Imperial Porter (Brewmaster Reserve) - Full Sail Brewery & Tasting Room & Pub

Kendo

New York

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from the bomber into a Sam Smith's nonic-type pint glass. Body is pure black with a 1-finger chocolate brown head. Settles fairly quickly.

S: Roasted barley, some charcoal. Not terribly strong in the nose, but what I'm smelling is perfectly appropriate for a porter.

T: Nice. Roasted barley malt, charcoal. Some fruitiness as it warms, and a touch of chocolately malt lingers on the aftertaste, along with a good roasty bitterness. Becomes more chocolatey as it warms up.

M: Smooth - smoother than expected for a porter, for some reason. Carbonation seems a bit light. Heft is medium in weight.

O: A nice porter. True to style with roasted characteristics and a touch of char.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 00:25:29 | More by Kendo

DCgolfpro

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +10.7%

03-04-2013 03:05:06 | More by DCgolfpro

robertrunner

California

4/5  rDev +4.2%

02-11-2013 03:26:17 | More by robertrunner

fivetime

Idaho

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

02-10-2013 23:15:40 | More by fivetime

Dope

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -20.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

March 2011 batch, so almost 2 years old.

A: Pours a very dark brown with a reddish tint when held up to the light. Good sized dense light/medium brown head. Fades slowly with excellent head retention. Nice thick waves of lacing on the glass.

S: Lots of creamy milk chocolate. Touch of smoke and char (even charred meat). Bits of dark fruit here and there, especially when swirled.

T: Dark fruits up front with some char and smoke. A bit of chocolate too. Then the sweetness falls away, leaving an odd acrid char and smoke in the middle and into the finish. Finish is more super bitter char with more smoke, like licking an ashtray. Long lingering charcoal between sips. Blegh.

M: Medium bodied. Pretty standard fare.

O: Smell had a bit of promise, and so did the initial flavor, after that it was like eating ash and chasing it with BBQ pit runoff. Rough to drink and I poured it out.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 04:21:51 | More by Dope

dunix

Vermont

3/5  rDev -21.9%

01-01-2013 03:22:51 | More by dunix

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle purchased as a single from somewhere localish.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a skim of a dark brown head over the opaque dark brown/black brew. What head there was is quickly gone, with leggy sticky lacing. Aroma is deep rich sweetness.

Taste with same maltiness seen in the nose, then powdered chocolate in the middle, and comes on with a slight bitter to close. Mouthfeel is slickery smooth, and drinkability is good as well. Nice brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 02:32:30 | More by ppoitras

Mister_Joshy

California

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

11-04-2012 16:44:00 | More by Mister_Joshy

astraker

Idaho

4/5  rDev +4.2%

09-01-2012 03:11:05 | More by astraker

rebelthrower

Massachusetts

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

A - Very dark, almost 100% black, but has a slight hint of red along the edges. Very small head, mocha/tan in color. Disapears quickly with little to no lacing.

S - Scent of chocolate and roasted malts.

T - Start with chocolate and dark roasted malts. finishes with a hint of coffee

M - Smooth with medium carbonation and medium body. A bit creamy and chewy.

D - Pretty good beer and very good price.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 02:21:50 | More by rebelthrower

jjboesen

Maryland

4.38/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is part of the “Brewmaster Reserve Series;” it is a dark beauty that pours a deep black body beneath a moderate beige-colored head, which soon subsides. While the nose receives a heavy blast of cocoa powder, molasses and coffee grounds, the palate is layered with a semi-sweet coating of toasted malt. All this with a 60 IBU makes for a substantial quaff with nice balance and moderate body. This is another well-crafted beer from the folks out on the Hood River in Oregon - and now, happily available to us beer geeks in the East.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2012 00:46:42 | More by jjboesen

KajII

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

[Best served in a Snifter]

The pour was a very dark brown, almost black with a large (2-3 finger) dark beige rocky head that lasted a good amount of time, leaving behind a large frothy collar and a bit of puddling creating some excellent sticky lacing.

The aroma was screaming of milk chocolate along with a strong dark roasted malt and a sweet doughy yeast and had notes of roasted coffee, molasses, and a bit of vanilla.

The taste was bitter sweet and quite malty with notes of molasses and a good bit of coffee early on. Then it became a slight bitterer and really smooth and creamy with notes of milk chocolate and a very distinct vanilla presence at the end. The flavor lasted a decent duration with a nice mocha coffee flavor left lying on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was just a bit under full in body with a smooth creamy texture and a soft carbonation.

Overall an exceptional Imperial Porter that is so well put together you can hardly notice the high alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 17:46:14 | More by KajII

savagepm

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

04-16-2012 01:50:36 | More by savagepm

RollBounce

New York

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured think black like oil, brown colored head, robust nose,with dark chocolate, figs newtons,and burnt molasses (as my girlfriend pointed out),not as heavy as it looks, more flavor on the finish then the rest, with a bitterness that is bold at the end.

Overall; Not the most complex beer in this style that i have had, still i liked the lower abv on it.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 01:40:17 | More by RollBounce

pjeezus

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

03-21-2012 06:15:45 | More by pjeezus

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Joe for gifting me with a bottle of this as an extra care of one of our last trades. Poured into a snifter from a bomber, this is the 2011 reserve. The brew pours black in color with a rich 2 finger cap of tan froth. It leaves a full wall of webby lacing effect on the glassware.

The smell of this brew is quite roasted with a hint of licorice, bitter dark chocolate and citrus/earthy coffee. A hint of fruity alcohol is present but plays a minor role compared to the rest of the aromatics. Towards the backend are some hints of tobacco and leather. A swirl releases some sweeter smelling cocoa notes.

The taste is bitter and acrid. Lots of roasted grain bitterness fills the mouth with a flavor of strong coffee mixed with earth, 80% cacao, leather and tobacco just like the aroma hints towards. A bit of citrus, sulfur and mineral notes fill out the void. Anise/black licorice are a faint afterthought mixed with a mild fusel hint of alcohol.

This is a medium to lighter bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. Overall it is complex and enjoyable but the 7.5% abv really jumps out and isn't quite integrated in this. The mineral feel to this was a bit distracting as well. However, the earthy tobacco and expected coffee/chocolate made up for the flavors that were not so enjoyable. This is worth a try but not something I would revisit time and time again unless the recipe was switched up a bit from one batch to the next.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 02:04:00 | More by stakem

mdaschaf

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes. Consumed blind.

A: Pours a dark brown color with about a finger of mocha colored head made up of rather fine bubbles. Decent retention and lacing.

S: Some bitter and dark chocolate, a little bit of vanilla, and some slightly roasted malt.

T: More chocolate as well as some caramel. A little bit of roast/coffee in the middle, but overall not a ton going on.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Slightly dry finish.

O: An average porter, nothing wrong with it, but doesn't stand out.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 21:44:26 | More by mdaschaf

RoryOMoore

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +4.2%

02-27-2012 08:47:58 | More by RoryOMoore

pgofman

New York

4/5  rDev +4.2%

02-26-2012 23:42:54 | More by pgofman

warnerry

Michigan

3.4/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 release.

A - Pours black with one finger of off-white head. Head doesn't last long and leaves very little lacing.

S - Big chocolate aroma with some burnt grain, roasted malt, faint caramel aroma.

T - Taste starts off with bitter chocolate and deep roasted malts. A slight tart taste. Some faint milk chocolate and some coffee on the finish. Some lingering bitterness.

M - Mouthfeel is too thin, but has a nice dry bitter finish.

O - A good porter, but probably not something I would get again given the other available options.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 00:58:33 | More by warnerry

beergoot

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A solid black body with a thin but thick brownish head.

The aroma is sweet chocolate and what smells like a hint of mint (something with the bourbon barrel aging?).

Smooth, sweet (and bitter) chocolate and subtle mint undertones (very much like the aroma) with a soothing bitterness leveling out the finish. Medium to heavy body; smooth and creamy. A touch of alcohol warmth.

Well, I like this one! It's different enough to stand out while delivering a nice, rich, robust porter taste. Well worth checking out...

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 00:14:38 | More by beergoot

bentonquest

New York

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

02-10-2012 02:10:42 | More by bentonquest

draheim

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle (2011) into a snifter. Pours a deep brown w/ a fizzy mocha head the settles quickly.

Aroma is rich and chocolatey; cocoa nibs and dark roasted malt, some fruit notes as it warms.

Taste is roasted bitter malt up front, a lot less chocolate than the nose suggests. Sharply bitter all the way through, some sweet fruit also evident.

Mouthfeel is a little thin but never watery.

Overall a decent porter but probably not one I'd go out of my way for again.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 05:22:51 | More by draheim

jskennedy

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +17.2%

01-27-2012 02:15:55 | More by jskennedy

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown, ultra dark, pretty damn close to black, tan head, 1" in depth, stuck around awhile. Major roastiness comes through in the aroma.

Substantial malt presence, good amount of chocolate malt, heavy roast on the 2 row, burnt caramel and toffee, average bitterness, average metallic mouthfeel to a decently bitter, hoppy porter that doesn't have lots of chocolate or coffee to cover it up. Even a little nutty.

I like the price of these, glad they started making it again, it was always good.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 04:25:26 | More by Beerandraiderfan