Brewer Patriot Collection - George Washington Porter - Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)

tang3nt

California

2/5  rDev -38.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I recently had this beer on tap at Sam Adams brewery during their tour.
Pours a dark brown color with Ruby highlights and a fairly small brown head.
Not much going on with the nose on this, I can barely smell a bit of smokiness and that's it.
As expected from the aroma, little to no flavor at all. Very waterey, a touch of smoke and chocolate and a mid English hop finish. Lame.
Fairly carbonated for a Porter.
Very drinkable, probably the most drinkable porter ever. Mainly because it is pretty much just dirty water.
Overall this beer doesn't taste bad, its just incredibly boring. Good thing they only have 2 kegs left to pawn off on unsuspecting tour goers because I'm sure no one wants it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-22-2010 20:04:38 | More by tang3nt

magictrokini

California

3.5/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Really nice beer. Pours dark amber with a decent off-white head. Aroma of burnt malt with some anise. Great roastiness with the malt and coffee up front that blends nicely into a sweeter and slightly licorice back. Much better than the 1790 Root Beer licorice bomb. Good balance.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2009 23:19:30 | More by magictrokini

mugglesandhops

California

2.53/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Served in 16oz. pint glass.

Me and a friend decided to try the Brewer Patriot Collection so we split all of them

This was my least favorite besides the root beer which was horrible. I enjoyed drinking all of them just for the fact this was something our founding fathers would have drank. So it was some what nostalgic.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2008 14:53:46 | More by mugglesandhops

demitriustown

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle: this fine brew pours a muddy brownish/black with a billowing tan head that lingers. Aroma is overrun with molasses, quite malty, some caramel notes, nice hop texture, and I can faintly smell the licorice. Taste consists of big malt notes, the licorice is more prevalent in the taste. Also, there are a nice chocolate note, caramel, molasses, and an oatmeal texture. Palate is nicely bitter and rather long lasting. Overall, I liked this porter. It's good to see Sam's come out with these special brews every now and again.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2008 00:01:49 | More by demitriustown

deltatauhobbit

Maine

2.85/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Taken from my old notes.

Pours a dark brown, almost black, has some red hues around the edges when held up to the light, lots of head and good lacing.

Smell is heavy on molasses and licorice, it's the licorice that I don't like being there.

Not a fan of the licorice, which seems to dominate the taste of this beer, without it I think it would have made a better porter, as is, the licorice leaves a funky taste in the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2008 04:10:23 | More by deltatauhobbit

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Off notes from 10-2006. The fourth out of the Brewer Patriot Collection and the fourth miss. Pours a deep and almost impenetrable amber brown with a large head that leaves a lot of lacing on the way down. Nose has a mild sweet malt tone to it. Taste is like burnt everything. Smoky is good. Burnt bad. And the molasses is way too overpowering. I can understand a little bit, but so much just pushes it over the cliff. Authentic or not, who these days likes a mass of molasses in anything? Lots of potential here, in the whole pack really, but no delivery. Feel is nice on this one, but it doesn’t matter at this point. For beer lovers this will most likely be a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 06:01:25 | More by RblWthACoz

DoubleJ

California

3.13/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Recipe #2 of the Brewer Patriot Collection is also the second entry here in the Brewer Patriot Invitational. A porter with licorice and molasses, doesn't that sound good? I think it does. Sticking with the invite's theme, this beer is being tasted at room temperature. On to the beer:

Nearly black in appearance, topped by a foamy 2-finger head which retains well. Burning molasses in the smell, very strong smoke too. The taste is smokier too than other porters I've tried. The molasses is there, but I can't find the licorice. Yeah, this tastes old school. Now I wish I served this at a cooler temperature, but remember the colonists didn't have any beer fridges. The smokiness in this brew will grow hair on your chest, it takes work to put down.

I wouldn't call this a great beer, but a totally different kind of porter that's worth a try. With two recipes tasted, recipe #3 (James Madison Dark Wheat) will follow this up tomorrow night.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2007 05:47:52 | More by DoubleJ

rowew

Colorado

3.18/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Presentation: 12 oz longneck, came in the four pack. Obviously this is about a year past its best by date, but its been well cared for since purchase.

Appearance: Nice dark brown with just a hint of ruby around the edges, good tan colored head that sticks around.

Smell: Roasted malt dominates, just a hint of some dark fruit.

Taste: Roasted malt here too - with some bitterness in the finish that seems to be more licorice than hops.

Overall impression: Interesting flavors, but drinkablility suffers. One is interesting, a six pack would be way too much.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2007 23:06:21 | More by rowew

ism

New Jersey

2.95/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Whiffs of anise spice is the most noticeable aspect, followed by a billowy 1-finger tan head on a richly opaque mocha body. Accompanying the nose is sweet, smoky malt and an undercurrent of earthy grassiness. Sticky webs of lacing follow down the glass. A light carbonation precedes the sweet malt in a light but sugary mouthfeel, with an odd acridity. Goes down smooth with licorice notes and an earthen molasses finish that lingers.

An interesting brew, but one I'm glad comes as a single in this 4-pack. There's a complexity here that in the end, just isn't pleasing.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2007 04:12:06 | More by ism

eballard

Washington

3.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a dark black with hints of red. It has a creamy brown foamy head that holds to the side of the glass. The smell is of smoky malt with an earthy hint. It’s a sweet beer with a touch of licorice and caramel notes. There is a smooth feel to this beer with a light carbonation. It’s an easy to drink porter with a sweet body and a clean finish. I would say it’s a great addition to the collection. The story behind it is also interesting.

“George Washington's favorite brew was Porter. In fact, he felt so strongly that there should be an American Porter, he adopted and encouraged a policy of buying only American brewed beer rather than import British beer. This policy was part of the Non-Importation Agreement of 1774 drafted by Samuel Adams, Washington signed the agreement at a meeting of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.”

Truly a brewer patriot.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2007 23:30:27 | More by eballard

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.05/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A - Mahogany black brew with a one finger brown head that sticks around. Spotty lace is left on the glass.

S - Malty nose with little trace of hops. Smells like Count Chocula chocolate marshmallows. Rich and sugary like the way the milk smells in the bowl after you've eaten all the cocoa puff cereal. As it warms I detect some very light roasted coffee notes. This smells good, but it's a little too heavy on the sugary chocolate and a little too light on the roastiness.

T - Complete 180 of the nose! The nose is all sugary gooey chocolate, and the flavor is all old coffee-thats-been-sitting-on-the-burner-too-long bitterness. This isn't very good. It's surprisingly bitter and sour given the nose. This also has some of that "old log cabin" flavor that I found in all four of the Brewer Patriot beers. It's a bit off....and very unbalanced. It says that it's brewed with licorice and molasses....to things that i love the flavor of, but although I can taste some black licorice it comes off as a very sour and bitter flavor that is not at all like some of my favorite anise/licorice booze (ouzo) or the black teeth-staining candy that I like.

M - Medium bodied and slick on the palate. I can feel the sugar coating my mouth. After the sugar slides away, the finish is very bitter with roasted grain sourness for about two seconds and then it disappears.

D - Not good. As with the other three brews in this four pack it does seem authentic and old-fashioned, but it really suffers from "odd-ball" syndrome and that makes it really hard to drink. I don't know what beer was like back then, but this seems like a good reproduction of how it must have tasted in the days of our founding fathers.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2007 17:31:38 | More by pmcadamis

merlin48

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This one is a few months old and shows it. Pours dark and opaque with a small tan head. Good retention with some patchy lacing. Aroma of licorice, almonds, and some dark roast. Medium body with what seems to be overcarbonation for a porter. Taste is nutty and roasty. Licorice is prevalent. Mild molasses provides some sweetness. Some cardboard noted from oxidation. Interesting, but not something I would want to buy.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2007 12:28:01 | More by merlin48

July2Nov

Hawaii

3.8/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

6-months past the borne on date.
A: Dark with a finger-width of darker foam.
S: Lighter smell than I expected. Smells of coffee.
T&M: Wow: has the complex taste of smoked nuts, coco and sweetness of caramel. Nice touches. The mouth is suddenly awakened when drinking this stuff.
D: Overall I would be able to sit down with a few of these as a nightcap. Very enjoyable. Way to go father George!

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2007 16:18:05 | More by July2Nov

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.58/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a five finger brown head that fades slowly to a thin layer leaving a good lace. Nearly black with hints of mahogany color. Light carbonation and very heavy bodied. Smoky/malty nose. Flavor has sweetness at first, finish reminds me of rubber tires - not your usual porter. $9.99 - 4-pak, 12oz bottle from Shaw's Supermarket Concord, NH.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2007 22:50:57 | More by jdhilt

RBorsato

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Murky, chunky dark brown with a full pillowy light brown head that leaves nice lace. Licorice is noticeable first with sweet molasses to follow ... smells sweet. Intense smoky malt and licorice-like flavors with lots of sweet malt character. Medium-full bodied with a smoky sweet finish that bites a bit too much.

Wouldn't buy again.

Per Label: "Authentic Recipe #2" & "American Porter brewed with Molasses and Licorice"

Enjoy Before: Oct '06
Tasted: 03/16/07

($8.99 / 4-pack "Brewer Patriot Collection")

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2007 18:12:31 | More by RBorsato

edchicma

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark ruby brown with a very nice pillowy head. Smell is burnt malt...light hop notes. Taste is roasted malt...with an odd bark flavor (birch?). Mouthfeel is creamy, but disappointing in not having a crisp finish. Drinkability is ok, but the overly creamy quality is a drawback.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2007 01:48:16 | More by edchicma

auxiliary

Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Lots of head, and lots of lace in this one. Dark ruby color to it.

Smell - Malts, roasted, smoke, molasses.

Taste - Roasty, licorice.

Mouthfeel - Some carbination

Drinkability - Interesting beer, a bit strong.
Not retired, but I don't think they make this anymore.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2007 05:01:42 | More by auxiliary

brewdlyhooked13

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - pours out black with some red hues around the edge. A nice mocha head as a topper, thick and creamy, almost wet looking. It fades fairly quickly, leaving behind solid lace rings.

Aroma - the nose is an earthy, grassy, sometimes smoky blend of molasses and licorice. It doesn't smell like any beer I've ever had. Very intriguing.

Taste - a most unusual flavor profile. Starts out with an unpleasant sour acridity. It must be some result from all the specialty ingredients, and I don't like it. After that though, the molasses and licorice take over. Rich and intense with a good level of sweetness. Following the swallow and well into te aftertaste, a really cool espresso taste comes out. Roasty, warm, dark, delicious. A shaky start but a steady up-ramping afterwards.

Mouthfeel - smooth feeling, nice residual, subdued carbonation.

Drinkability - not totally convincing, but a most distinctive brew. I'd have it again but it's not what I would call a session candidate. Since these are sold in limited 4-packs, maybe a good homebrew clone candidate?

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2007 16:41:41 | More by brewdlyhooked13

alexgash

Connecticut

3.63/5  rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark, earthy brown body with a finger of clingy, thick, creamy-light-khaki brown head. Roasted malts, shoe leather, vanilla, molasses, light anise, and earthy minerals on the nose. Tangy, metalic, lightly-roasted malt up front. Light chocolate sweetness mixes with some peat, meat, and licorice. Slight lacto-tang and dark chocolate bitterness in the finish. Not bad. Medium body with a dry finish. I'm not crazy about the licorice influence, but I could drink this again. Interesting.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2007 00:19:01 | More by alexgash

jorjoria

New York

2.45/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours a rich light brown with a nice tan head. The smell I can only describe as burnt sugar. The taste is very sweet and there is that burnt taste again. You do get a hint of licorice mentioned on the label but you also get what in my opinion is an unbalanced amount of molasses. The beer also has a slight tart note. Overall an interesting beer I'm glad I tried but will likely not be having again.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2007 01:23:01 | More by jorjoria

Engibeer

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed 01-07-07. Best by date Oct. 2006.

Dark and heavy in appearance. No highlights visible through the beer. Thick dense buff head that starts as a half inch blanket and subsides to a broken lace cap.

Aromas of licorice in the front but faint. As it warms the licorice becomes more prominent. Molasses aroma is much stronger.

Flavors of molasses with a bit of roastiness and dark chocolate. And the hops are certainly there.

Smooth mouthfeel, but not heavy.

Like the other three, I found this beer interesting. I think that since I kept it longer, the strong licorice others noted had mellowed. I would buy this again if it were made available.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2007 04:10:20 | More by Engibeer

maundythirsty

Wisconsin

3.15/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Hazy mahogany brown beer with a great big, sticky tan head that adheres to the glass in thick rings. Smells like a porter -- nice, toasty malt -- with rubbing alcohol and a little anise rolled in.

Tastes like a very bitter mouthful of smoky malt and a bit of sweet molasses. Not so much with the licorice the bottle promises. Weird burned microwave popcorn taste and chalkiness. Thinnish mouthfeel. Little carbonation.

All the same -- as I've said about the other Brewer Patriot beers -- this was a nifty thing for Sam Adams to do. If this was all there was for beer, I could soldier through a six pack. But for now? I'll just take this to mean I'm a better homebrewer than George Freakin' Washington.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2007 04:38:54 | More by maundythirsty

Sycodrummer

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a tulip pint the beer was a very dark brown with some ruby highlights. A dense two-finger head formed and sustained well leaving some nice rings of lacing.

The nose has a semi-sweet chocolate aroma with some chicory and liquorice aromas. A subtle sweet malty smell with traces of black currant, sugar cane, and vanilla.

The taste starts with a medium malt body with pronounced liquorice flavors and a suprising bitter coffee finish. Hints of chocolate and vanilla dot the palate and some slight sweetness which is quite well balanced with bitterness.

Medium body with higher than expected carbonation.

This is one of the better examples from this mixed pack. An interestingly balanced beer that starts off with some toasted notes and is quickly cut off with a black coffee bitterness. Enjoyable, but I don't think I would want more than one.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2007 21:16:21 | More by Sycodrummer

chilidog

Ohio

2.88/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Very dark black, nice tan head, good lace.
The aroma was mostly black licorice.
The taste was also licorice and molasses with alot of bitter-sweet chocolate, some coffee.
Good for this style, but only by itself. Not to be had with foods.Hard to handle on its own.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2007 21:58:59 | More by chilidog

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

3.03/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 ounce bottle taken from the 4 beer Patriot Pack and poured a shade lighter than black with one finger of tan colored head into the 7 oz. Samuel Adams brewery sample glass. Smells of black licorice, dark molasses and malt. Taste reminded me of those black licorice pipes or a Bassett's Allsort without any sugar added followed by the molasses and finally a very nice mocha flavor. Very bitter aftertaste. Medium bodied on the tongue along with a light carbonation. If it weren't for the bitter qualities of this porter I could have more than one per session. I applaud BBC for brewing this unique recipe and was glad to have tried it.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2006 15:48:07 | More by ClockworkOrange