK, a perfectly decent porter, but I don't think the espresso adds a vast amount and there isn't anything that screams "imperial."

Pours black with a decent offwhite head. Smell is solventy with a burnt coffee edge. Flavor is smooth and milky, with a mild coffee flavor fading into a gentle smooth caramel. The finish is sweet with the burnt edge of used strong coffee grounds. The mouthfeel is quite creamy.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 14:39:58 | More by Seanibus

tjd112

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

I had this on-tap at the Pour House for $4.28, and it was in a regular pint glass

This beer starts out OK, has a beautiful opaque black look, but head could be a little bit better. Lacing is decent though. The smell is mocha and the taste is mocha, with a bit of chocolate and dare I say even some plum. The mouthfeel was not overly heavy, but also very dry and alcoholic, but it leads to heavy drinkability. Overall, this is another great seasonal from my homestate, get it now because by March, it will be all gone.

I just wish I could get a growler of this stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

02-21-2010 23:25:17 | More by tjd112

IgnatiusReilly

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle to a tulip glass.

Pours deep brown, dark ruby, nearly black, with a thin tan head. Doesn't retain head too much - thins out pretty quickly. Would have given it a higher score if it stayed longer. Sweet, roasty smell. Taste mimics the smell, roast flavor, some plum and raisin taste, chocolate and coffee come through as well. The coffee is noticeable yet subtle. Burnt aftertones - finishes dry and alcoholic. Very well balanced - not too fatiguing. Slick mouthfeel, slightly syrupy, not overly viscous.

I think this is a very drinkable imperial porter. Again, very balanced with each strong flavor held in check, and the high alcohol is not overwhelming. Easy to have a second.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 00:05:11 | More by IgnatiusReilly

irishking1977

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -12%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A: Black liquid with no head at all and non-existent lacing. Not disgusting, but not incredibly appetizing either.

S: Faint roasted coffee and malt with mild sweetness. I was a bit surprised at how much the aroma of this reminded me of actual coffee; I was expecting some kind of artificial/odd scent. Basically, my expectations weren't high for this one, but have already been exceeded.

T: My initial reaction was "yum" followed by "hmm?" Mildly sweet up front along with slight coffee, malt and at the back of the first sip, there was an odd bitterness, probably from the coffee. I cannot explain that first sip, but subsequent sips and that odd bitterness is gone. This one was better than I expected, by alot.

M: Nicely carbonated and just a hint of chalkiness due to the malts, but otherwise this one is just a bit watered down. Still, much more balanced and true to style/what this guys were trying to do than I thought it would be.

D: One would have to be in the mood for this kind of porter; the average person probably consumes four to six cups of coffee on any given day. So coffee in other beverages could get a bit tiresome even quicker than your average beer. Still, it's something to try for those who like sweet stout/porters or generally prefer darker, less hoppy beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2010 01:12:29 | More by irishking1977

BubbaNJ

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This was a gift from my newest Brother In-law . Once opened I immediately smelled the espresso . Pleasant aroma . First taste was chock full of espresso flavor , strong , dark and lightly sweet with a bit of an alcohol bite . Very tasty and not bad for my first ever "Capbeerchino" . Very hard to come by as I understand , this came directly from the brewery in a 4 pack . Worth a shot but not something I could drink a lot of , 4 would probably get me through the winter .

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2010 03:12:27 | More by BubbaNJ

maximum12

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to mikey711 for dropping this into a fall trade as an extra. Exit 4 last night, Imperial Espresso Porter tonight, & there's no more Flying Fish in the house.

Poured into my lovely Flying Fish tulip rec'd from marcpal in a long-distant trade. Porter black. Espresso smell is immediately apparent on the pour, & follows me all the way to the recycling pile.

The Imperial Espresso Porter isn't messing around. The taste mimics the smell: violent, fire-breathing espresso on steroids. The porter underneath this coffee battery must be damn good, because the sweetness of the malts keep this from being overwhelming to a non-coffee drinker like myself, & a balancing act follows between the sweet & the bitter. Smooth drinking, this one is a brew I'd prefer to take gulps of over dainty, savoring sips. Surprised this is 8% I would have figured it at least a few percentage points lower on the liver.

This one scales the bar of coffee beers & leaves a distinctly pleasant impression. Very good brew. Subtle, sweet, balanced. My kind o' coffee beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2010 01:13:16 | More by maximum12