Fifteen - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

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

On tap poured into mini nonic. Deep rich black color with dark brown edges on the foam. Smoky chocolatey aroma.
The taste is of dark chocolate and smoky wood. I usually dont like a smoky style beer, but this really works with the stout. The smoke it earty, oak, and toffee. Really nice out of the box stout.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 16:52:00 | More by DrinkSlurm

nandemo1

Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a pitch black with the slightest bit of head. Gave up a small amount of lacing.

Smell is roasty sweet malts with a bit of smoke in the background, some licorice too. Taste is semi sweet, coffee, roasted/burnt. Definitely warms you up as it goes down.

Feel is smooth with little to no carbonation. A bit heavy, but I like that in a big stout.

An excellent winter beer with a great nose and good flavor.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 01:47:48 | More by nandemo1

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.93/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a completely opaque very dark brown/black with a very thin light brown head. Aroma was slightly smokey with a tad of dark chocolate acid. Flavor was slightly sweet creamy with a tad of milkiness. Felt good in the mouth, coated very well nice and smooth. Overall a very solid beer. Pleasant to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2011 23:53:33 | More by mountdew1

doopydoogle

Tennessee

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Black with a think dark tan lace that leaves little lacing and forms little head.

S - Chocolate, coffee, smoke, saline, ash, alcohol, figs, prunes, apricots, wood, cranberries, ginger, molasses, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, burnt raisins

T - Big smoke followed by subtle tanginess that gives way to alcohol and then bittersweet chocolate covered espresso beans. A good bitterness follows with an almost dark caramel and canned beans that lingers and gives way to a somewhat sweet finale with lingering alcohol. Malts are noticeable throughout, with firm roasted malt character that implies dark fruit and spices but never really reveals them all the way with the smoky coffee and bittersweet chocolate. There's a bit of nutty grassiness and ashy metallic tone that opens up at the end.

M - Highly coating, somewhat acidic, and with a light carbonation. The bitter is there and the alcohol leaves its presence across your palette.

O - A good beer. The smokiness is there but doesn't overwhelm the stout characters at all, so a good effort at finding a balance between the two.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 02:52:24 | More by doopydoogle

yankeej13

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Love Weyerbacher...a must try.

A- Pours dark as night. A very mild chocolate brown head of foam that quickly fades away. Little carbonation(not like you can really see it).

S- Very potent, has a huge chocolate malty smell. smokey as well. Almost a beer jerky smell.

T- Has an enormous bold bite right out of the gate. Huge roasted chocolate malts flood your mouth. A great smokey taste, mild caramel. A really sweet malt finish.

M- Great drinkability, really BOLD flavor throughout the whole beer. Nice and thin goes down smooth even though it has a high abv.

Overall- Very happy with it, smoked stouts are always awesome. Will totally buy it again maybe sit on it for a while next time. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 03:32:55 | More by yankeej13

jamescain

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a sniffer.

Appearance: Pours thick and black with a finger thick layer of head that slowly fades into a ring around the glass.

Aroma: The best way to describe the aroma would be to compare it to bacon. I've never a really smoky beer until I had this one. It's like putting your nose into a campfire.

Taste: Chocolatey and smoky with caramel and coffee notes.

Mouthfeel: Thick with medium carbonation.

Overall: For my first truly smoky beer I would have to say that I really enjoyed it. I'm going to do my best to find other beers that are similar.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2011 19:50:08 | More by jamescain

hoplover82

Texas

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours black and thick with a solid, rocky, one finger sized, light coffee crema colored head that has pretty good retention and ok lacing.
S-Notes of dark chocolate aromas fill the room right away. After letting the beer warm a little and a swirl in my sniffer glass, coffee notes come through along with toffee and burned caramel. Some savory smoky notes come through, but you gotta let it warm up quite a bit to get the smokiness. I find myself liking this beer more and more as I let it warm. There are also some very faint mint notes as well in the aroma.
T-The flavor is much like the nose with a huge roasted barley profile with burned caramel and sweet mocha coffee notes. There is a faint savory smoky note way in the back. Warm alcohol and toffee are in the finish of the flavors.
M-A huge bodyis the base for a long sweet caramel coated chocolate finish on the palate. The alcohol is well hidden in this beer.
O-This beer was very good but not great. Very glad to have tried this beer. I would definetaly suggest this for an Imperial Stout tasting fo sho.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 02:06:14 | More by hoplover82

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.8/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1.5 fingers finew brown head, opaque brown body.

Smells smoky, super-peaty, traces of oak.

Knockout taste- the same oak, peat, and smoke-- a bit of bacon, too. Faintly bitter. When you say 'smoked porter', I think this, not the stuff other breweries are putting out. A bit of dark chocolate.

Slightly textured, but appropriate to not steal from the taste.

Knockout smoked stout. That is all.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 03:11:16 | More by zaphodchak

kylehay2004

Florida

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: 2 finger chocolate head, black in body

S: Roasty and fairly smokey for a stout. Coffee and mild chocolate notes

T: Incredibly smokey beer. Coffee is also big with this one. Roast, caramel and syrup notes are there but take a back seat to the smoke flavor. As others have said, it does get better as you drink.

M: thick bodied and moderate carbonation. This is a really oily beer.

Overall: Aroma is right on but the taste is a little over the top smokey. Not very drinkable for me.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 01:20:20 | More by kylehay2004

Tilley4

Tennessee

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received as an extra from screamforme... thanks, Mark!

A roasty smoky dense chocolate aroma greets me from the glass as I inhale deeply over my NB globe... Hints of anise and licorice present here as well... maybe even some hops....

Dark roasted malts that are smoky in nature dominate the flavors here... More roasted malts than chocolate or coffee... Perhaps a touch boozy but nothing that really detracts from the beer... I like this one...

A nice Stout for sure... World class? Probably not, but a dang tasty sipper...

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2011 19:15:13 | More by Tilley4

engagechad

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Purchased as a single at Wine and Beer Westpark in Glen Allen, VA - poured into a tulip

Pours a dark dark dark black no light peaking through which is just awesome. Nice dark brown head an d decent lacing. Smells amazing. Smells just like a heavy stout with a chunk of burning hickory in it like a cinnamon stick in apple cider.. awesome

Taste is great, a little boozy but for 10% it's nice. Carb is low which is fine and the smokey sticks around but isn't overwhelming like some I've had. Very complex but also very enjoyable and not too much. Feels great, smooth and silky but not syrupy.

Overall this is an awesome stout. get it however you can, it's an experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 00:00:59 | More by engagechad

superspak

Michigan

4.63/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

12 ounce bottle into snifter. Pours thick opaque black color with a small, fairly dense 1 finger dark tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin lacing cap that lasts. A small amount of lacing sticks to the glass as well. Aromas of big charcoal, oak, roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, and a bit of coffee. Aromas of smoked meat were present as well as it warmed up. Very nice and strong aromas here. A lot of complexity. Taste of huge chocolate, caramel, smoke, coffee, vanilla, and tons of roasted malt. Lingering notes of bitter coffee, smoke, chocolate, and roasted flavors on the finish that last a while. Light carbonation and huge full body. The mouthfeel on this beer is heaven. Super creamy, smooth, and as drinkable as a beer of 11% could be. This beer is super rich, without being boozy at all. Alcohol is hidden perfectly in this, I am not really noticing any except for a slight warming on the finish. Overall, and absolutely incredible smoked imperial stout from Weyerbacher. I will be grabbing more if I see it around for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 04:04:12 | More by superspak

nickfl

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with one finger of medium brown foam on top of an opaque, black body. The head settles at a moderate pace and leaves very nice lace.

S - Lots of smoke with some coffee and molasses in the background.

T - Molasses, caramel, and coffee up front with strong smoke. The smoky character intensifies profoundly in the middle as peaty notes emerge with a spicy, phenolic character. The beer finishes with moderate bitterness and a touch of pine hop flavor as well as crushing, overwhelming smoke.

M - A moderately thick, somewhat oily body, average carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - Well, they weren't kidding about the smoke on this one. It is very present in the aroma, but not unpleasantly so and even though it kind of smothers any other malt and sugar aroma notes this doesn't prepare you for just how strong it is going to be when you taste it. Drinking this beer is like being in a house fire, the smoke is overwhelmingly strong and very distinctly peat derived. Other flavors are very much secondary and while I got used to it after a few sips and actually began to enjoy the peat, it is still way too much. The spicy smoke character smothers the potential complexity of the other characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2011 05:33:30 | More by nickfl

djmichaelk

Florida

3.45/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, courtesy of eyeenjoybeer (thanks, Michael!), into a snifter.

A - Pours a deep brown with auburn edges, and sports about a finger or so of tan-colored head. Decent retention, but not much lacing on the glass.

S - Roast, a bit of brown sugar sweetness, maybe some hint of espresso. All of it backed up by a note that reminds me solidly of liquid smoke, but not when you use it to cook, but more like when you open the bottle and get a good whiff.

T - There's a candy sweetness to it on the initial taste, along with a lactate flavor that almost makes me think it's a milk stout. The smoke surrounds all of it, but it's more subtle on the tongue that in the nose, and has an earthy quality. A slight alcohol burn at the end that makes me wonder if I shouldn't have let this sit for a few more months.

M - Carbonation is nice enough, and the body is full. Long finish, and slightly drying.

O - This was a nice one to try. I enjoyed it, but I doubt I'd want to go through more than one of these in a sitting. The obvious comparison (for me) was to Alaskan Smoked Porter... this one fell a little short.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 04:58:43 | More by djmichaelk

prdstmnky

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a nonic.

Aggressive pour gave me a finger of tan head that fades really fast, down to a very thin cap. Body is black as night. Smoke and roasted malt dominate the nose, though there is some sweetness lingering in there too.

Smoke is certainly front and center in the flavor profile of stout, wow! Initially all I got was big doses of roasted malt and smoke, but as this warms, it really opens up. Some chocolate, both bitter and sweet, coffee, even hints of vanilla (which is what I was picking up in the smell). Medium bodied, smooth, and somewhat warming.

This is about as smokey as ive ever had. Got a couple more of these I look forward to drinking in the colder months.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 02:43:31 | More by prdstmnky

Pellinore1

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to OakedCanuck for sending this one.

Pours thick and black into a tulip, producing less than a finger of fine brown head. This fades, leaving some lacing down the side of the glass.

The smell is slightly sweet and intensely smoky. Roasted malt and chocolate lurk in the background.

As with the smell, smoke really defines the flavor of this beer. The dark, roasty malts I expect from a stout are there, but I keep being reminded of a peaty (and remarkably drinkable) scotch. As I drink a bit more, the smoke fades a bit, and I pick up the other flavors that are present: chocolate, toffee, just a bit of coffee.

The mouthfeel is smooth and pleasant, but just a thinner than I expect from an imperial stout.

Definitely a good beer overall, with interesting flavors and well hidden alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 03:11:55 | More by Pellinore1

Vdubb86

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a tulip glass

Thanks to TMoney2591 for letting me have this as a birthday gift. Though I'm drinking it near 2 months after that fact.

The pour has a rich sexy blackness, but there is no head to be found with even the most vigorous of pours. Still it finds a way to attractive to my eye as it is my preferential style and smoked to boot. The aroma has rich coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, smoke, cinnamon and a variety of other amazing smells that go along with it. I've smelled better, but it was pretty nice in those regards. The taste was great too. There was maybe just a bit too much smoke on the palate for my liking, but it was still a darn tasty beer. The mouthfeel was just the right kind of creamy and if it weren't for the lack of head this would be getting a 5. The 10% is really really well hidden on this beer, though I assume the age has something to do with that. Overall this is a very good beer and something I would never have a problem ordering again in any setting.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 12:25:18 | More by Vdubb86

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

black and evil looking from the start. A small but quickly fleeting head of light tan rises up from the bottom of the glass and sits on top for a brief moment before settling back down again. Aroma is burnt, smoked, and peaty, however you want to say it, wow. Dark leather and tobacco, smoked malts, rich, dark chocolate notes. Immense aroma of charred wood. Holy crap this is a beast. Warming brings out subtle vanilla, but barely as the bulk of this is just tremendous smoke. Each sip is rich, again seeped in smoked malts and rich campfire like tones. Smoked wood dominates as does subtle sweet notes of honey, light touches of vanilla and a rich leather and tobacco finish.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 06:15:54 | More by mikesgroove

AgentZero

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Black beer with a tan head that let pretty much nothing on the sides.

S - Very smoked with roasted malts and some chocolate. Decent amount of alcohol here. Chocolate, coffee, a little bit of toffee.

T - Really smoked, with some unsweeteend chocolate, coffee, roasted malts. Smoke is pretty dominant here, but it's not a bad thing.

M - Medium bodied, needs to be a little fuller, with low carbonation.

O - Kind of a one trick pony here, with a little more soke than is necessary. Not something I'd really have again.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 05:26:06 | More by AgentZero

OakedCanuck

Washington

3.45/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into tulip. from notes

A - Pours a dark brown with lighter brown edging. Decent medium brown head with some retention.

S - Roast coffee, some dark fruits, minor chocolate, and smoke!

T - Very smoky, not great but not that bad. Considering the strong presence that smoke imparts in beer, it is pretty well integrated. I pick up some woodiness and pine in the back as well as some molasses.

M - Thin, again (I find this consistent with all Weyerbacher stuff). Medium body and easy to drink.

O - I like the smoke to a point before it takes over. The other flavours are there just not too strong. Decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 20:07:23 | More by OakedCanuck

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I picked this up at Quick six, poured chilled from the 12oz into a tumbler.

An opaque black colored beverage with thick rocky medium reddish brown cap. The lace is thick and bead is tight. The smell has a nice level of complexity with fruity yeast and smokey odors which don't overwhelm the cocoa in the malt and slight woody scent like cedar possibly from the smoked malt or hops. The feel is mildly smoked with lots of caramel and mild carbonation w/ gentle bitterness and the alcohol seems light while the body is relatively full.

The flavor of Fifteen is good w/ a little more sweetness than I like, but a nice caramel flavor anyway with some cocoa and smoke accents w/ a slight woodiness and alcohol in the taste. The mild coffee-like flavor comes off sort of like french roast based on the smoke in the malt w/ some dark fruit sweetness as it finishes. I enjoyed this even if it was a little all over the map. Enough smoke to notice it, but not dominate or go too far over the top. I think even with some age it has pretty high drinkability -I would have possibly enjoyed this more fresh.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2011 17:06:42 | More by Slatetank

Lerxst

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours black with a one finger coffee colored head that has good retention leaving just a few wisps of lace.

S-Smoke is the first thing I notice followed by some charred malt, hints of coffee and dark fruit. The smoke detracts from the other elements by overshadowing them.

T-Smoke leads here too. Followed by hints of chocolate, coffee, dark fruit and rich malt. Once again, the smoke overdoes it. The underlying flavors are rich and enjoyable but they get overwhelmed by the smoke.

M-Full bodied, creamy, light carbonation. Coats the palate.

O-This beer would be much more enjoyable if they'd tone down the smoke. Otherwise, the other aspects of this beer were well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 19:58:34 | More by Lerxst

badboyrsl84

California

3.63/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours jet black with a tan head.

Smell - smoked malt, chocolate, some alcohol.

Taste - lots of smokyness to this. Very well defined and not over the top. I get tons of chocolate and wood as well. I feel like the chocolate and wood are battling it out on the tastebuds but both come out very nicely.

Overall - this beer is going great with my Java cigar. I'm pleased with it.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 01:03:29 | More by badboyrsl84

nhindian

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a Dogfish Head Signature glass.

A - Pours a dark brown, nearly flat black color. It sort of looks like ink when it finally settles in the glass with a bit of brownish hues in it. It only seems to muster up a half finger of head, which is khaki in color, and as such, it dissipates fairly quickly. There's some moderate lacing here, but not a whole lot.

S - I've had some smoked beers that are almost pinpoint imitations of barbecue, while others offer a more woody, campfire note. I prefer the latter, and thankfully Fifteen fits in with this fairly well. At first, the smoke is actually hidden behind a heavy dose of malts which start the beer off sweet with chocolate and espresso. The smoke comes in shortly after that, relatively tame and bringing notes of char, burnt wood, and stale campfire.

T - I'm going to be honest, at first I didn't really enjoy this beer. I had a similar reaction with my previous smoked beer, Left Hand's Fade to Black Vol. II; I don't know if my palate just needs some time to acclimate to the smokiness, but as I drink it I found myself enjoying it more. The smoke comes in sooner than in the nose, greeting the coffee and cacao at the start rather than meeting them halfway through. This gives an additional facet to those flavors which is interesting and enjoyable. The chocolate is fairly bitter here, a feeling that lasts into the finish and lends to the smoke. The end has a little bit of hops to it, in that I can get some faint traces of orange.

M - Given the look, ABV, and relatively bold flavors of this beer, I was expecting a thick, syrupy stout. Unfortunately, what I am greeted with instead is actually fairly thin and watery feeling. It doesn't really suit the characteristics of this beer well. If the mouthfeel could be beefed-up to support the flavors of this beer, I could see it improving that much more. Lasting feelings in the mouth are chocolate, smoke, and some bitterness.

D/O - Drinkability is moderately high. For me, it took some time to get into the swing of this beer, but by the end I was enjoying each sip. I still don't think I can say I love smoked beers, but this is a big step in that direction.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 20:03:58 | More by nhindian

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a snifter)

A- This beer has an inky black body with a deep tan creamy head that fades to a thick ring and the body is too dense to see any carbonation.

S- The light smoky note takes on a latex hint with some roasted black malt underneath and a bitter hop finish that grows as the beer opens. There are some caramel and dark crystal malt smells in with the black malt.

T- The deep smoky bacon meaty flavor has no band-aid qualities at all. There is some inky black notes that grow and a smoky flavor hangs on the tongue after each sip.

M- The medium-light mouthfeel finishes with a big fizz and a soft hint of alcohol.

O- This beer has a nice full smoky flavor that blends with the stout that has a nice sweetness to compliment the smoke and alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2011 22:07:06 | More by rhoadsrage