Older Viscosity - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

KJH

Washington

1.38/5  rDev -68.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5

I love Port Brewing's beers but this was a dud.

It did pour like used motor oil - dark and still. No carbonation whatsoever.

The oak/bourbon aroma was very evident immediately after pouting and it overwhelmed the taste buds upon sipping. In fact I could not get beyond the bourbon flavors. When the bourbon eventually faded I was only left with some hot alcohol flavors.

Overall I did not find the beer to be drinkable. I have trouble saying tha tthe bottle was mis-handled but something was not right.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2010 04:56:16 | More by KJH

Gtreid

Florida

1.93/5  rDev -55.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5

Got this one as an extra in a trade sometime last year, I cannot remember who sent it to me, but thanks to whoever did. 375 ml bottle poured into a CCB snifter. Review from notes. Vintage 2009.

A: Very dark brown color. A minimal head appears, then fades to nothing. No lace whatsoever.

A: Bourbon all the way here. I can make out some faint dark chocolate and sweet molasses, but the barrel aging overpowers the aroma.

T: Again the bourbon flavor dominates all. The charactaristics I find so appealing in most Imperial Stouts are no where to be found here. I beleive it has spent way to much time in the barrel.

M: This one was flat, no carbonation, oily mouthfeel.

D and overall impression: Drinkability is low, enough said. Overall, if I wanted whiskey, I would drink whiskey. This is way too much whiskey flavor in my beer. The base beer has potential, but I will not be seeking this one out again. Sorry to say, this one went down the drain. Skal.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 12:16:54 | More by Gtreid

charlesw

New York

2.4/5  rDev -44.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Beautiful bottle. Way too much carbonation - the cage was just holding the cork. KAPOW! Uh oh. Poured 1 1/2" into my snifter and got 2" of huge head. Uh oh. Nice and dark. Dark head. Lasting lace.

Smells like sweet smoky coffee. Lightly of sweet smoky coffee.

The huge carbonation does seem to balance out the very high sweetness. This is quite unlike any other big beer I've had. Tastes like they've thrown in some sour notes on purpose. You know - given it a little zip. Like old ales should have, I guess. I get some of the bourbon, I guess, but that sharp sour note is just killing me. It's really too bad, too. I mean, it's got a beautiful bottle, you know? There's some milk chocolate and a little coffee in there, too, but, bleh. Sour bitterness. Bleh.

I'll either dump this or blend it with an english barleywine or maybe some scotch. As in, either kick up the mouthfeel and sweetness or knock it down and make it a little smoky.

2008 vintage.

Edit: with the english barleywine... It was absolutely amazing. Alas, it is still rated for what it is - and that's not god. But with the ebw...

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2009 19:57:45 | More by charlesw

DavoleBomb

Ohio

2.45/5  rDev -43.7%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Poured into a snifter. Thanks to nickd717 for this a long time ago. 2009 vintage (yeah, that one).

We all know the legend of Flat Abbey and now it's my turn to participate in its uncarbonated history.

I thought I knew right away that this too would be uncarbonated, even after the two year incubation in the cellar, but...

2.0 A: ...a touch of carbonation had presented itself. But don't worry, your bottle isn't going to be the way it should be. By a touch I mean that even with a semi-aggressive pour, I managed only about 1/16 inch of head that was quickly pulled back into the black colored abyss. Also of note, a chunk of some sort of sludge fell into the glass about 3/4 into the pour. Images of Triple Bock plopped into my head as the sludge cake plopped into the glass.

4.5 S: I must say that I'm thoroughly impressed. This smells great and has plenty of power even without the aid of the carbonation to traffic aroma molecules to the surface. Bourbon is by far the strongest aroma. Leather, melon, vanilla, oak are all there in pleasant proportions. There's just a touch of underlying roastiness and some sweet caramel to enhance. I usually don't appreciate bourbon forward smells, but this is in perfect proportion and is hard not to enjoy.

2.0 T: For the taste, I'm not thoroughly impressed and indeed not impressed at all. The lack of carbonation took what would have been an okay beer and turned it into overly sugary and boozy watered down dram of bourbon. The bourbon blocks out everything except for the caramel sweetness and the priming sugar. This is just too damn sweet (but not cloying) and the only thing balancing it is astringent bourbon booziness. Lots of leather and vanilla with just a hint of the beer underneath. I like bourbon barreled beers, but prefer the bourbon to complement rather than dominate.

1.5 M: Heavier medium body. By this point I shouldn't have to tell anyone what the carbonation is like. It's not exactly zero carbonation, but it's 98% reduced from what I would want. Not particularly smooth due to the bourbon overload either.

2.0 D: Damn good nose that almost made the bottle a good experience by itself. However, nothing else is up to par. The lack of carbonation made a shitty appearance, a shitty mouthfeel, and a shitty taste. I had hoped that the time in the cellar would have improved this aspect, but alas it did not. I damn near love Old Viscosity, but it was hard to find any of it in the nose or the taste. The bourbon was too powerful to allow that to occur. Tomme should be ashamed of himself for releasing this to the public, especially given the gaudy price. I should also note that I absolutely loved Triple Bock. It was so unthinkably complex and the flavors meshed well together. This doesn't have that same kind of complexity or quality to warrant a good score in spite of being flat.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 05:53:16 | More by DavoleBomb

Murchmac

California

2.48/5  rDev -43%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

2009 it says on the bottle.

The pop out of the cork was like a hot dog being thrown down a hallway. No pop, no head, poured like water, but a very dark black with some brown highlights. Lacing around the edge of the glass like its got legs.

Got some bourbon, some heat smell, some roasty toasty dark choc o latte.

First taste of mixed bourbon and hot chocolate, then a lingering bourbon aftertaste. That stinging feeling is not carbonation but alcohol.

Good beer on tap I can only imagine, for 12 bucks, buy something else. Close, but no lumps...

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2009 04:38:14 | More by Murchmac

BlackWednesday

New York

2.5/5  rDev -42.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

375 ml bottle; 2008 vintage via Sinner’s Club; thin jet black with fluffy dark brown head fading slowly; intense nose of chocolate cake, oak, bourbon and candy apples; texture is thin and a little oily on the teeth and glass; decadent roast with creamy bourbon, chocolate; level of bourbon is just about perfect to me as it complements rather than dominates; Old Viscosity itself is a rich, decedent brew and this just ups the ante; chocolate and dark fruits with honey, oatmeal and vanilla; very nice

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 07:06:51 | More by BlackWednesday

Arbitrator

California

2.7/5  rDev -37.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

2009 vintage into a glass. Generously shared as part of a vertical by largadeer. Thanks Chris.

First, I should comment that the 07 was absolutely delicious: an A or A+ beer, with perfect carbonation and a wonderful, mellow flavor. The 08 was stronger in flavor, but had a dryness to the finish that was a bit off-putting; it was also high in carbonation. An A- beer.

The 09, by contrast, was totally flat. We force-carbed it and served it, and that's what I am reviewing here.

A: Pours a pitch brown in the glass with slight lightening to ruby at the edges. The head is a small 1/4-finger swirl of light tan bubbles on top of the brew; retention is short, and the head retreats into a thin collar quickly. No lacing. The beer is very viscous (har!) and leaves thick legs when I swish it in the glass. Note: if we hadn't force-carbed it, this would be a 3.

S: Bourbon-barrel tootsie roll. Lots and lots of bourbon, oak, chocolate / fudge, vanilla, plums, molasses, and earthiness that reminds me of cigars. Huge boozy smell to it as well. Could use some balance and less ethanol.

T: Again, hits everything in the nose. But I'm surprised by how bourbon-dominated it is in the context of the rest of the vertical; the other batches have a better balance, with the 07 just being smooth and well-integrated. This is hot, harsh, and very much screams "young." But it's hugely complex, and it shows a lot of potential to go places in the future.

M: Full-bodied and viscous. Obviously, with the force carbonation it was properly carbed; we may even have overshot it a bit. It went down just fine, but it left a noticeable booze sting the entire time. Note: if we hadn't force-carbed it, this would be a 2 at the most.

D: As I remarked during the tasting, the vintages of this beer are pretty much trending downward (07 was best, 09 was worst). This is not worth what they are charging for it.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 20:14:36 | More by Arbitrator

AdmiralDiaz

Minnesota

2.88/5  rDev -33.8%
look: 1.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Had this beer Super Bowl Sunday, I'd been saving it for a couple month's for this occasion. It poured not even a black, but a dark brown, kind of grayish body with absolutely no head whatsoever, I even gave it a big aggressive pour at the end and still couldn't get anything. The smell is mostly a bourbony alcohol with some hints of maltiness and chocolate powder. The taste is about the same, I actually find it pretty bland. It's a slightly complex but dull stout covered in oak barrel. Mouthfeel is not as thick as the bottle's copy would have you believe, in fact it was nothing compared to say, Souther Tier's Choklat. Drinkability is alright, but a bottle was all I wanted...I'm very let down by this beer. Hopefully this was just a bad bottle. :(

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2010 18:13:17 | More by AdmiralDiaz

champ103

Texas

2.9/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

A: Pours a viscous opaque black color. A small bubbly tan head forms. Some lace is left behind.
S: Burnt chocolate malt. Boozy whiskey and vanilla. Dark fruits of raisins and plums. Kind of vinegary. Lots of alcohol.
T: Burnt malt again with some smoke. Powdered chocolate and vanilla. Moldy dry wood. Tons of boozy, whiskey, alcohol. Some dark fruits again.
M/D: Sticky, syrupy, and way under carbonated. Dead and lifeless. Like I said above, tons of whiskey and alcohol. This is hard to sip on. I am glad I had a bunch of friends to share this with.

This is not for me. I did not enjoy this very much. There are many other Impy Stouts that I enjoy, and ones that I can find locally at that.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2009 21:42:49 | More by champ103

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 1 | overall: 1

Huge thanks to Adam for cracking this one.

2010 release so rumor has it there's some bubbles in this one.

Poured into my pint glass the beer is pitch black. Over used motor oil comes to mind. No head no lace. FUUUUCCCCKKK!!! Calm down it's just the apperance. I will wait to reserve judgment for the taste portion.

The aroma is pretty much where most double stouts lie. Chocolate, coffee, sweet sugary malt.

The flavor is about the same loads of coffee and chocolate. Sweet with touches of dark fruit.

Body oh sweet body. We have carbonation. YESSSS! Thick chewy and lightly carbonated.

Overall glad I got the chance to try this one in the way the brewery intended it. A tasty double stout.

Update: 2/17/11 Bottle from 2009 Batch

Points must be deducted for mouthfeel and drinkability. Beer is flat as tap water and very hard to drink. Everything else seems similar to the carbonated bottle.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2010 01:06:05 | More by beerwolf77

jjanega08

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 1 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

2009 Vintage

A= Pours a flat black color in the glass and a dark brown color coming from the bottle. Totally flat with no head.

S= The bourbon barrel character is much more dominate in this beer than the old viscosity. A nice vanilla oak and bourbon character with a bit of roast to sort of support the barrels.

T= The flavor reflects the nose with a much more dominate barrel character than the original version. Nice bourbon and oak character with a decent amount of vanilla and roast.

M= Flat as a board and even so not as thick as I expected.

O= Flat beer from a professional brewery is inexcusable. This is an avoidable beer if you ever see it. The flavors are good and I actually think despite being flat it is more enjoyable than the original version but hey.... it's flat.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 05:02:16 | More by jjanega08

muttyd

Massachusetts

3.2/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

2009 Bottle.

A - Pours completely FLAT into an oversized wine glass. Sticks all over the glass.

S - Deep, deep chocolate, cherry liqueur, vanilla, and the dreaded soy sauce aroma. Smells very hot. Very, very hot.

T - Hot! Man, this beer is massive. Deep roasted backbone with an almost cloyingly sweet & alcoholic caramel/chocolate sweetness. Warming sensation going down. I gave this a 3.5 because I sort of know going into this beer that it was going to be a high ABV, alcoholic stout. However, I think Port could have done a better job to make the flavors work.

M - Probably the highlight of the beer. Low carbonation with a nice chewy mouth feel. I feel as though I should be eating this with a knife and fork. Very thick!

D - I wish I had split this bottle with a friend (or two). Not sure if I'm going to be able to finish the whole thing. Definitely a sipper.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 03:13:45 | More by muttyd

Cavery

California

3.2/5  rDev -26.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Review from notes, shared with Klym this past weekend.

Poured into Stone Nonic.

A: Really quite flat in appearance. Classic quill pen ink, no head formation at all, even with a violent pour. Though this isn't uncharacteristic for bigger stouts.

S: Cinnamon bourbon and nutmeg jump at the nose. Slightly tart craisins, wet bourbon bite that goes into potent cherries and old fruit cake. This is a bit perplexing, kind of smells like something I wouldn't want to pull out of the fridge.

T: Tastes like alcohol sweet bread pudding. Alcohol rocks your socks, while spices fight a losing battle. The cinnamon and molasses create a lightly swirling flavor that only slightly relieves the booziness. A slightly drier finish saves the alcohol from being completely palette numbing.

M: A very flat beer. Even for barrel aging, this feels like a shot. the mouth is even a bit thin. Holding this too long in your mouth will cause nerve damage, you've been warned. A disappointing mouth experience where any sense of carbonation is trumped by an alcohol fire.

O: This beer can simply be explained as too hot. The alcohol bleeds into every aspect of this beer. I had to really pull back in order to focus on the separate categories, it wasn't easy. Even then the alcohol factor couldn't be avoided. All in all a lack of balance is the undoing of grandpa viscosity.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 01:52:18 | More by Cavery

slayer3604

California

3.25/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

2009 vintage

A-flat black....flat being there is no head...thanks again lost abbey and port. Black body with cardboard colored outline against the glass. zero retention, zero bubbles and zero lacing.

S-Bourbon, oak, spritzy and caramel. Kind of like Angel's Share, except this was supposed to blow AS away.

T- a tad of day old coffee, one metric shit-ton of bourbon, alcoholic heat, chocolate, and a wet carboard taste to accompany the cardboard hues mentioned in "appearance".

M-a little fuzzy around the palate, which indicates a slight amount of carbonation. thick and cloying. not appeasing.

D- OLD VISCOSITY, which you can get for 6 dollars a bottle, is way way better than this 16 dollar bottle. I wasted my money tonight and I am not happy with the brewing efforts of port. The day this company comes through with carbonation, and lessens up on their price range, I will welcome them with open arms.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2009 09:20:01 | More by slayer3604

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.25/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Big thanks to mlaroche for bringing this over, another want and another top 100. I really enjoyed Old Viscosity, we'll see if it's older brother is any better.

I went into this trade knowing that there might be carbonation issues, but I've really been wanting to try this beer for a long time, so here it goes...

Pours a dark black color, virtually no head but there is indeed a bit so huzzah!, no lacing whatsoever, light cannot penetrate.

Smell is (holy heck!) bourbon-ey, some roasted malt, but pretty much this beast is all barrel aromas, unfortunately it's not too complex because of it.

Taste is sticky but not sweet, a lot of heat that lingers long after, very strong bourbon presence which virtually blocks out any other tastes, there is hardly any carbanation but I wouldn't call it completely flat, more like absentmindedly lazy.

I can see how others might like this, with some age this would be really good as it might dull down some of the bourbon and heat to bring out more complexity, add in more carbonation and we'd have a winner. I really wish I had an older bottle (or a chance to try it on-tap) because I feel this could be a better beer than what's been bottled in 2009. Even though I've had stronger beers I'm glad this is only available in 375ml bottles, but at the current cost you can easily find much better imperial stouts.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2009 02:56:13 | More by deltatauhobbit

3.28/5  rDev -24.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2011 Bottle

a-jet black with a tan head.

s-some coffee, wood and alcohol. average at best.

t-some coffee, alcohol, barrel, anise. Not a ton going on, but is drinkable.

m-carbonation was good, felt a little light for a stout.

o-not super impressed with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 03:34:33 | More by

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3.3/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Plop... And so it begins. I was pretty stoked to try this beer, but it opens with a sad little whimper. Looks like I'm another carbonation victim.

Appearance - This stuff is black. The comparison to motor oil is apt. However, I can count the number of tiny bubbles. They disappear in moments, leaving it looking like a very dark wine. Sad. Needless to say, no lacing.

Smell - It is evident the moment the bottle opens. A nice deep molasses with plenty of oak and a hint of vanilla. Lots of dark fruits. Cherries and currants are evident. Plenty of bourbon. It really smells excellent.

Taste - More or less follows the smell. Plenty of nice bourbon and vanilla. There is plenty of oak goodness. However, there is also a burnt roast aspect that isn't my favorite. A little bit like burnt coffee. A little hot and boozy with that bitter roast finish.

Mouthfeel - Just terrible. It's nice and silky, but the complete and utter lack of carbonation makes this literally tough to swallow. It just sits there limply. Sad.

Drinkability - Hard to gauge. It's nice, but the lack of carbonation is a real issue.

Sad. That's all I really have to say. This is a pretty good tasting beer. But the lack of carbonation is really a problem. It makes it just hard to drink. I'll re-review if I find a good bottle, or get it on tap. Until then, I'm going to be pretty gun-shy when it comes to Lost Abbey.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2009 02:50:07 | More by callmescraps

ccrida

Oregon

3.33/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On draught at Brouwer's Big Wood, served in a snifter, Older Viscosity is black with a big-bubbled tan collar leaving no lace.

Smell is faint bourbon, sweet, with some vanilla and fusels. Never really opened up like I'd hoped it would

Taste is heavy on the bourbon. Very similar to the Angle's Share bourbon barrel I just had before, (caramel and raisins), but with more fusels and less roast, none really.

Mouthfeel is slick and dry, with very low carbonation.

Drinkability is average, too interesting, very one dimensional with the heavy bourbon, another over priced 'rarity' from these guys that I'm glad I didn't bother to track down, and regret even blowing the money on the draft price, which is at least discounted to the bottles. Will not seek out again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2010 20:25:21 | More by ccrida

BarrytheBear

Wisconsin

3.33/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle courtesy of a trade with pittsburghkid66. Thanks Roland. 2009 edition.

Really wish more breweries released bourbon barrel aged beers in smaller bottles. This one fit the bill tonight. Nagging unpleasant thoughts began seeping into the frontal cortex as I was reminded of the qualms with this vintage. Sadly, we have confirmation.

Slightest hiss as the cork lamely puts up little resistance. Less than sludgy as the bottle proclaims. Quite flacid. Arise, damnit! Still watery look. Less than impressive.

Hot damn the nose is nice. Rich baker's chocolate, massive oak presence, and an inviting bourbon presence. Oozy vanilla and heat follow. So very woody.

Quite a little coquette here. With the appropriate carbonation this could be a real treat. Big league tannins from the oak and vanilla. The bourbon is large but not overwhelming. The heat is present but in check. Again, the wood from the barrel plays a huge role here.

The mouthfeel here is such an enormous letdown. The flavor profile would be well served by even a low, but appropriate, level of carbonation. But this is damn near flat. As a result the flavors just idle, waiting for the engine to drive them through.

Sadly, not very interested to finish this as it stands. What a waste of potential. The Tommie Harris of beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2010 23:49:16 | More by BarrytheBear

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.33/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

12.7 oz bottle split and poured into a Duvel tulip. 12% ABV, 2009 Vintage (oh, the joy).

Due to contractual obligation I must extend thanks to my tick-sponsor, Beerwolf77, for this beer.

A - Completely black with a loose tan had, there is no retention cause there's no carbonation! Weak.

S - Thick, syrupy bourbon barrel aroma overshadows the rest of the beer. Deep roasted chocolate malt and notes of molasses. Hints of almond-slivers in there too.

T - Spoiled grapes hide behind big booze and bourbon with notes of nuttiness and molasses. The flavor isn't bad, it's just obstructed by the feel...

M - ...of completely under-carbonated, down-right flat and thin texture. Surprisingly not anywhere near as thick as it seems like it should be. Epic failz.

D - Compound the boozy nature with the lack of carbonation and you've got yourself Older Vis, a beer that doesn't drink very well.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2011 02:37:42 | More by BeerFMAndy

hellbilly

Arizona

3.35/5  rDev -23%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

bottle cracked at the bockyhorseys by rustychiles...

pours very dark brown nearly black with porter-like ruby brown at the edges and no head whatsoever.

lots of bourbon-y sweetness in the nose along with molasses, brown sugar, cocoa, vanilla/oak and something menthol/minty/sinus numbing near the end of the sniff... perhaps hops? probably alcohol? either way it is odd.

the palate, as i feared, is far too sweet... flavors of molasses, bourbon and it's spice, brown sugar, malt powder, roasted coffee, chocolate and vanilla with a dry, bitter and nearly ashy finish. full bodied from the sheer volume of residual sugar. thick syrupy and rather brutish mouth feel.

there's a perfectly fine beer hiding in there under that sweetened blanket...8/5/5/3/15/3.6

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2009 18:51:17 | More by hellbilly

PartyBear

United Kingdom (England)

3.35/5  rDev -23%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got hold of this bottle courtesy of beermerchants.com. It's a 2009, so very young. I have another I intend to cellar.

Appearance: Worrying little pop when I removed the cork. It pour thick and black, with very little head. Unsurprisingly, there isn't much carbonation there.

Aroma: Lots of bourbon in the aroma, intermixed with a heavy vanilla presence, and a forest of wood. There are notes of bitter coffee, and a sweetness that you get from chocolate liqueurs.

Taste: The flavours are dominated by bourbon, it is heavily oaky and has an abundance of whiskey hints and alcohol. There is a bit of vanilla coffee and earthiness. There is also a slight sweetness, a tiny bit of cocoa, and brown sugar.

Mouthfeel: Very heavy and super thick, with a silky texture.

Drinkability: The alcohol is a bit too apparent, which makes the heavy going. This is definitely a beer that needs aging, in a few years I can see it mellowing and the flavours really developing.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2009 21:34:42 | More by PartyBear

GJ40

North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled from a 375ml bottle purchased from Whole Foods in Seattle.

A - Big, black and sludgy with almost no head.

S - Boozy and oaky. Nothing else could come through.

T - Boozy. Not much more.

M - Smooth, silky and creamy. Very nice.

O - Way too boozy for me. I know it's aged in bourbon barrels but it seems excessive. Tastes more like bourbon aged in beer casks.

I'm a big Port Brewing fan. Port Pizza Carlsbad is one of my favorite places on earth. I love big outrageous Imperial Stouts but I just don't get this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 22:12:50 | More by GJ40

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours jet black with a mahogany tinge around the edges. Very minimal head that is quickly reduced to nothing. Thick film clings to the glass leaving behind some webbed lacing.

N: Excellent bourbon and vanilla notes waft up right away. There's also rich dark chocolate, roasted barley, toffee, light booze and some nuttiness (pecans?).

T: Toffee, dark roast coffee, sweet bourbon and burnt sugars upfront. Mid-palate brings in vanilla, molasses, roasted barley and some very light fruity esters. Finishes with whiskey booze, charcoal, dirty oak and notes of smoke.

M: Light-medium bodied, creamy, sticky, dry and very warming.

O: Judging from the excellent appearance and nose I was rather disappointed with the taste and especially the mouthfeel. Although it's very complex it's also very boozey and the mouthfeel is really thin for an Imperial Stout. Warming effect is extremely pleasant. Chocolate and vanilla notes are very nice but they tend to get covered up with the booziness.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 02:47:48 | More by justintcoons

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had a couple vintages of this, just recently the '08 vintage which is supposed to be the best. From a bottle, pours black with a mocha head. Charcoal, vanilla, oak, some bourbon in the nose. Not overly roasted, which I had remembered from other vintages. Flavor is some roasted coffee, vanilla, a bitter briney kind of quality, green olive. A lot of barrel in the flavor. Though the nose on this was decent, the flavor was weird and seriously lacking, quite bitter and astringent.

Serving type: bottle
@ Pizza Port Carlsbad, 571 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad

12-05-2010 20:54:43 | More by JAXSON