Arcadia London Porter - Arcadia Brewing Company

Evocatus

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev -4%
look: 2 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Looks like a regular porter, dark, opaque; like coffee. Head was bubbly and tan in color. It dissolved rather quickly though. Aroma was a mix of alcohol, roasted malts, and some sort of sweetness. Taste had a mix of alcohol, a raisin-chocolate sweetness to it, and roasted malt bitterness as well. Good and thick, but could have used a little more carbonation so it would've have felt like a thin syrup. Not too heavy for a 7.2% ABV, so that's good. BUt the body is too thick to have multiple bottles.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2010 02:10:27 | More by Evocatus

tapman

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A dark ruby-brown. Head contains very tight bubbles for a bottle conditioned beer. I guess i would like it to be darker, though many of my stouts come out this color so I can't say that it isn't appropriate.

Dark raisin/dark crystal malt ake up most of the ose followed by some herbal hopiness and then a little warm alcohol. For me crystal is so strong that I miss any espresso or coffee or anything like that.

Now I get a little italian roast espresso complimented by a dark chocolate sweetness that blends well with both the espresso and crystal-raisin taste. Definitely tastes better than it smells. Also a little licorice with a clean bitterness in the finish.

Good mouthfeel. Smooth and silky yet with an effervescent carbonation. I find the two conflicting yet interesting though a bit distracting.

Though I might prefer less carbonation, it does trick you into thinking that this brew is more sessionable, which if you think it then I guess it is. A fie English porter and a good contender to Fuller's.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2010 05:43:05 | More by tapman

mfunk9786

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first bottle of this brew. Been reviewing a lot of stouts and porters lately, trying to really become discriminatory when evaluating these 'fan-favorite' beer styles.

A: Poured into my Unibroue tulip. No head to speak of, but some nice lacing that lasted for the duration of the glass. Dark brown during the pour, pitch black in the glass.

S: Not much in this department. Very light nutty chocolate aromas, sort of like the Nutella factory a mile away caught on fire.

T: The taste is a huge improvement over the nose: dark chocolate nuttiness, like a fresh baked batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Aftertaste is a bit of extra bitterness at the back of the mouth, which wasn't necessarily appreciated but wasn't without its place.

M: Mouthfeel is deceptively good. One expects a dark English beer to have a bit more character and body than this one initially appears to have, but there's some tingly carbonation in the body as well as some thickness.

D: If not for the lingering bitterness, this would get a perfect score. It's sort of like if you buy a $5 bar of fine dark chocolate... you're not going to eat the whole thing in one night, regardless of how much you like chocolate. It's tasty, but it wears on you a bit.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2010 00:38:47 | More by mfunk9786

nickadams2

New York

4.4/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A_Dark brown with a one finger mocha head that dissipates into a thick ring. Decent lacing.

S_Smells of roasted malt, chocolate , and nutty.

T_Cocoa and nutty. Roasted malt gives it an almost smoky flavor.

M_Thick and creamy.

D_Very smooth. Goes down easy.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2010 06:13:34 | More by nickadams2

techfed87

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a nice, thick mocha head. Is very dark in color. Beer is clear, with no sediment apparent.

Smell is very malty with some cocoa apparent.

First sip has almost a smokey appeal to it. Malt is dark in texture. Has a coffee-like bitter quality that is very satasfying.

Mouthfeel is full and complex with a complete pallet of flavors to keep you interested from first sip all the way through to the aftertaste. A great beer!

Serving type: growler

03-21-2010 01:54:02 | More by techfed87

imaguitargod

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had to do a rough pour to get any resemblance of a head. But the head I did get was around 1 finger and bone white, lingered nicely too with fantastic lacing. Right off the bat there is a very assertive coffee grounds/burnt chocolate chip cookie flavor which builds and builds as you sip. At first it was pleasant, them moved into the realm of distracting. Not sure how I feel about this one. One sip I like it, the next I find it too burnt tasting.

~Jonathan Passow

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 22:43:31 | More by imaguitargod

Stimack

New York

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After seeing this brew for years and reading good things about it I decided to pick it up, though I am not sure why it took so long? Anyway this brew poured to a black color with a medium colored, medium sized tan head that had good retention and left some good lacing, a lot more at the top of the glass. The aroma showcases roasted malts, fruit scent of what I think might be plum with a little raisons, seems to give it a slight sweetness - also could be from the slight chocolate notes? Also there is a slight booziness/alcohol aroma that was a surprise but went well. While the aroma was ok, the flavors are much better. The malts give a nice chocolate flavor, rich, slightly astringent in a perfect way. Some molasses and caramel like flavors give a slight sweetness then it also has a feel of coffee in the background and somewhat at the end of the sip. The feel is dry at the end, some of that coffee flavor adding to that. It is very easy to drink, the 7.2 ABV is a surprise as it does not really come through in the flavor, just the nose. Nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2010 15:32:45 | More by Stimack

mgbickel

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Perfect Pint glass. Formed a single finger tan head that dissipated rather quickly with no lacing. The body is a dark brown/black color that shows amber edges when backlit.

The nose has sweet and roasted malts and light coffee aromas. There are undertones of vanilla and caramel present also.

The first flavors that hit are sweet and caramel like. This leads into roasted malts and chocolate. The finish has a very tiny hop presence and a black coffee aftertaste. None of these flavors are very powerful...

The mouth feel is medium - creamy yet oily with tight carbonation.

This is a drinkable brew...nice example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2010 15:15:39 | More by mgbickel

n0315

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best beer they have there, I liked it enough to get a growler filled with it. Pours a dark brown/black with a nice coco head to it.. Smell is of chocolate and almonds. Taste is great. Chocolate at the beginning and almonds at the end with a good after taste. Best part of the beer is the taste, no doubt. Mouth feel was medium and drinkability was great. No problem finishing off this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2010 21:32:24 | More by n0315

Tone

Missouri

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, dark brown color. 1/4 inch head of a pale tan color. Decent retention and decent lacing. Smells of chocolate, roasted malt, sweet malt, yeast, slight hops, and slight alcohol. Fits the style of an English Porter. Mouth feel is smooth and slighlty creamy with an average carbonation level. Tastes of roasted malt, sweet malt, alcohol, slight hops, and a hint of alcohol. Overall, a good aroma, blend, and body.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2009 19:57:43 | More by Tone

cagocubs

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours a dark brown almost black tobacco brown. A nice 1 inch tan head. Lingers and laces. Good looking porter.

S: Good roasted malt, chocolate, oat/grain. Also a sweet butterscotch/toffee.

T: Good delivery of smooth chocolate, oat, and roasted malts. Finishes with nice bitter hops. Great balanced aftertaste, nutty.

M: Great! Very smooth and well carbonated for a porter. Great mouth coating and feel all the way through.

D: Taste is powerful and may become repetitive to some. I will be buying this in the future, but in limited quantities.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2009 03:16:23 | More by cagocubs

bonk0076

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown color with a moderate tan head that slowly dissapates leaving a sticky lacing behind. Aroma consists of toffee, roasted malt, perhaps chocolate and oatmeal. Taste is a very robust combination of roasted malt bitterness and chocolate/ toffee sweetness. Very flavorable porter

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2009 04:51:30 | More by bonk0076

GRPunk

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

A- It poured with a 1 finger, brown head. The body was a brown-black with red accents at the edges. The head eventually drops to about a quarter finger, but retains itself for the entirety of the glass leaving nice sticky rings. Carbonation was medium.

S- Sweet milk chocolate initially. A little raisin-like tones, with molasses, and bitter chocolate and roasted coffee.

T- It's very flavorful at first sip. Chocolate and coffee with a touch of citrus hops. There was a touch of smoke (roasty coffee perhaps), and the chocolate becomes a little on the bitter side. There was the slightest of sour accent in the background.

M- Soft and foamy, yet full feel. It had light carbonation with a slight bite from the hops and a bit of warmth in the finish. I didn't realize it was so high in ABV until reading its description. Well hidden, outside of the slight warmth.

D- It's an easy drinker. The full flavor keeps everything interesting enough for me to want it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2009 02:22:46 | More by GRPunk

Bung

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. Very dark brown pour, with a small amount of tan bubbles. Sticks to the glass fairly well though. Roast malt, earthy peat, light coffee and chocolates in the aroma. Taste has more roast coffee and heavy roast malt. Some earthyness, nut and bakers chocolate. Hints of black licorice. Mouthfeel not quite creamy. Very nice drinking porter, no alcohol present really. No sourness, holding it back may only be a bit over zealousness with the bitters. A very good American example of an English Porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2009 04:08:13 | More by Bung

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark chestnut brown color with deep amber edges and a one finger beige foam head that quickly dissolves into a lasting ring. Minimal lacing in streaks and patches is left behind.

Roasted malt aroma with some hazelnut, caramel, coffee, chocolate and licorice.

Flavor is very similar to the aroma with a nice roasted malt body with hints of oatmeal and a tone of chocolate and caramel maltiness. Very smooth medium bodied beer that has a lot of silky maltiness that makes it very drinkable. There is some subtle licorice buried in there and a slightly dry hop finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2009 23:42:14 | More by corby112

MaineBirdMan

Maine

3.7/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Started drinking this beer in a pint glass but then changed to more of a wine glass (very heavy glass with a small mouth). The beer was much better in the wine glass. I could really catch the smoky quality of this porter.

Poured dark with not much of a head.

Nose: Smoke mixed with sweet caramel.

Mouthfeel: good amount of carbonation with a nice silky finish.

Taste:Initial flavor is smoked malt and caramel, nice hoppy finish

Drinkability: Very easy to drink more than one. Some alcohol was present.

My only question about this beer was the sediment I found on the bottom. I know it was a "bottle conditioned beer" but the sediment was like sawdust. i wasn't all that thrilled about this. Overall, I was pretty content with this porter. Not my favorite but drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2009 23:11:46 | More by MaineBirdMan

claminat420

Michigan

2.85/5  rDev -28.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A- poured into a pint glass. small head that lingered. looks like a average porter.

S- a very light chocolate/roasted malt hint. can smell the alcohol which disappoints me.

T- tastes like a weak porter but with a alcohol kick if that makes sence.

M- tasted alil carbonated. light bodied.

D- can only drink a couple. after that you want something more relaxing. i put average cuz of the high abv. i mean drink two for alil how do ya do kick but after switch to something else.

Overall- i had to try this to give arcadia another shot and to compare to founders porter. well my view on arcadia stands. i haven't tasted anything from them that blew me away.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2009 11:48:01 | More by claminat420

dbmcrorie

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Presentation:
12 oz brown long-neck bottle poured into an American pint glass. A picture of Winston Churchill is superimposed with a cigar and peace fingers. Some form of bottled/freshness dating on the side, but nothing is marked. (Why can't I ever know how old my beer is??)

Visual:
Pours thick like oil. Nearly pitch black body with faint red hues peaking through. Thin beige head that leaves quickly; no lacing.

Aroma:
Wow, lots of layers here. Rich toasty malt provides the nose with roasted coffee, dark cocoa, caramel, toffee, roasted nuts, and a hidden but distinct note of hickory wood smoke. The hops quietly peak through with light crispness, earthy/peaty notes, and a fruity body, followed by plenty of spices that blend smoothly with the heavy malts.

Taste:
Full bodied with a thick oily mouthfeel; loose carbonation accents the rich feel of this brew. Similar to the nose: espresso, toasted nuts, caramel/toffee, chocolate, plenty of roasted grains, maple syrup and brown sugar. There is a lovely soft peaty profile that blends with the smoky nose and spicy body.
The hops provide a grassy sourness and faint bitterness that is hidden beneath the heavy spices and smoked malts. There is some soft resin/fruitiness in the back. A slow and sticky finish leaves a nutty buttered-toast aftertaste.

Overall:
Very tasty. Reminds me a lot of a holiday porter with the smoky/spicy profile. Very rich and complex. Much heavier and thicker than the average porter; definitely not as sessionable as a West Coast style porter.
Would pair greatly with heavier dishes such as BBQ, smoked meats, heavy game, smoked gouda or sharp cheddar, and probably even oysters. Because of it's rich chocolate/espresso profile, it would even go greatly with chocolate cheesecake and/or tiramisu.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2009 15:46:57 | More by dbmcrorie

Riverwarrior

Texas

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

S = Roasted coffee beans with hints of toffee in the background.

T = Roasted coffee flavor upfront with slight hints of chocolate malts in the background. No alcohol detected. There was only a slight malt sweetness in the taste and the finish was mostly a mild coffee bitterness.

MF = The body was between thin and medium while the carbonation was low. Creamy and smooth.

Overall, this was a solid English style porter that is easy to drink even with the higher ABV.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2009 03:46:54 | More by Riverwarrior

cdViking

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had in bottle via Alan in BIF. Poured on 4/10/09.

Pours a satisfactory dark with good carbonation and head. Smell is fantastic, with roasted coffee and toffee clearly present. Taste is solid with the coffee tones and a little toffee essence coming out on the backend. A little bit light-bodied, though not to its detriment. Decently drinkable, though the higher ABV would prevent consumption of too many in an evening.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2009 02:38:40 | More by cdViking

Jwale73

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz. bottle served in a standard pint. Poured one shade shy of black with deep, ruby highlights around the base of the glass. One inch foamy, off-white head sizzled and popped as it slowly receded. Some slashes of lacing appear as the brew is consumed. Mild nose, perhaps some chocolate malt. Chocolate malt as well as some caramel character comes out in the flavor profile. Mouthfeel falls between light- and medium-bodied. Some light carbonation, but really smooth and silky. Incredibly easy drinking porter; alcohol is well-hidden. If it wasn't for the 7.2% abv, this would make a great session porter.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2009 23:13:16 | More by Jwale73

Richardberg

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Very dark liquid, brown head quickly recedes. Only the slightest ruby translucence; darker overall than many porters.

S: heavily burnt grains, syrupy malts. Right on target based on the appearance (which is to say, darker than the average porter)

T: unexpectedly complex: big dose of bitter hops accompanies the caramel malt and general toastiness. However, I think the generous hopping overpowers the more standard porter flavors. Also, the taste of alcohol is quite forward, which I don't consider true to the intended style of drinkable English pub ales.

M: smooth, coats well, albeit with an oily sensation rather than the creaminess found in other styles of dark beer

D: between the unexpected bitterness and the easily detected ABV, this isn't the most accessible English porter. Still pretty tasty overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2009 01:03:35 | More by Richardberg

GWaters

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Special thanks to Blatherbeard for this!

Poured from a 12 oz brown bottle into a Sam Adams Sensory Glass

Pour: Pours black with faint mohoganny highlights. A caramel colored head adorns the top of the pour, but recedes almost as quickly as it came. The only evidence of the foam is an generous lacing along the sides of the glass.

Smell: A very notable scent of roasted coffee, and malts fills the nostrils. The syrupy roasted scent gives why to a much drier cocoa scent.

Taste: A thick roasted flavour of malt & caramel introduces this porter to the mouth, and this gives way to a warm taste of coffee, and some sweet almost fruity tones that keep the edges deburred and the taste smooth.

Mouthfeel: I rich full bodied beverage. It starts with an almost oily introduction and seems to dry a bit as it progresses. Finishes well.

Drinkability: I had no problem finishing this porter, and only wished there was another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2009 19:38:20 | More by GWaters

albern

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a very typical, complex British porter with lots going on. It pours a deep brown color with a tannish head that sticks around for awhile. There is a modest amount of carbonation, not much lacing.

The nose on the beer toffee and butterscotch, roasted coffee, some chocolate, and some charred notes in there as well. I can get a good whiff of ABV in the nose as well with some boozy soaked fruitiness, such as raisin. There are some definite sweet malts and roasted grains.

The taste is complex. The beer is quite smooth, rather creamy, with a nice bittering hop bite, but with plenty of ABV to pack a punch. There is some sweet nuttiness and roasted coffee and chocolate flavors. The hop bite, the ABV soaked fruitiness, the combination of charred and roasted malts and coffee flavors pretty much define this beer. It is a beer with lots of character and it doesn't get watery towards the finish. A very nice beer, especially in cold weather, with a nice warming ABV glow to it. L'Chaim.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2009 22:43:24 | More by albern

Lexluthor33

New York

3.9/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Near jet black in color,but probably a very deep dark brown.
Medium sized head and lace.

The aroma of roasted malts and some caramel.
The taste started off with some chocolate,malts and coffee notes. It was sweet then had some mild fruit hints/citrus.
I tastes some alcohol,but it was subtle.
The feel was creamy,full bodied and had medium carbonation.

Notes: I will get this again because it was easy to drink and well balanced. Perhaps not an exceptional beer yet damn good.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2009 03:05:10 | More by Lexluthor33