Porter - Southern Tier Brewing Company

Jeffreysan

Maryland

3.76/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

12 ounce bottle poured into a pint glass

Appearance: Pours completely black and devoid of all light, like tar, with a finger of oatmeal-colored head that quickly faded to a thin halo of foam that gripped the glass.

Aroma: Lots of roasted malt, but that’s about it. For a porter, it’s not that impressive. It contains none of the roasted coffee or dark chocolate that I’m used to in other porters.

Taste: A lot like the aroma, lots of roasted malt and barley, but not much else. Again, none of the subtle (or intense as in some porters) coffee, chocolate, vanilla, burnt sugar, nutty notes that I’m used to tasting in porters. The beer tastes good, but as a porter goes, it’s pretty thin and a little disappointing. No finish whatsoever.

Mouthfeel: Thin, and watery, with not much carbonation.

Overall: Southern Tier’s porter tastes very pleasant, but it is very forgettable. Actually for a porter, it’s pretty weak. I really miss the roasted coffee chocolate, vanilla, burnt sugar, nutty notes that I’m used to tasting in porters. In my opinion, the beer actually makes a better schwarzbier than a porter.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 22:29:20 | More by Jeffreysan

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.66/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

No ruby porter color here. This thing is so ruby it's black/purple. Good looking in color it does lack a significant head. The carbonation is so excited that it rises to the surface and then pops.

Very thin in scent there is a light malt, tea leaf and chocolate aroma.

Chocolate malt hits the forefront with a dry, bready finish. Cracker like dryness and hints of roasted coffee sit deep in the background.

Overall, so much for the robust on the label. This is tasty, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't grab me like I had hoped.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 21:25:22 | More by KYGunner

chinchill

South Carolina

3.84/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Undated 12 ounce brown glass bottle of "DARK ROBUST PORTER" served in a snifter.

Appearance: Very dark and reddish mahogany body that looks nearly black but is clear and has exceptional ruby-mahogany edges. Creamy tan colored head soon reduces to a ring but leaves some decent lacing on the glass.

Smell: Medium and dark roasted malts with light spicy hops and hints of coffee and roasted nuts. Aroma strengthens and improves with warming.

Taste: Hops contribute a nice bit of spiciness and lead to an excellent sweet/bitter balance, but the flavor is clearly dominated by roasted malts. Mostly a dark roast and there's a touch of smoke in the finish, but no unwanted burnt flavors. Roasted nuts, dark malt and an abundance of coffee in the lingering and mildly bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Nice and smooth, with a medium+ body and near perfect carbonation.

O: a relatively gentle, subtle and refined American porter with admirable balance and complexity. Not as rich or strong as a typical Robust Porter.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 22:57:39 | More by chinchill

gcamparone

Rhode Island

3.86/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

A- Pours a deep brown body with a small white head that reduces quickly and leaves little lacing. Nice color.

S- Big milk chocolate and coffee notes, pretty nice smelling.

T- Subtle coffee, milk chocolate, vanilla notes with a cardboard-like phenolic finish. Not too flavorful but the flavors that are there are good. Aftertaste is roasted malt.

M- Thin-ish but drinkable. Medium carbonation.

Overall not a bad porter - the shining point is how easy it goes down. Could be a little more robust, considering the label says "robust porter". Worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 02:44:19 | More by gcamparone

Danderson

Maryland

3.6/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had to pour a little vigorously to get any head, which was light and thin. Perhaps it's my mood (long day at work) but the smell was perfect - smooth, soft, creamy-chocolatey. At first, seemed to go down more smoothly than expected, but by the end, noticed the carbonation (not bad; just seemed to change over time). It was a little colder than was necessary; still regulating the beer fridge, so that may have dampened the flavor a bit, but still felt that it had a distinct light-chocolate/coffee taste.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 01:11:56 | More by Danderson

shand

Florida

3.21/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3

Southern Tier Porter pours deep brown with a finger of head - about standard for the style. The aroma is sweet and roasty, with a bit of chocolate. The taste is where things get a little weird. I'm not sure if it's an over-roast flavor or some sort of coffee addition that adds a touch of acidity that is rather distracting during the sip. After that passes, it's pretty solid porter territory, with a nice strong roast through the finish. The mouthfeel is thin and a bit too highly carbonated, and the drinkability is solid. Overall, an average porter that has a few flaws that really hold it back.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 02:08:59 | More by shand

mooseo

Pennsylvania

3.34/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

12oz bottle into tulip.

A - Dark black-brown with a very small light tan head.

S - Subtle aroma of light roast, chocolate, and black coffee.

T - A delicate but tasty blend of roasted malt, faint dark chocolate, and coffee. Finishes with a touch of bitterness and burnt smoked wood flavor.

M - Rather light/thin mouthfeel. Smooth. A bit acidic, especially in the finish.

O - Just an 'ok' porter. The mouthfeel is a little odd and a bit too thin. Not much here in terms of complexity or robust flavor. But what remains is still a rather pleasant, drinkable beer that I would have again if the opportunity presented itself.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 04:33:36 | More by mooseo

SEG1975

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a chilled pint glass

Opaque dark brown with decent amount of head that diasappeared quickly.

Decent aroma with a strong bitter chocolate / coffee scent

Mouthfeel is smoothe, but not as thick as I was hoping for

Taste: Coffee undertown is more dominant than the bitter chocolate. Malty, but not overpowering.

Over all a decent Porter that I have found is best served slightly chilled.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 01:52:45 | More by SEG1975

fps_dean

Massachusetts

4.11/5  rDev +12%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

My girlfriend bought this for me, as she knows that Southern Tier is one of my favorite breweries.

This porter is a very dark brown, with a good amount of head to it after pouring, but disappears rather quickly.

There is a very strong chocolate and milk scent. The taste is not much different, but add in a good amount of hops.

Overall, this is not as thick as most porters, and goes down a bit smoother. It is also probably best served at a warmer temperature.

At first, I wasn't sure what I thought of this one, but after finishing a couple I decided I definitely do like this porter, and will buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 02:50:36 | More by fps_dean

Raven3464

Japan

3.43/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: It pours a black body, but not pitch black. A light brown, two finger head tops off the glass. Lacing is decent.

Smell: Smokey malts, mocha, and a hint of chocolate can be noted. None of the aromas particularly stand out.

Taste: The flavors follow the nose. A smokey malt taste blends with some chocolate notes. There is an acidic bite in the aftertaste, likely from hops attempting to make an appearance.

Mouth feel: It is medium bodied. I normally prefer porters to be a bit heavier.

Overall: As others have pointed out, it is good but not great. It represents the style well but lacks the personality found in other brews.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 07:02:11 | More by Raven3464

fx20736

New York

3.96/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

oured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass, served at room temp.

Black with a latte colored head, nice lacing.

aroma; espresso dominant with some dark chocolate

mouthfeel; nice, silky.

taste: slightly burnt malt, smoky, espresso, not alot of cocoa, bitterness is assertive at the end and is not easily identifiable.

notes; good but not great, I would not turn it down but not so sure I would buy a sixer with so many other great porters out there.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 01:06:02 | More by fx20736

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.53/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A 355ml bottle with a bottled-on date of May 2011. Bought from a web-shop some time back; curse them for selling me such old beer! I can only hope that it will still be alright...

Poured into a Delirium chalice. A deep ruby hue that appears black in the glass. Yields a large head of creamy beige foam that lasts for a few minutes before settling as a surface layer. Aroma of subtle dark malt with hints of roasted grain, molasses, dried fruit, liquorice, mild smokiness and a faint whiff of booze. Restrained but pleasant.

Tastes of dark malt with smooth character and a dry finish. Subtle notes of roasted grain, nuttiness, molasses/brown sugar, dried fruit, faint liquorice and stewed hops. Mildly sweet, with a hint of sourness in the background. A slight bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth, dry and tingly, with a decent but somewhat insubstantial body. Aftertaste of faint roasted malt.

Quite nice, in a rather sedate fashion. Roasted malt and other associated aromas/flavours are present but tread lightly. Perhaps the flavours are muted due to age - I'll have to try a fresher bottle some time. At any rate, it goes down without complaint. Drinkable and perfect for when you want something undemanding. Worth sampling.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 00:48:40 | More by jazzyjeff13

Geegmasta

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance- Black as night, just the way I like it. Small head was formed about 0.25'' in height and stark white in contrast to the body of the beer. Slowly bubbled out over the course of a minute or two.

Smell- A nice burnt malty scent with hints of coffee and caramel. Seems to come off as chocolately as the scent fades.

Taste- Coffee and roasted malts ambush the toungue and the aftertaste leaves a nice smokey flavor.

Mouthfeel- A medium body coats the mouth and quickly receeds down the esophagus. Almost no carbonation.

Overall- A nice dark porter. Not the best but certainly not the worst. An enjoyable porter none-the-less. I don't mind some coffee taste but it's a bit much for me. But that's just me being picky I reckon. Something to have at a restaurant if it's offered, otherwise I don't know if it would honestly be worth the microbrew price.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 03:48:55 | More by Geegmasta

CloudStrife

New York

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a dark mahogany brown with a 1 finger light tan head. Quick to dissipate it leaves just a little lacing. Some light gets through the edges.

S: Roasty and chocolaty malt, almost a milk stout like quality. A dark fruitiness to it as well.

T: Roasty chocolaty malts like the aroma. Pretty solid brew, has a lactic stout like quality with a lot of maltiness. A small hop in the end.

M: A good amount of carbonation. A little thin like most porters but a velvety smooth mouthfeel.

Overall a real enjoyable porter. Can always rely on it to be tasty. One I would drink again and recommend to others.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 01:54:05 | More by CloudStrife

schoolboy

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Southern Tier has themselves a nice roasty entrant in the porter field here. It barely makes what I would call an American Porter - it is just slightly over the top.

It pours black and thin with very little head. The aroma is sweet and malty. The taste is of a roasty, sweet, and moderately thick porter. It is closer to the true style than to American, over the top variant.

It has an excellent aftertaste that mostly tastes of the roasted malts. I do not intent to try this again.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 04:11:52 | More by schoolboy

jucifer1818

Florida

4.43/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Still a bit too light for my taste, committing closer to a dark brown ale than a porter
Smell: Rich intense chocolate
Taste: Excellent. Where the beer really shines. Right moca, chocolate, coffee, no off flavors
Would go well with ice cream

Mouthfeel: fairly full, but Id prefer something heavier

Overall: this is what Rogue Moca porter SHOULD had been, and it is by far one of the best normal porters Ive ever tasted with not too much smokyness or roasted barley to bog down its flavors.

If you can get it get it. You wont be dissipoitned by this excellent brewery

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 19:30:30 | More by jucifer1818

wac9

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

i wanted to hate this beer but i cant if you like domain oak barrell stout this taste much lighter but this beer you can drink and enjoy the beer the hop in it proves most enjoyable a great taste to a beer great color the more i drink the more i like so grab a six pack and taste the greatness a good beer to enjoy

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 01:12:09 | More by wac9

jtd1969

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Black with low carbonation, no lacing

S - sweet malt, slight coffee

T - chocolate, creamy, some roastiness, slight coffee

M - medium body, low carbonation, good hop character, smooth

O - A tad low on carbonation. Good hop thru the smoothness. A tad too sweet for a porter. However, a good beer to sit back and enjoy on any Fall day... Summer Spring Winter are all good season too...

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 01:54:08 | More by jtd1969

BlackBearForge

Florida

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Southern Tier Porter is a very dark maroon brown, nearly black with a modest off white head that disappears quickly to near non-existence with very little in the way of lacing.

The aroma is pure dark chocolate and strong brewed black coffee.

The flavors are awash in dark bittersweet chocolate, dark brewed coffee and bitter roasted malts and grains. Hops keep the malt sweetness in check while a light sourness builds in the finish. This porter really begins to shine as it warms to the proper drinking temperatures as the sourness evens out and the dark roasted grain harshness becomes more mellow and blends with the chocolate and coffee tones allowing some less evident caramel and light raisin flavors to make an appearance.

The mouthfeel is quite full, somewhat chalky and slick. Carbonation is moderate to low which seems appropriate as the beer warms.

I'm not so sure I'd categorize this as a Robust Porter. It is a very flavorful porter however, and worth a try especially if you like the darker beers. It treads closely to the stout category but seems clearly identifiable as a porter. I'll have to savor more of the six-pack before I see where is falls in the line of the porters I like.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 23:37:20 | More by BlackBearForge

HeavyMetalBrew

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark amber, perfect head/lacing. Signs of carbonation.

Smell: Caramel. Roasted malt. Grains.

Taste: Grains, roasted malt, chocolate. There is a bitterness at the end.

Overall: This is a definitely a really good porter. I definitely recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 22:18:50 | More by HeavyMetalBrew

RussBecker1

2.98/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

A-Pours a very deep dark brown almost completely opaque. Almost no head, but looks like a nice porter.

S-Almost entirely chocolate. Very surprising considering porter malts are usually the first to enter my nose, but they were at best an after thought here.

M- Hardly any character to the mouth. Nice carbonation keeps it crisp to a point, but acts counterproductively to the taste.

T-Notes of chocolate are there and nice, but there are not supported by anything as the smoked malts are barely noticeable making the taste finish on a rather watery note.

O-Although a fine beer, there are much better porters out there, and much better southern tier products.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2012 02:15:20 | More by RussBecker1

bnes09

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown, almost black and mostly opaque. Cream colored head with some lacing. Roasted, dark aroma. Flavor is toasty and sweet. Hints of cooked corn meal and mild coffee. Descent balance with average complexity. Smooth feel and dry in the finish with an herbal hop snap. Good carbonation. Standard porter overall yet tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 03:29:30 | More by bnes09

DCon

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bought a Mix-A-Six Pack from MacDoodles in Joplin, MO for $9.85 and added a 12 Fl Oz bottle of this to it. Poured from the Black/Purple Plain labeled bottle into a Shaker Glass. Has no freshness date on the bottle.

Aroma- The nose is a very strong roast/light burnt character but has TONS of hop in here! Enjoyed seeing something different come of a Porter aroma. Reminds me of something FFF would put out there.

Appearance- Pours a .5 finger head that dies quick. Has a deep brown colored body and almost opaque like a stout. Leaves a few dark suds behind.

Flavor- Has a strong malt character (of course) and dark roastiness. Light coffee, coming from these dark roasts hits all the way through and then has a medium bitterness level on the finish. Filled with hops!

Mouthfeel- Medium-Full Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Roasty, but doesn't have much more to offer afterwards...

Overall Impression- A very hopped up Porter reminding me of a FFF Alpha Klaus! Enjoyed greatly and look forward to having again.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 07:06:24 | More by DCon

vfgccp

New York

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Light tan head with great retention and lace. Dark, ruby cola body.

S - Sweet cappuccino and milk chocolate. Touch of mineral-like salt and char.

T - Delicious. Soft, toasted chocolate and cream. Medium roast coffee finish.

M - Super smooth, with a dead-on medium full body.

O - On the sweeter side of style, but with a great roast character to balance it. Fantastic mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 21:39:28 | More by vfgccp

barczar

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an opaque deep brown color with a solid quartet inch milk chocolate head that lingers.

Alcohol, floral hop, and roast malt surface initially in the aroma, with hints of mint and chocolate adding complexity.

The flavor reveals an underlying note of citrus, or perhaps an acrid malt bite, with roast malt comprising the backbone. There's a bit of burnt breadcrust, and a hint of chocolate, but the tang is overpowering.

Body is fairly thick, with moderate carbonation and a bit of astringency. There's a tingly finish to it.

Overall, a bit too much hop profile for the style. The malt character was overwhelmed, and what was detectable was too roasty. Could use more malt complexity.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 20:43:32 | More by barczar