General Washington's Tavern Porter - Yards Brewing Co.

KTCamm

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Yards Ales of the Revolution variety pack. Twelve ouncer into pint glass.

Pours black with light foam. Clear on top. Light coffee nose. Malty. Chocolate layers. Smooth classic porter taste. Subdued bitter where chocolate/coffee pokes through. Very smooth. Really good porter.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 20:14:52 | More by KTCamm

Durge

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A deep, thick black appearance with a decent tan head that settles a bit but holds on for a healthy trail of lacing. The aroma offers relatively mild malt with nuances of charcoal, coffee and grass hops, but relatively polite overall. The flavor jumps in with smooth cocoa-coffee and maybe a touch of diluted licorice. Impressively gentle on the palate yet offering a pleasant grassy hop edge that blends tastefully. I don't think it's too much more complex than that, but this is very solid and highly drinkable. It's medium bodied with a satiny, smooth feel including delicate carbonation. Very much recommended, an any time porter!

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 04:13:34 | More by Durge

Omnium

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle > Pint Glass

A - Pours brownish black, huge fluffy sand colored head, with a wall of lacing.
S - Toasted grains, caramel, chocolates, bread and biscuit malt and some earthy herbal hop undertones.
T - On par with aroma, nice hint of smokey roasted coffee beans, some malt sweetness, a little honey, and a decent bitterness from the dark earthy hops in here, some pine and spruce notes as well.
M - Good full feeling porter, resonates well with your taste buds, but doesnt overwhelm you like some porters.
O - Decently complex but traditional and full feeling, good porter, would like to have on tap for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 21:01:47 | More by Omnium

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +23.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This beer pours a very dark brown where if you look at the base of the pint in my picture it is actually quite clear with a tan one finger head that remains as a full ring and center cap on top of the beer and leaves a very nice wet lacing pattern on the glass.

The aroma is of molasses, caramel malts, milk chocolate, vanilla, a hint of bread and sweet dark fruit with not much in the way of hops, maybe something piney, but so distant that I can't make it out.

The taste is a very similar profile as it's nose. In fact, just reread what I wrote above and add in a mild bitter finish that balances the beer almost perfectly if not perfect (to keep it from being overly sweet) and leaves you slightly dry and in complete anticipation of the next sip! A slight peppery tastes lingers as well and there is no hint of the high 7% ABV content of this beer.

Mouthfeel is definitely creamy, smooth, slightly sweet and very full in body. The carbonation is just under moderate and refreshing. Mildly dry finish.

Overall, I would like to say that this beer is world class. I think that some may argue with that assessment on the grounds that it may be too sweet with too much molasses or somehow doesn't completely fit with the grain bill. But it seems to me that this is a pretty broad category in beers and allows for such differences. I'm going out on a limb here and calling this 5 out of 5. It's so very complex, sweet yet dry, balanced with the only hint of the ABV being the warming feeling in my stomach. World Class!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 00:37:21 | More by WissBrauSean

Segelstrom

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - poured to a slight head that was not retained. almost to a color of stout.

S - very close to a stout w/ dark notes of chocolate.

T - very flavorful. better then most porters but then it tasted closer to a stout (a good thing)

M - carbonation just about right

O - worth revisiting this.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2013 23:30:40 | More by Segelstrom

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into taster

Dark nutty brown color with a thin layer of tan head bubbling on top. Fades into a slick of filmy retention with a couple spots of lacing on the glass while tasting.

Roasted grainy dark malts with nuttiness and a some hints of dark chocolate. Bready with caramel sweetness.

Malty and roasty up front on the tongue with some dark chocolate and cocoa. Lightly sweet, nutty and a touch warm. Decent balance with some soft warmth, bread crust and toasted grain.

Fuller medium body, decent carbonation, creamy and smooth on the tongue. This is one of the better Yards offerings with a nice feel and more pronounced flavor than some of their other brews. I'd be curious to see how the barrel-aged version matches up.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 13:36:56 | More by xnicknj

cbutova

Massachusetts

3.76/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Last of my Yards to review until I go back to Philly.

A- Bottle poured into a pint glass with a body that is about as close to black as you can get, just a few hints of brown around the edges. A foamy, creamy head forms to about two fingers in size and has good retention. Thick piles of lace form around the glass.

S- Roasted barley and nutty malts come to mind first. Not the most heavily roast porter but at a medium level with some cocoa hints. Smooth caramel, dark fruit and toffee as well.

T- A nice complex malt profile, somewhere between a Brown Ale and a Stout, which is what I tend to look for in good porters. The grains lend notes of roast barley, cocoa, caramel, toffee, toast and some sweets. A good amount of dark fruity, mineral and raisin flavor in here too.

MF- Lighter end body which I find with a lot of English style darker beers. Has a somewhat oily and creamy feel with moderate carbonation. Not much bitterness, hops in the background of the beer entirely.

Solid Porter with an English feel in the malts and yeast. You can taste the influence of Great Britain on this early American recipe, luckily we threw them out and now brew our own styles of beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 03:42:18 | More by cbutova

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark brown with two finger cream-colored head. Good thick lacing.

S - Grassy and herbal notes, grainy toasted malt.

T - The flavor is much maltier than the nose. Good balance of sweetness and maltiness. Bitter coffee-like finish.

M - Creamy and thick with slight chalkiness.

O - Pleasantly surprised with this one, as I have been underwhelmed with virtually everything I've had from Yards. But this is pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 18:26:31 | More by thlayli87

socon67

New York

3.89/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark black pour with a white foam that settles quickly to a trhin line. Clumps of lacing on the glass.

S - Scent of dark chocolate and a slight hint of smoke in the smell. Latent roasted malt notes.

T - Sweet falvors of sugary chocolate and some notes of toffee. Finish has a nice malty flavor and some refined smoky feel.

M - Feels lighter than its ABV; almost a tad thin. Minor carbonation and a slick feel on the taste buds.

O - I like many of Yards offerings and htis is another goodie. a mild porter for those who like the dark malt flavors without a heavy bodied beer. Pretty enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 23:38:30 | More by socon67

dacrza1

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Date: 17 January 2013...Glassware: Yuengling pint...Occasion: The Blind Side on NetFlix--probably the last football fan to see this film (call it a Ravens aversion)...Appearance: dark burgundy body and a thick brown head; fits the bill for a porter, and an old-school one at that...Aroma: fragrant, lactic scent with a hint of peat that is indicative of a deeper flavor--rum and spices (nutmeg?)...Taste: malty, pleasant, smooth and lightly smoked--easily a win when considering the weighty 7% abv this beer's pushing...Palate: thick, creamy, full-bodied porter--much creamier than expected...Overall: Nice to know that goodbeer doesn't change much in terms of its recipes; this is my favorite of the the Ales of the Revolution sampler--and that is a Hancock-sized compliment! This takes its place among the Yuengling, Samuel Smith and Victory's offerings...

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:46:23 | More by dacrza1

DeidreD

4.14/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Bottle poured into a glass, served at about 50-55F.

Appearance - Pours a beautiful deep chocolate brown through which light barely passes. A short (1/4") light tan head formed but disappated quickly.

Smell - The first smell is brown sugar and molasses. A second whiff shows off the dryer features of the malt.

Taste - Like the smell, the first taste is also brown sugar. The molasses notes linger on the tongue, sweet without being cloying. It finishes with a roasty dryness that is pleasant but does not linger or become bitter.

Mouthfeel - Relatively light in texture, but significant enough to suit a porter.

Overall - I liked this beer a great deal more than I thought I would. I read "brewed with molasses" on the label, I knew I might be picking up a bottle that was way too sweet for my taste. General Washington's Tavern Porter is a nicely balanced example of the stylearhat is fairly easy to drink and I would definitely buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 02:55:19 | More by DeidreD

Kendo

New York

3.74/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

A: Poured from the bottle into a pint glass. Body is dark brown with a small (half-finger) tan head that leaves behind some modest splotchy lacing.

S: Roasted barley malt and generic sweetness - perhaps from the molasses that was used in the recipe.

T: Somewhat roasty malts with dark fruits - some prunes and raisins. Slightly vinuous. Molasses evident, bringing sweetness. I prefer my porters to be more roasty than sweet, so this one won't get a higher score than 3.5 from me. . . .

M: About medium in heft, the carbonation is pretty active but not sharp or intrusive.

O: My brother brought a case of these from PA for Christmas. A couple weeks later and there are only a few left - and I don't think I've shared any more than a bottle or two. So yeah, I've been enjoying this as a pretty easy-drinking porter that packs a decent punch at 7% ABV.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 16:02:54 | More by Kendo

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter.

A: Clear dark red-brown with one-finger, tan, creamy head that lasted a couple minutes and left a nice film. Pretty good lacing.

S: Roasted chocolate and dark fruit.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Subtle notes of chocolate and dark fruit and vanilla.

M: Medium bodied with lively carbonation.

O: I prefer other English porters like Fullers and Samuel Smith's Taddy. This one wasn't bad though.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:46:01 | More by SolipsismalCat

ianjsullivan

Maryland

3.88/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

ST: 12oz poured into a pint glass.

A: Dark, almost black, brown with a half-a-fingernail off brown head. Leaves a solid ring of lacing as the beer is consumed.

S: Roasted malt with a hint of coco and coffee bean.

T: Sweet roasted malt meets bitter coco and espresso bean with a hint of vanilla.

M: Medium (though light) and creamy with a dryer finish.

O: While the body could have a bit more heft, this is a very good porter. The aroma is decent, but the beer shines in its flavor. It almost seems too sweet at first sip, but the bitter finish balances the beer nicely.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 19:57:12 | More by ianjsullivan

NODAK

Tennessee

3.93/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma here is predominately of roasted malts, with a touch of cocoa and sweetness. Definitely predominately roasted, however.

Taste follows the nose quite well...pretty big roasted notes fill the body of the beer in a rich way...there are dark chocolate notes as well alongside the roasted malts...with a hint of sweetness there as well.

Pretty good porter...robust but not too roasted or bold. Solid offering.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 02:28:21 | More by NODAK

larryi86

Delaware

4.15/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- Black with a three finger tan head head.

S- Nutty, roasted malts, cocoa, some coffee, touch of dark fruits.

T- Roasted nuts, coffee, roasted malts, some cocoa, touch of fruits.

M- Light to medium body, somewhat creamy.

O- This a great porter and the best beer I have tried Yards. Nice complexity. Would love try this on cask. Definitely will pick this up again!

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 00:10:41 | More by larryi86

flexabull

California

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep dark color with a huge rocky white head, looks appealing.

Aromas are light, some cream, cocoa, and roasted nuts.

Taste is full flavored, nutty, with notes of cream, cocoa, and coffee. Finish is earthy, crisp and slightly bitter.

Mouthfeel is nice, plenty of body, smooth, with nice carbonation.

Overall, a solid porter, well worth trying,

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 04:18:15 | More by flexabull

KajII

North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

[Best served in a Nonic Pint glass]

The pour was a murky dark brown with a slight ruby hue and a large (2-3 finger) tan frothy head that possessed awesome retention, finally reducing to a thick cap which produced excellent streaky lacing.

The aroma was bold and roasty with some dark bread malts and a pungent leathery yeast with notes of dark chocolate, molasses and dark roasted coffee.

The taste was a malty, roasty and bitter-sweet with a big molasses note early on, then progressed into a much bitterer taste with a large dose of roasted coffee and a creamy chocolate presence towards the finish. The flavor lasted an extremely long time proceeding the swallow with a rich creamy bitter-sweet taste left to linger on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was a solid medium in body with an extremely creamy texture and a moderate carbonation.

Overall a very tasty straight forward Porter, with a ton of creamy roasty flavor...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 18:26:07 | More by KajII

OMGTheyKilkenny

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle into a pint glass

A: A thin caramel colored head with a rich, dark chocolate body. This is how a porter is supposed to look.

S: Strong aroma of coffee grounds. Heavy chocolate notes with very toasty malts. Through all that, you can still smell the alcohol. This should be fun.

T: Very nice classic porter. Bold toasted malt flavor hits up front. Semi-sweet chocolate with a bit of coffee. Nice little bite on the finish.

MF: Surprisingly crisp. Solid body, but lighter than you'd think. Lingers a bit on the back. Medium carbonation with just enough body.

D: Excellent, given the strength. No wonder we won the Revolution. If you’re ever in a war and one side’s drinking this while the other is drinking tea, bet on the side fueled by this beer every time. Big flavor, but surprisingly light body makes for solid drinkability. Much lighter than the flavor would suggest. Overall, very nice composition. I love it when a “novelty beer” delivers above and beyond expectations.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 21:20:15 | More by OMGTheyKilkenny

mactrail

California

3.95/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark mahogany in the tall glass. An attractive head on the beer. More of a highly roasted brew than the burnt black of many Porters. Aroma of dark caramel with a hint of licorice in the nose.

A little of the sweet malt greets the lips, followed by a lot of dark malt and a dry finish. The hops give a pleasant bitterness to the aftertaste. Fairly rich mouthfeel and full of flavor. Some dark fruits, a touch of prune and blackberry along with the lightly charred barley. Rather grainy in a pleasing way.

This whole series of "Ales of the Revolution" are far from gimmicky, and the three I've tasted are each excellent in their own way. From the 12 oz bottle bought at Food and Friends.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 03:09:16 | More by mactrail

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Interestingly this is one of the few beers I much preferred from the bottle than from the tap, and I’ve had it on draft at the brewery more than a few times. Not sure why that should be but the bottle opened my eyes a bit after feeling a little disappointed in the tap version after each sampling.

Pours like a good porter should; rich black color, a decent-sized off-white head with good retention and lace. Roasted malt aroma with subtle coffee and bittersweet chocolate notes. Mild floral hoppiness buried somewhere underneath it all.

The flavor pretty much follows the nose, with perhaps a deeper chocolate malt and molasses taste and overall sweetness than the aroma lets on. Good bitterness and char aspects as well, some coming from the hops and more from the roasted malt flavor. Very balanced and tasty. Semi-dry finish.

Medium bodied and carbonated with surprisingly, a smoother, creamier feel than I recall the tap having. I’m not a fan of overly carbonated, prickly porters and this one was smooth and soft enough in the mouth to be very pleasing.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 18:34:54 | More by tobelerone

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown/bl ack body with Coca- Cola highlights. Four fingers of bubbly light tan foam. Minimal lacing.

Aroma is lightly roasted coffee with a good shot of milk in it (the coffee that is).

Taste follows the nose. Big coffee, cut with milk, and an undercurrent of chocolate. Earthy hops. Good balance.

Medium-plus mouthfeel. Smooth, a little slick.

A tasty solid porter. Another impressive item for Washington's resume.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 04:23:11 | More by RonfromJersey

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The bottle states that it's color is a deep garnet... and I find that I rather agree! You can see the light coming through towards the bottom of the glass... a beautiful color, and it has a mountainous, pillowy head that sticks around for quite a while, never fully receding. Aroma - Roasted malt, toffee, vanilla cream, milk chocolate, and perhaps the faintest bit of hops. In the flavor I am picking up coffee, molasses, and definitely some hop bitterness in there. The beer coats the mouth very well and tingles as it goes down. The ABV is imperceptible, however. Overall I would recommend this. The bitterness to the finish adds a ruggedness to the character of what would have been an average porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 03:59:49 | More by Neorebel

mooseo

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into tulip.

A - Dark black with a thin tan head.

S - Potent aroma of coffee, cocoa, roasted malt, and a touch of dark fruit.

T - Roasted malt and sweet molasses up front, followed by notes of coffee, dark fruit, and earthy hops. The hop profile is stronger than the nose suggests. Finishes with bitter chocolate and burnt malt.

M - Medium bodied and creamy with low carbonation.

O - Nice complexity and balance to this porter. The alcohol is hidden well. Overall, an excellent sipping beer that only gets better as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 03:36:59 | More by mooseo

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a black color with a 1 inch head. Smell is mild, some roasted malts. Taste is roasted malts, molasses, some notes of coffee, a touch of alcohol. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall this is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 13:44:28 | More by tone77