Blackberry Porter - Cannery Brewing Company

BGDrock

Ontario (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: frothy, tan head, great length and leaves lace; very dark brown colour, almost black

Aroma: sweet blackberry and cassis; maraschino cherry and hint of chocolate is giving sense of blackforest cake

Taste & Mouthfeel: fresh fruit flavour, not sugary sweet, more like squeezed juice; definitely sings of blackberry, get some concord grape too; finishes with a dry bitterness that doesn't overwhelm the juicy flavours; there's a hint of roasted malt is a nice pair to the fruit; light body and super easy-drinking; could maybe use a bit more hop or malt character, as the fruit flavour gets a bit tiring by the end

Overall: lacks the cloying sweetness typical of many fruit beers; love the natural flavour of the beer and fairly balanced composition, but would be interested to see this with a fuller body

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2012 00:46:15 | More by BGDrock

decimator

Ontario (Canada)

1.85/5  rDev -50.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

650ml bottle poured into a pint glass. ABV 6%.

A - Poured a dark brown with hints of purple. 1cm head. Some lacing.

S - Blueberry muffins and a side of coffee. Smells delicious but it doesn't smell like beer.

T - Blackberries and toasted grains. This is way too fruity.

M - Medium-light body, medium-light carbonation, fruit juice finish.

O - There's no way I could drink this. Drain pour.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 02:32:38 | More by decimator

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle from the LCBO, 650ml into a tulip. Best before February 1, 2013.

Almost wholly black, mocha head with some creamy retention and good lace. Nose of blackberry, currants, blueberries, dark chocolate and light roast. Taste had almost the same with regards to dark berries, and roast is a touch more prominent. Sweet and fruity. Moderate bitterness lingers, medium body and carbonation is a higher medium. Good flavour, better than I recall when I've previously had this.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 04:00:02 | More by liamt07

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I am genuinely surprised by how much I like this beer!

Pours a dark and clear burgundy with much colour at the edges of the glass. Minimal head dissipates quickly, but leaves some residual lacing. Mouthfeel is not as creamy as I expected from the oily looking pour and brief density of the head.

Aroma of dark roasted malts combined with real fruit does not strike me as flat or uni-dimensional, unlike what some other drinkers have indicated. The flavour combines an initial roasted malt sweetness, with the expected tones of chocolate and coffee, before transitioning to a tart hop finish. A bitterness that lingers for an impressive length of time! The blackberry is present throughout the tasting, but it tastes like real fruit rather than jam, and I find it complimentary to the dark, roasted malts.

Will now make an effort to track down any Cannery beers that I can find!

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 01:36:35 | More by hopsolutely

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: 1/8" tan coloured head that dissipated quickly over black/cola liquid.

S: Roasted malt, chocolate malt and blackberry.

T: Blackberry, caramel and roasted malt.

M: Thin viscosity with a medium level of foamy carbonation.

O: Sweet and toasted bitter, this beer has decent drinkability but is not well integrated enough for my liking.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 03:14:28 | More by DaftCaskBC

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.03/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

My friend Jill picked this up for me at some point. Gotta love a friend who sees an interesting beer and just grabs it for you. Thanks Jill!

From a bomber into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: A very transparent brown pour yields a 1+ finger, medium-thinner looking, light tan head with good retention. Black body with next to zero carbonation evident. Head slowly fades to a full wisp and clings to the top of the glass. A good wisp and ring remain the whole way leaving some decent lacing.

SMELL: Piles of blackberries. Heaps actually. Lighter notes of dark chocolate and roasted, smoky malt, but this is more about the blackberries. One dimensional, but still bold and interesting enough.

TASTE: Dark malts and blackberries. That’s basically it. Some light caramel and sweet malt at the finish, but very little bitterness as balance here. Pretty one dimensional. A touch of roasted and smoky malt with lots of bold blackberries linger on the palate. Flavorful, but very one dimensional.

PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Light on the palate but creamy enough as well, goes down smooth and finishes dry on the palate. Light, but decently creamy.

OVERALL: An enjoyable beer, especially on a hot summer’s evening, but definitely one dimensional. I wished they’d been able to mesh some other qualities from the base beer into the flavor profile as well. Some will love this the way it is, but I enjoy a little more complexity of flavor. That said, I quite enjoyed this one and would gladly have another. Thanks again for thinking of me Jill!

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 13:40:14 | More by Jeffo

mintjellie

Ontario (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Near black in colour with gorgeous cassis highlights. A generous helping of mocha coloured head forms on the pour, and leaves a patchy lace as it recedes. Intense blackberry aroma also shows cocoa powder and roast. It has a strong blackberry flavour that complements base porters chocolate, blackstrap molasses, and black coffee. Mild sweetness leads into a bitter finish. Delicious. Medium bodied and softly carbonated. Velvet mouthfeel. A lovely beer, and a damned shame I didn't pick up more when it was still around.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2011 16:46:15 | More by mintjellie

joemcgrath27

Alberta (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - basically pitch black, short head dissipated to a thin covering with a consistent lace ring
S - strong sweet blackberry dominates, roasty and light chocolate, hint of leafiness
T - sweet blackberry meshes with the bitterness of the roasty and chocolate malt, light leafy hop note comes through the finish
M - medium body smooth to start, with carbonation lingering, finishing with some acidity and bitterness
O - they have not spared the feature ingredient here which is delicious and compliments the maltiness well, this could easily be sessionable

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 02:46:19 | More by joemcgrath27

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Medium brown with one finger of bubbly light brown head.

S - Sweet caramel, blackberry. Not much else is evident in the nose. Very sweet overall and the blackberry is quite strong.

T - Very sweet. Lots of blackberry flavour is present as well. Light roasted malt profile is evident but overshadowed by the blackberry and the overall sweetness of the beer.

M 0 Light to medium body; lightly carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2011 02:56:32 | More by TheSevenDuffs

wordemupg

Alberta (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

650ml bottle poured into tulip jan22 2011

A near black with a large three finger mocha head that has good retention and leaves a few patches of lace

S lots of blackberry with coco powder not overly complex but what it is going on I like a lot

T not far from the smell but with some faint coffee and dark malts that work well with the blackberry that tastes real unlike many fruit beers

M not overly thick and not the bubbles I was expecting after seeing the foam but still neither watery of flat

D I just looked at the bottle and realized its 6.5%, wouldn't have guessed that as there's zero booze and yet I still feel I could session this without getting board

a most worthy brew from a brewery I may need to get acquainted with

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2011 04:24:43 | More by wordemupg

marty21

Manitoba (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a very dark brown with ruby highlights. Has 2 plus finger tan creamy head. Settles to a thick cap and leaves lots of lacing all down the glass.

S: Very sweet blackberries. Faint hints of chocolate and roasted malt in the background but hardly noticeable.

T: Blackberries upfront with hints of chocolate and roasted malt. Finishes with more blackberries.

M: Light carbonation with a light to medium body. The carbonation and body compliments the flavors perfectly.

D: I had been eyeing this one up in the store for a while and finally decided to buy it. I wasn't disappointed. Some beers advertise a certain flavor or fruit etc but when you drink them expecting that flavor it's hardly noticeable. This beer advertises blackberries and you get a lot of blackberries. It's a really tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2011 21:57:06 | More by marty21

Kubus

Ontario (Canada)

5/5  rDev +32.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Cannery Blackberry Porter

A: Beautiful obsidian colour, 3 fingers of head that lasted for a good 5-8 minutes. Opaque black normally, a dark, clear violet when held up to the light.

S: Smooth aroma of biscuits, blackberry, and a hint of chocolate.

T: Rich flavour, reverberates around the mouth like a bass note. Pleasant, almost sweet beginning with a light flavour of blackberries. Extremely satisfying.

M: Definitely a very thick beer. Each swig fills one's mouth with a gentle, almost syrupy texture that goes down smooth.

D: An excellent beer, sets a clear goal for what it wants to be and achieves it with extreme ease. One of my favourite porters so far. The only thing is that it is rather filling, so after a few of these one may feel a little bloated, but then again it was a 500mL bottle so use your own discretion

Note: I am partial to porters, but this is still an awesome beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2011 05:34:36 | More by Kubus

Long813

Nova Scotia (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

From: LCBO

A: Dark purple body, almost black, pour with a few fingers of head then dissipates rather quickly. Leaves some lacing.

S: Whoa nice scent of black berries, some roasted malts. Very good.

T: Ah, doesn't let down. Loads of black berries, maybe some coffee is the reason for the bitterness. Pleasing, not one dimensional like many of these types are.

M: Medium bodied with medium-low carbonation. Water like texture, but full bodied. Dry bitter after taste. No alcohol scent.

D: Pleasing brew and I'm glad I've tried it. Not to overpowering in flavour or alcohol, but there is enough there.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 00:00:15 | More by Long813

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Black. Two finger off white head. Opaque. Great lacing.

S - Really roasty. Some blackberry and blueberry and perhaps coffee come out.

T - Coffee, roastiness, and fruits come out again.

M - Medium body with lingering fruits in the finish. Slight bitterness.

D - Good stuff. A nice fruit porter. The blackberry is well balanced with the rest of the classical elements of the porter.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2010 04:17:44 | More by tbeckett

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A very dark ruby colour with a thin off white head. Smells of sweet-sour blackberry with a hop presence kicking around. Tastes like blackberry and coffee right away that is rounded out with a bitter slightly sour hop presence. Light in terms of mouthfeel, was maybe a bit to fizzy for me. I would split a bomber with a buddy or two, I found the whole bomber to be a bit of a commitment on my own. This is not for me I don't think however, it really is a well made porter. This is the first offering I have tried from Cannery and I am interested in tasting some of there other stuff

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2010 01:37:33 | More by peensteen

ThatWineGuy

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cola-like on the pour, half finger tan head leaves a lot of wavy lace. The beer is black but some light comes through the edges and top. The smell is very berry-like, blueberry pie comes to mind. Aroma has some sweetness to it and with warming it is more pronounced.

Taste is pretty good with a porter backdrop, some smokiness and chocolate cupcake, coffee bean bitterness. The blackberry presence is more subdued on opening but changes with air. Nice blend of bitterness and malt, texture is a touch syrupy, medium body. Finish is roasted, a bit nutty, but pleasing despite a bit of residual astringency. Alcohol well handled. This is an interesting beer on several levels and worth picking up.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2010 21:27:20 | More by ThatWineGuy

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer's inky, opaque appearance came as no surprise - it says it right there in the name (*Black*berry). Unlike the fruit, however, there's not a dash of colour no matter how it's observed. A shovel appears to be needed to get through to the beer; that huge mound of brownish foam leaves behind a labyrinth of lacing as it retreats further down the glass.

Again, the title plays spoiler; it smells of, you guessed it, blackberries. But not the rubbery, steroid-injected ones from San Fernando Valley (which have barely any taste anyhow), more like the tiny luscious ones I pick in my own backyard. That berry tartness is a wonderful companion to the sweet caramel sauce it smells as though it's been dipped in.

This tastes of a berry reduction - not only of blackberry, but some tart blueberry as well - that's worthy of being ladled, along with some caramel, over a rich chocolate cake. How perfect then that its other flavours should specifically include both caramel and chocolate cake!? There's even a dash of vanilla in there too. Can you say 'great dessert beer'?

The harsh roast typical of some porters is absent; this makes the beer more agreeable to casual drinkers and should teach them not to be afraid of dark beers. Moreover, the berry flavour (without which, the beer would be a little light and lame) can be fully appreciated, unhindered by any coffee-like astringency or acrid burnt malts.

I suspect that in a lager this flavour would be flat and underwhelming, but in a porter it matches well with those decadent dessert-y flavours. The water's minerals also pair well with the naturally occurring tartness in the blackberry flavour. I think the brewer is probably owed as much credit for this one as the flavour chemist responsible for the syrup.

Using artificial flavours is a lot like bleaching your teeth: the result is aesthetic, but a lot less impressive if it's obvious that it's not genuine. Such concentrated and dynamic fruit flavour, like the perfect set of pearly whites, rarely exists by nature alone. But it's easy to make bad beer when using fake fruit syrups - making a good one is much harder to do. If you do manage to however - which Cannery has - the results can be most appealing.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2010 19:05:55 | More by biegaman

papat444

Quebec (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to kjyost for this one. Split with my wife over our supper, pork with plums, blackberries(!) and cinnamon.

Poured from a 650ml. bottle.

Appearance: Pours a dark body which when held to the light is slightly reddish or almost the color of not quite ripe blackberries unless that's the power of suggestion. Lots of head, easily 3 fingers that sits awhile and drapes the side of the glass.

Smell: Blackberries and malt. Sweet smelling a little and kind of reminds me also of black currants. I can honestly say i can't find anything wrong with this wonderful aroma.

Taste: Blackberries are omnipresent but never overbearing. Very malt forward with some spices and maybe a whisper of bitterness. The only knock is i don't find it tastes much like a porter. Maybe more like a light stout. Regardless, it's still a tasty beer.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and creamy. Maybe a tad unbalanced as i feel the malt takes too much space. Not very robust for the style and ABV but i still like the feel of it.

Drinkability: A good, drinkable brew. I'd have it again but to split only as it might be a bit much for me taste-wise.

Overall: This beer surprised me as my expectations were average. Better than expected and though it could be a bit more balanced in regards to the malt, i still highly recommend this brew. Best beer i've had in awhile.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2010 22:57:17 | More by papat444

ludachris

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep chestnut brown that turns black as the beer fills the glass. Its true colour is only revealed when held up to the light, highlighting the chestnut edges. About a fingers worth of frothy tan coloured head tops the beer, displaying a good amount of retention.

Sweet and raw blackberries blend exceptionally well with notes of bakers chocolate and roasted malts. Straightforward and very inviting.

The sweetness of fresh blackberries hits the tongie immediately but soon gives way to a hardy dose of roasted malts and dry chocolate. As the beer nears its end, the roasted malts become dry and bitter, accentuating the more raw and almost tart characteristics of what the blackberry character has transformed into in the finish. A mild earthy hop character also in the finish adds to this.

Great balance in the mouth. Good amount of carbonation with a light enough feel to make it easy to drink without wanning on the watery side. The rich and pronounced flavours of this beer disguise the ABV well.

I'm not a huge fan of American porters, but this one left me more than satisfied. I think they nailed the blackberry twist to this porter, with the blackberries complimenting everything from start to finish. Another great seasonal offering from the LCBO in a solid fall release. Worth a try and maybe another one after that.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2010 00:36:11 | More by ludachris

pootz

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle: Pours a clear deep black with ruby highlights when candled. Smallish cap but fair lacing. Modest carbonation.

Pungent but tasteful natural berry aroma mingles with and compliments roasty malt tones, some grassy and earthy hop notes...nice nose to this.

Front side is a great 3-way amalgam of hops roast and berry frutiness..mid palate more complex malting is detected with caramel-toasty-roasty body challenging hop astringency...bittering/malting comes through late leading to a increasingly london porter-like finish.

A very well constructed fruit ale ...complex malting and hopping retains a rich porter character with a complimentary natural blackberry flourish. Very drinkable and satisfying...top flight micro beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2010 01:13:23 | More by pootz

GodOfBeer

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brownish red with a nice off white head, some decent lacing.

Smells of raspberry chocolate cake, coffee, dark roasted malts, blueberries, caramel, basically everything good.

Tastes of sweet berries, but not overboard which is good. Balanced perfectly by the dark malty character and surprisingly nice and hoppy. A typical porter with a nice mixture of blackberries.

Nice smooth, somewhat carbonated mouthfeel. One of the best fruit beers I've ever had, only because they didn't go all out with the blackberries. Nicely done!

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 00:24:22 | More by GodOfBeer

shamus

Ontario (Canada)

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

This is a highly carbonated beverage going by appearance however despite it's galaxy of tiny bubbles and thick foamy head it does not taste fizzy. In fact due to it's chocolate/berry flavour pairing it tastes a lot like the old Big Turk chocolate bars we used to get as kids for Christmas.
This is a delightful dessert beer. it might be nice at a Christmas dinner after the main course but as far as a regular beer I would pass. Still it's nicely done for what it is if a bit on the sweet side for my taste.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 23:08:58 | More by shamus

MattyV

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown pretty much black colour that shows faint ruby highlights and a bubbly light mocha coloured head that laces well enough.

The aroma is straight up blackberry, it reminds me a bit of grape-flavoured candy. Also picking up hints of dark roasted malt in the background.

Right away I'm hit with chocolate and roasted malt, and then the fruity blackberry flavour quickly comes through, but then the roasted malt returns along with hops and coffee beans to provide a dry roasty finish with the blackberry mostly diminished but just lightly lingering on the palate. The blackberry works surprisingly well with this porter, especially given the prominent role it plays in both the nose and taste.

Nice and full body, but a little overcarbonated.

This was a pleasant surprise and a nice change from the usual stout/porter crowd. I didn't think the blackberry would work as well as it did -- very refreshing and an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2010 02:20:06 | More by MattyV

Ralphus

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A solid well done traditional porter is an excellent beer. Adding fruit to one and still ending up with an excellent beer - is ja hell of a job.

It pours midnight black - a touch dark for a porter perhaps - but with a smooth offwhite head. Sheets of lacing are left behind as it settles to a ring of foam.

The smell is a great mix of blackberry, blueberry and soft chocolate malts. I enjoy.

Tastewise there is more of the same but with a nice volume. The balance of chocolate malts to fruit is really well done in my opinion. It would be easy to lose the fruit or completely dominate with it, but Cannery has done a fabulous job of mating the two. It finishes with a medium bitter semi dry finish. There is no alcohol evident at all.. and while this beer might be missing a touch of complexity - I'm not sure how to improve on it.

The mouthfeel is great. Silky smooth with a touch of carbonation. As a result it goes down in gulps.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 21:34:43 | More by Ralphus

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.23/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured into DFH Signature Glass.

Saw this on here listed for the Fall release at the LCBO and immediately started to drool. Sometimes the anticipation is far greater than the reward. I haven't found a beer with fruit I haven't liked yet. This one unfortunately is the exception.

A- Murky opaque black pour, hints of barney purple; The color is actually like a blackberry. Half finger tan/purple tinged head. Lacing is very sticky good.

S- Blackberries galore! Almost like a jelly (not jam) Vanilla and roasted coffee added in for good measure. Quite overpowering fruit.

T- Blackberry, roasted coffee, vanilla, with a strange bitter aftertaste that I can only assume is the malts and hops mixed with the fruit. The blackberry subsides a bit as it warms further. All these things being said, I was finding my self choking down this about half way down the bottle. Not sure if it's the fruit or what it was but it was nearly impossible to finish.

M- Juicy from the fruits and chewy like a good porter.

D- IMO this should be sold in standard bottle size (12oz) there is so much fruit crammed into this that it really makes this more of a dessert offering than anything else really.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2010 03:03:36 | More by korguy123