Chocolate Porter - Meantime Brewing Company Limited

beerdrifter

Germany

4.47/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up at Bert's Bierhuis in Utrect, The Netherlands. Dark mahogany pour with a creamy one and a half finger tan head with decent retention and nice lacing. There's only one way to describe the nose...chocolate! This has to be one of the most intense chocolate beers I've smelled. More of a sweet milk chocolate than the typical dark chocolate in most beers of this style. And it only gets better as it warms, with just a hint of coffee emerging late. The taste is a complex chocolate lovers dream. Dark chocolate, cocoa and milk chocolate all are represented. The sweetness of the milk chocolate and the bitterness of the dark chocolate are perfectly balanced. The mouthfeel is slightly thick for a Porter, but smooth as silk. The drinkability is off the charts. Usually beers like this are sickly sweet and more for dessert, but I could drink this all night. Will definitely be tracking down more of this next time I'm in the UK. Hands down the best chocolate beer I've had!

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 17:43:06 | More by beerdrifter

pin

Australia

3/5  rDev -22.5%

05-20-2013 16:49:39 | More by pin

joedevivre

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

04-22-2013 20:34:13 | More by joedevivre

Grizzly_Dom

United Kingdom (England)

3.49/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Appearance:
Dark treacle brown. Slight translucence. Foamy rich light brown head with quite big bubbles.

Nose:
I thought fruity hoppiness at first and then pure rich, sweet chocolate with perhaps a hint of honey.

Taste:
Bitter at first with a deep rich chocloatey maltinees and quite a silky mouthfeel.

Finish:
Slight burnt taste with a final salty, tart bitterness leaving what I thought was quite a powdery feel in the mouth. Almost a bit musty!

Overall:
Loved the choccy in the aroma but wasn't a big fan of the chocolate left on the finish. Was also a little bit too burn toast end of the scale for my primitive tastes.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 21:07:28 | More by Grizzly_Dom

UncleBrazzie

Belgium

4.51/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I like beers with in distinct bottles, and Meantime's bottles are simply cute: little flacons of delicately fluted yumminess.
What's inside is equally fine: a solid, dark-yet-not-black pour with a nice creamy bit of pale head.
And that nose! Oodles of of chocolate-milky goodness, toasted caramel/chocolate malts and a hint of roast. Even if it were only for the nose, this is a beer to try.
Flavour and taste are perfectly congruent, focusing on a delicate yet firm illusion of chocolate, without the beer actually containing any. Slightly thin mouthfeel.
Elegant and tasty, spectacularly skillfully crafted. Ideal dessert brew; I'll pick this over pousse café any time.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 14:13:47 | More by UncleBrazzie

FLima

Brazil

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Dark brown color with a nice thick caramel head with good retention and leaving laces.
Aroma of dark chocolate, initially less than I would expect given its addition on maturation, though significantly increased with the temperature. Hints of toasted, smoked and crude malts.
Flavor was more intense right at the beginning, starting with a refreshing and spicy sensation from its hops and carbonation, and followed by dark chocolates from toasted and smoked malts and then to a dry and slightly chocolate oily aftertaste.
Light to medium body with medium carbonation with small bubbles.
I should have just sipped while it was cold, this was so much nicer when got warmer. This is also an indication of its high drinkability, bitter, hoppy and flavorful and not really sweet.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 01:39:45 | More by FLima

CStrife187

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 33cl Bottle into a tasting glass.

A - mostly opaque brown with a slightly reddish hue on the edges. 1 finger head fades somewhat quickly and leaves behind moderate lacing

S - Strong scent of roasted malt with smoke and dark chocolate. The combination of the smoke and dark chocolate smells like baker's chocolate.

T - Dry smoke/malt in the beginning followed by mild chocolate. Chocolate bitterness with just a hint of hop on the finish. Leaves behind a very coffee-like aftertaste that lingers for a good bit. Pretty well balanced but very smoky.

*edit* As the beer reaches room temperature, the chocolate really comes out. A notable improvement on already good taste.

M - Not to thick, mildly carbonated. Very smooth from start to finish.

O - Well balanced between the malts up front and the chocolate/coffee bitterness in the back. I would say it's a little too smoky, but that may just be because the smoke taste reminds me of the voodoo bacon maple ale. I'll definitely pick up another Meantime brew on my next trip to the bottle shop.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 19:33:34 | More by CStrife187

Dracook

United Kingdom (England)

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%

01-07-2013 21:45:58 | More by Dracook

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Small bottle purchased to enjoy with our hosts while visiting them in Andover.
The beer pours clear, dark brown with orangish red hilights and a tan head. Good retention, left some lacing. Sweet smelling, brown sugar and milk chocolate. Sweet taste to start, more brown sugar and chocolate, hint of vanilla, bitterness to finish.
Low carbonation, minimal bubbles. Smooth, but a bit too thin to call it creamy. Medium body and mouthfeel.
Very nice, especially as an after dinner drink. Cheers

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 02:02:49 | More by BigBry

His_Royal_Hoppiness

United Kingdom (England)

3/5  rDev -22.5%

09-29-2012 19:00:51 | More by His_Royal_Hoppiness

PancakeMcWaffles

Germany

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Dark nut-brown colour, lets little light through, creamy tanned head, little lacing, decent head retention;

S: Strong and sweet chocolate together with a strong malt aroma, hints of caramel, very nice smell;

T: Starts similar to the smell, strong chocolate, but less maltyness and caramel than expected. The finish doesn't last very long, some hop and roasted malt bitterness kick in after the finish, a roasty, slightly bitter aftertaste lingers for a long time;

M: Carbonation level fits the brew perfectly, creates a slightly creamy mouthfeel although the beer feels rather light bodied, lacks some body in my opinion!

O: Amazing smell, pronounced dark chocolate, very appealing. Taste is good, mouthfeel and body lack something in my opinion though

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2012 19:54:27 | More by PancakeMcWaffles

Pelicanrocks

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

09-13-2012 21:30:27 | More by Pelicanrocks

Liquoric3

Germany

3/5  rDev -22.5%

08-15-2012 08:11:27 | More by Liquoric3

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

4.43/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Very, very dark amber, virtually black. Off-white head.

S: Smokey chocolate.

T: Wow! Actually tastes of chocolate. Less smokey and tangy than lots of other English porters. Very well balanced - the flavours work perfectly well together.

O: Can't fault it in any way. The world would be a better place if it replaced Guinness in pubs but chance would be a fine thing.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 07:11:45 | More by Hoppsbabo

BRW

Spain

3/5  rDev -22.5%

06-19-2012 20:47:46 | More by BRW

rarbring

Sweden

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The brew is clear dark brown with copper nuances, has a tan foamy head that leaves some lacing and has good curtains.

Smelling of dark syrup, honey and milk chocolate.

The taste starts sweet, brown sugar, dark syrup bread, chocolate and vanilla, some bitter cacao finish.

Little carbonation, very small bubbles. Soft and somoth, a medium body.

A good replacement for a chocolate mousse.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 21:13:17 | More by rarbring

EmperorBevis

United Kingdom (England)

4.48/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep brown body with a thick tan head

Rich chocolate on the nose with hints of syrup.

Deep porter tastes that rival the choco with roasts great roasts in great roasts on the great .

Deep tasting full on flavour that balances the heavy heavy monster sound deep and scary.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 23:43:19 | More by EmperorBevis

smithmd4

New York

4/5  rDev +3.4%

12-31-2011 07:38:45 | More by smithmd4

thierrynantes

France

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (33 cl.) purchased form Bières & Chopes, and tasted in 2011.

Appearance : darj brown color, with tan foamy head.
Smell : roasted, chocolate and coffee aromas.
Taste and mouthfeel : dark chocolate with coffee and cocoa notes, dry and bitter finish.
Drinkability : a good beer in the style English porter.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 18:39:41 | More by thierrynantes

MrIce

Germany

4.43/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark, brown colour - with cream white head. Notes of chocolate, coffee, dried fruits as primary notes.

Toasted malts, some bitter chocolate. Creamy, with chocolate flavour filling out back of the palate.

Some bitterness in the finish, not to prominent at all

A very nice porter with a good drinkability

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 20:24:22 | More by MrIce

SkunkWorks

New York

4.28/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at TJ Finleys in Bay Shore, NY. Served in a Palm Tulip.

Before I begin this review, I will say I have a hard time believing this is a baltic porter.

Look: dark brown body with a thin, foamy white head that has a good deal of retention but no lacing.

Smell: chocolate really stands out here but there's nothing else. If you've ever had Southern Tier Choklat, that's more or less what this smells like in terms of chocolate strength, minus some of the roasted malt aromas present in Choklat.

Taste: follows the nose with a serious overdose of chocolate. It took awhile for me to find any other nuances in the flavor but there wasn't much else except a bit of a bitter hop finish. Luckily for Meantime, I happen to like intense chocolate flavor in beer so this is still quite good though perhaps not as nuanced as I'd like.

Feel: medium bodied, a bit creamy, moderately carbonated, tends towards sweet rather than bitter and no alcohol warmth.

Drink: could have several of these without an issue. Definitely a sessionable brew.

Overall, I liked this one so long as I don't review it against the style. Nothing about this says "baltic porter" to me, not in the strength or the typical baltic porter flavors, which are all completely absent. I would drink this one if chocolate infused beer is your thing because you will love it, otherwise I wouldn't bother. Cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2011 17:48:36 | More by SkunkWorks

plaid75

New York

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark brown hue with a half finger foamy white head. There was little retention and lacing.

The smell featured aras of chocolate icing and caramel.

The flavor was likewise chocolately with streaks of sweetness and a touch of smoke.

The mouthfeel was typical of the style.

Overall an interesting porter.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2010 18:32:48 | More by plaid75