Fifteen - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

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

From a bottle. Pours black with a mocha head and thick lacing. Nose is thick and rich, smoke, wood, deep malt, sort of savory, some fudge. Nice. Body is thinner than I had hoped. Smoke flavors really carry on the palate, more aggressively than in the nose. Some dark baker's chocolate flows over as well. Dry and a touch ashy. Tight for the most part but the finish is long and lingering, something between smoke and a hop accent. I wish the body was thicker on this as it has some great things going on.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2011 00:51:22 | More by JAXSON

Eriktheipaman

Virginia

4.53/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

First off I am a sucker for smoked Porters and Stouts.

Pours a pitch black with a tiny brown head that fades away completely.

The smell is of smoked meat and campfire.

The taste is of roasted coffee on the front quickly followed by smoky goodness. It is almost border too much of a smoky taste but really hits the spot, any more would be too much though. Also no trace of alcohol at all.

Pumped I got to try this beer!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 03:00:49 | More by Eriktheipaman

vandemonian

Maryland

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

Weyerbacher Fifteen mixes a malty/umami flavour with some saltiness and smokiness that gives an effects that tastes almost like bacon.

A: Black colour and a 1 cm tan head that fades slowly and maintains decent lacing. 4.5

S: Smells smokey and malty. The two aromas together smell... almost... like... bacon. 4.5

T: The taste is malty up front with some smoke flavour. The smokiness builds until the aftertaste, which it dominates. 4.

M: Foamy. 4.5

O: Delicious psuedo-bacon. 4.5

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2011 02:26:39 | More by vandemonian

SFLpunk

Vermont

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

12oz brown glass pry top bottle. Purchased at Knightly Spirits OBT, Orlando, FL.

Pours a thick black with thin cascading dark cappuccino color head. Nose is somewhat roast with a good amount of wood smoke. Palate is raisin-y and leathery. Thick coffee extract, prune and dates, a touch of something like peat. A bit closing on the mouthfeel, not necessarily too sweet just very viscous. Not super complex. Won't seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2011 17:40:43 | More by SFLpunk

GregSVT

Texas

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

12oz bottle into a snifter

A: Pours dark black with a nice tan head that fades to a ring and leaves some lacing on the glass.

S: The first thing I smelled was roasty malt and as the beer settled I picked up big campfire aromas of smoke and char. After that there wasn't much else to smell.

T: The taste is very interesting. At first it's big flavors of vanilla and chocolate malt and the smoke shows up on the finish. It's not overpowering like most smoked beers are which is very nice.

M: The feel is medium bodied and creamy.

O: After I smelled it I thought it would be like Alaskan's Smoked Porter which was good but way too smokey for me. This was more balanced and very tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 05:45:21 | More by GregSVT

bum732

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

S: Very italian roast coffee, dark and milk chocolate, wifts of peaty smoke.

L: Dark tan head that dissipates quickly, ok lacing.

T: Coffee roast and smoky phenolics up front. Medium fruity bitterness leads to more coffee roastiness and dark chocolate sweetness. A bit of alcohol heat before drying just slightly with more chocolate sweetness. Sharp acidic phenolics or roastiness persists throughout.

M: Medium full slick body, medium carbonation, alcohol noticable, slightly warming.

The smoke in this is pulled back nicely. Pretty sweet, but expected from Weyerbacher. Needs some time to tone down with the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 01:03:02 | More by bum732

bbeane

Pennsylvania

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

A- Poured into an oversized snifter... a tiny bit of brown head appears and disappears quickly. Beer is black in color

S- Has a light smokiness, but when swirled in the snifter the smokiness is lost in the smell of sweet malts, plum, dark fruits

T- Has a lingering smokiness from start to finish. Beer starts with some toasty notes, coffee, chocolate... finish has a light hop presence and touch of boozy heat

M- Light carbonation and nice full chewy body

O- Was a gift from someone so I can't factor price in, but all in all I enjoyed it. Where it somewhat lacked in smokiness it had good complex taste. I'm finding Weyerbacher is producing some quality brews

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2011 01:17:26 | More by bbeane

Alieniloquium

Florida

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

12 oz. bottled poured into a goblet.

Appearance - Not quite jet black body with a wee bit of a tan colored head. It fades quickly leaving just a bit of lacing.

Smell - Strong roasted malt flavor with some smoke. It smells like coffee and Islay scotch. The flavors complement each other well in the nose.

Taste - I don't think the smoke plays well here. The flavor is immediately a strong bitter chocolate flavor. The bitterness is augmented by the hops (is this not an RIS?). The smoke just adds to the bitterness. It comes off as unbalanced.

Mouthfeel - Nice body to it. A bit chewy, which is surprising since it doesn't have a lot of sweetness to it at all. Medium carbonation. Feels like a 10.8% stout, as it should.

Overall - Not a bad stout, just very very bitter. No cloying sweetness here. I've never had a smoked beer before and given this, I'd be interested to try other examples of it.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 01:27:37 | More by Alieniloquium

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pitch black with a coffee hued head that i wish was around for longer. some lacing and some legs.

S: starts with a pretty classic imp. stout aroma, heavy on the chocolate, a light roast. campfire smoke is very similar to a burning hickory (really reminds me of the smell when walking into a DF alehouse here in VA).

T: a roasted chocolate flavor. raisins. smoke definitely comes through, but not nearly as potent as it was in the nose. more of an accent to the roast. alcohol is evident at the very tail-end, but not overpowering at all. i even bought some to put aside for a while but that might not even be necessary.

M: silky and smooth on a full body. exactly what i expect from the style.

D: great smoke flavor adds depth to this already complex style. love the smoke on the nose, wish there was a little more in the palate but still very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2011 01:41:55 | More by Jimmys

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.33/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Got this from G311 in a recent trade. Cheers!

From a bottle into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Pours out black and thick, yielding a small, medium looking, mocha colored head that fades quickly to a slight wisp and ring. Pitch black in the glass with no carbonation evident. A slight ring remains but leaves no lacing down the glass. Very dark and black body, but an average-at-best head.

SMELL: Good, bold nose. Very roasted with dark chocolate and lots of smoky notes. Slight coffee or burnt espresso beans in there, but very smoky with hints of smoked salami even. Bold nose and well done.

TASTE: Doesn’t live up to the nose, unfortunately. Roasted malts, touches of sweetness through the middle, as well as some smoky notes in there. Dark chocolate and bitter, hoppy notes at the finish. A mild yet lingering aftertaste is roasted and smoky, with some bitter chocolate and lingering alcohol.

PALATE: Medium body and medium, prickly carbonation. Slightly creamy on the palate, goes down smooth with a bit of heat at the swallow and finishes slightly dry o n the palate. Not quite as creamy as it could be, but alright.

OVERALL: Pretty decent brew, but nothing special or memorable really. Unfortunately the taste didn’t live up to the enticing nose. That said, this was definitely more enjoyable than their Old Heathen, so if that’s a good thing. Glad to have been able to try this one, but wouldn’t need to have it again. Thanks for the opportunity G311.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2011 20:27:20 | More by Jeffo

stakem

Pennsylvania

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

On tap at Als of Hampden served in a nonic. This brew appears black in color with a dark tan cap that leaves fingers of lacework and a webbing pattern on the glass. A thin film maintains across the top of the brew.

The smell of this offering is that of dark grains with some smoke character that is lightly pete'd. Under the smoked aspect, more of the dark maltiness comes through smell like chocolate ad coffee with a bit of a sweetness about it. A light amount of fruity alcohol is present in the very back.

The taste of the brew is a little more dark and fruity than I was expecting. Plenty of alcohol is evident with smoked grain, chocolate and coffee notes. There is a very pleasant taste emerging with each sip that tastes strikingly similar to toasted marshmallows, where did that come from? Who cares, it's quite pleasant. The aftertaste is lightly musty with more hints towards the fruity alcohol inclusion coupled with hops.

This is a medium to full bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It includes a vibrant amount of fruity alcohol character that I could do without but this regardless is a very enjoyable, easy drinking brew.

Serving type: on-tap

04-21-2011 18:19:50 | More by stakem

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another year has gone by and Weyerbacher brings us a really nice Smoked Imperial Stout. Very good balance in this brew. Has a little bit of the smoked bacon saltiness to it, but it doesn't interfere with the brew at all. The color is very black and has a thin brown head that doesn't seem to leave a ton of lacing behind. The aromas of course are smoke, and roasted malts, perhaps even some early morning breakfast bacon. The smokiness in the flavor doesn't overpower the beer which is very good to me. There is still a strong burnt stout aftertaste that comes in on the back of the tongue. The mouthfeel is thick but not too much. Pretty good beer for sure. Get it while you can.

Serving type: on-tap

04-14-2011 03:02:36 | More by Knapp85

UCLABrewN84

California

4.28/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to J2Brew2 for sending me this one.

Pours a motor oil thick pitch black with a 1 inch dark chocolate head. Nice patterning of lace on the glass on the drink down. One of the thickest and blackest beers I have ever seen. Smells of roasted malts, smoked wood, soy sauce, and cocoa powder. Reminds me of a campfire smell in a way. Very nice. Taste is very similar to the smell with roasted/smoky malt, bitter chocolate, muted coffee/espresso, and a hint of soy sauce (not as strong as the smell would indicate). This is a very tasty beer with the smoke flavors complementing the typical imperial stout richness of chocolate/coffee/espresso. Very thick in the mouth, which detracts a bit from the overall experience of the beer. Very full body that coats the mouth with each sip. Overall, I am very grateful for this extra and for the fact that I got to try this beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 05:56:21 | More by UCLABrewN84

jorg2619

Pennsylvania

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

Wow I poured this anniversary ale today 04/05/11 its been about 6 months since I bought this beer and I am not one for leaving beers in my cellar! 15 pours a deadly black with a dark tan head. I like the look of this beer from the start. I must also confess to not being a fan of smoked beer but the smell of 15 is enticing to me . I smell a bit of smoke along with sweet malts and a hint of vanilla. Upon touching my tongue I am overwhelmed with the smoothness and mildness of this imperial smoke stout. The smoke and sweet/bitterness ends this monster leaving a slightly smokey aftertaste that demands another taste of this amazing and multidimensional brew which has aged in my basement for almost a year!!! The mouth feel is thick but not distracting. I will sip this monster for all its worth.

I am anxious for 16!!!!

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2011 22:19:44 | More by jorg2619

rajendra82

Georgia

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

Dark brown body and a brown head were a nice sight to see. The smell was that of hot cocoa with a vague hint of smoke. Unlike the smell, the smoke showed up big time in the taste, as it started with some intense smokiness, which stayed throughout the sip at a decaying intensity. There were also flavors of coffee and milk chocolate as anticipated for the style. The smoke lingered well into the aftertaste. The alcohol was well concealed, and the only hint of the strength of the beer was the developing sensation of warmth. Quite soft in the mouth, with an oatmeal stout like texture. I enjoyed the complexity brought on by smoking of the malts.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 05:07:32 | More by rajendra82

Metalmonk

North Carolina

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

This is just how you want your big-ass stouts to look: black as the abyss with a toasted bronze head that's two fingers thick after the initial pour. Man, what a good looking glass fulla beer I've got here.

The label promises a "smoked imperial stout," and certainly the smoke plays into the aroma. But unlike many smoked beers, the smoke doesn't totally overtake; there's a generous layer of toasted grain and steamed milk here too. Can't help but seem coffee-like, aromatically.

Coffee-like taste-wise too. VERY coffee-like. Roasted, toasted, smoky, nutty...yep, I'm reminded of the morning java, black as midnight and just bitter enough to wake the dead. A hearty and robust stout that balances the smokiness nicely, letting the other elements breathe and do their thing. Dark fruits, like fig and date, work themselves into the mix, as does vanilla, sweet cream, and a lighter vinous quality emerges too. The 10.8% alcohol has no business being this subtle, but it is. Hops are only tasted in the finish, where they mingle with the grainier bitter flavors.

So silky smooth, this beer simply glides over the tongue like liquid velvet. Just enough carbonation so that it doesn't feel dead or watery, but, yeah, just smooth, smooth, smooth...

An excellent stout, and one that does something a little different from the majority of the big stout pack. Very nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 22:28:02 | More by Metalmonk

Hellabeerguzzler

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

I enjoyed this beer. It's nice blackness and fullness of body. Very nice to look at. Smokiness is a little overdone for me. The smoke does give way to heavily roasted/charred malts, caramelized sugar and maybe some cream/vanilla in there. Tastes really smoky and not as boozy as I was expecting although I still think a year or two (or more) will not hurt this brew. Thick and chewy, hits your stomach with a thud. I would drink a pair of these over the course of a night but that would be satisfying. This was a nice flavor experience but not the IS that I would reach for on most occasions.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 20:30:56 | More by Hellabeerguzzler

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

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

Poured into Goblet and let warm up to about 55F

A- Pours a pitch black liquid that really captures the light and does not appear hazy though it is so black. Had to pour pretty vigorous to get even a 1 finger head that was very dark tan and it died down quite quickly... not much residual lacing.

S- Very smokey! Wow, this is like taking a big whiff inside a meat smoker. The aroma then goes from smoke to a sweet vanilla and bourbon smell that really rounds out the smokey/roasty smell... nice nose on this beer

T/M- Flavor is almost identical to the smell. You get a giant in your face smoke flavor right off the bat mixed which is closely followed by just a touch of sweetness that is toffee/vanilla-y. It moves towards a nice warming bourbon flavor before completely finishing on the tongue with a round roastiness from the malt. Everything transitions very well on the tongue. The carbonation is pretty low but it has a nice full body that fits well with the taste and warming sensation of the alcohol.

D- Now, this doesn't drink like the 10.8% beer that is, but it definitely isn't a pounder. I enjoy this beer very much, but this is the type of beer I would use to cap off my night of sipping a few good ones; I personally wouldn't drink a whole bunch in one session.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2011 18:13:03 | More by TheGordianKnot

JayS2629

Alabama

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

Dark thick, dense black with a mocha colored creamy head. Good lace and retention. The smell is complex and rich. The smokiness is well balanced with the roasted malts. Bold roasted malts, charred oak, vanilla, chocolate. Dark cocoa and chocolate milk up front followed by roasted malts, vanilla, ashy oak smoke, and hints of coffee. Super dense, thick, creamy and full bodied. It is a very complex beer. Very well done and a nice drinkable sipper.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 03:20:10 | More by JayS2629

russwbeck

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Black pour with a nice brown head that laces nicely. Retention is pretty good, diminishing down to a ring where the beer hits the glass.

S: Now this is an interesting smell. Big roasted malts and sweet chocolate hide behind the smokiness. Smells dense and complex.

T: Sweet chocolate flavor up front. Roasted malts come after. The smokiness is really throughout the taste and sticks around for a while on the aftertaste.

MF: Heavy, a bit creamy. No hint of alcohol, which isn't really surprising with all the complex tastes going on.

D: One to be enjoyed slowly. The smokiness and chocolately flavors are wonderful, but I wouldn't want more than one or two of these in one night.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2011 00:31:06 | More by russwbeck

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

appearance: That's a black stout for sure. Creamy Tan head. Nice fat lacing.
smell: Exquisite. Nicely balanced Impy Stout richness combined with a spicy smokiness.
taste: Oh yeah, that's the stuff. Sweetish milkshake start, balanced bitter chocolate and a smoky sweet finish.
mouthfeel: silky, full and creamy.
Well done Weyerbacher!

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2011 00:27:54 | More by cindyjeffsmith

petacutlasaurus

Maryland

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

A great option among smokey beers. I hate to describe a beer this way, but this one is kind of like a cross between some of the smoked BrewDogs and the Quad from Weyerbacher. Falls right in the middle there. Imminently drinkable despite the potency of that smoked taste and the overall density of the beer. The smokiness comes through with a bit of a cocoa taste attached. Fantastic beer that everyone, especially smokey beer drinkers, should grab this season.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2011 23:02:33 | More by petacutlasaurus

beergod1

Ohio

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

Served in my DFH snifter, the beer pours dark syrupy black with a half inch tan head that went away quickly. There is a light amount of lacing left on the glass. Aroma is smoke, roasted/burnt malt, coffee and bittersweet chocolate. The taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also some hops and dark fruit noticeable. However, this beer is mostly about the smoke and roasted/burnt malt. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's creamy and smooth with light carbonation. Drink ability is good, I thought it was smooth and enjoyable to drink. A good overall brew, I'll have to age a couple bottles.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 20:19:33 | More by beergod1

Suds

Pennsylvania

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

An utterly black beer: thick, dense, and impenetrably dark. Whisper-thin dark brown head. The aroma is smoky, richly roasted, and very boozy. The taste is intense with highly roasted malts and barley, but also is blatantly alcoholic. Warming from the first sip, bordering on hotness. Charcoal and burnt notes...licorice and cherry skins. Interesting. The body is literally mouth-filling. Long, alcoholic, and seriously bitter finish. This is a serious, no-nonsense stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 02:25:07 | More by Suds

magnj

New Jersey

4.47/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

a - Black body, Brown head.

s - Light smoke dominates.

t - Smoke balances nicely with the chocolate and coffee contributions of the dark malts. Although billed as aggressive I think the smoke is very well done on this one. Ends a bit spicy but doesn't linger forever.

m/d - Medium to full body, not overly sweet or sticky. Extremely enjoyable and highly drinkable. I might have to grab 4 more...

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 23:42:19 | More by magnj