Older Viscosity - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.74/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

On-tap at Lord Hobo in Cambridge.

Super dark with a medium brown head. Huuuge bourbon nose. Buttery, boozy barrels. Same with the taste. Bourbon dominates in a pleasant manner. Some remnants of a stout, with roasty and sweet malt but the barrels come through as soon as it hits your tongue and stays with you into the finish. But the finish is nice in that it has others flavors such as a sweet dark chocolate and woody/earthy qualities. I really enjoy the bourbon barrel notes because they contribute a true depth of flavor without overpowering or being too boozy. The base beer and its flavors are discernable as the beer warms up so I love that you can taste the difference and enjoy the improvements. Super complex when its given time to warm... to cold out of the tap. I wish all bourbon tasted like this. It's a phenomenal beer but an even better barrel-aged stout.

Serving type: on-tap

05-11-2013 00:29:58 | More by Gatch

rand

California

4.76/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

On tap at Slater's 50/50, poured into small tulip.

Been meaning to get around to this review for awhile, have to wait a few minutes for a table so here's a quick review.

A: Jet black in color, syruppy and viscous, aptly named.

S: Big notes of espresso, booze, chocolate. Coffee notes are super-roasty, the booze dries the sweet chocolate aspects.

T: Creamy chocolate, sweeter than expected. Coffee notes are distinguished but not over- acidic. Booze is strong but beer is tastier as it warms. Relatively short, sweet finish.

M: Creamy, chewy as hell. As full- bodied as they come for the style.

A San Diego classic, one of the first bourbon-barrel aged brews I've had.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2013 04:13:57 | More by rand

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

So thick and so smooth. Lots of vanilla and wood on this one. Very mildly boozy, but it all comes together and works. Love the complexities; love the burn. It just works so beautifully. Ends up being one of those beers I just want to sip and not worry about taking notes on.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2012 23:19:38 | More by RblWthACoz

B33R501

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

considering the cheapest this lists for my area is $16 per 12 oz and the most is $22 per (both ridiculous) an 8oz serving for $6.50 at the grey lodge pub ne philly is a steal.

black, no carbonation issues here, nice little mocha head. nice aroam of milk chocolate, bourbon. very sweet, big bourbon flavor, wood. very drinkable, i like this better than the regular old viscosity.

did i mention bourbon? yes lots of it. outstanding, but only at the price paid. i have passed on this every time at the insane bottle prices and will continue to do so.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2012 12:39:03 | More by B33R501

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this on 2011-12-03 in Paoli, PA at TJ's

A - Not quite opaque dark brown with almost no head after sitting for 24 hours in a well-sealed stainless steel waterbottle that was sealed just after being poured from the tap and kept cool/cold. Moderate lacing and good alcohol legs.

S - Bourbon, plum, burgundy, maple syrup, boozy, charred grain.

T - Dark roasted grain, sour cherry, chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, pretty boozy and well-hopped.

M - Medium body and light carbonation. Fairly smooth with some alcohol burn.

O - This didn't do it for me. I would've rather had a Parabola. It comes across as vinous to me. It's decent but I wouldn't seek it out.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2012 22:22:47 | More by Tucquan

TenHornsProud

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a sludgy black with a dark tan head.

Smells of oak, alcohol, port wine, and honey. A nice aroma but heavy on the wood/oak.

Taste is up front oak barrel that goes into an earthy/floral wood note and ends on a subtle flavor of sherry, vanilla, wood, and sweetness. Some dark-malt character but more sweet, caramel character is present. Still, the oak/wood character is too strong, could be great with significant age.

Heavy body with low carbnation works well.

I think this is a fine enough brew, but it is too heavy on the wood character. It is also herbally, which just isn't what I'm into.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2012 03:35:03 | More by TenHornsProud

sprucetip

Alaska

4.6/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thick motor oil with thin mocha head that fades and leaves just a few scraps of lacing. Activity recedes with the foam.

Thoroughly satisfying aroma consists of bourbon, oak, vanilla, malty sweetness, and gentle boozy warmth. It all works well together.

Malty sweet, light but apparent hop bitterness, bourbon, oak, chocolate, vanilla, roasted barley, and its own inherent boozyness are extraordinarily well balanced and complex.

Strong but not too strong carbonation, rich full body, viscous, warming, and smooth.

I scored it a 5 for overall, so what else can I say? This is a great beer. Not sure if bottles are as near perfect as what I had on tap, but what I had was precious.

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2012 03:31:22 | More by sprucetip

iD9

California

4.05/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in short beer goblet.

Appearance: Opaque - this beer is pitch black through and through. The slightest hue of chestnut browns and reds show through the rim of the glass. Minimal head formation but a persistent (and pleasant) ring of foam clings to the edges of the glass. Much more impressive a showing than I remember from its bottled cousins.

Smell: Chocolate, vanilla (bourbon?), a touch of dry oak and warm booze. This beer has an aroma of depth without being overwhelmingly complex.

Taste: More mellow than I remembered as well. Slight hints of chocolate are dominated by something else - the sweet tones of brown sugar or molasses, perhaps? A touch of bourbon seems to linger in the background and the alcohol warms all the way down.

Mouthfeel: Big, rich and creamy. Not as syrupy as I remember it being in the bottle. A major improvement (I think).

Overall: A decidedly good beer, perhaps excellent even. Ultimately this beer fails to knock me down in amazement. A good brew, to be sure - much improved on tap - but not a game changer. I'm glad I got to have this beer on tap (finally) but, much like its bottled brethren, this brew would likely get edged out in favor of another RIS.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2011 00:37:36 | More by iD9

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Draft served in a 10.5oz tulip for $7.50. This batch clocks in at 12.1% ABV and is 100% aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels for 6 months. Sampled 10/11/10.

A: Pours with a 2 1/2 finger medium dark brown head, foamy creamy and with decent retention given the alcohol content. The long lingering, thick foamy film tries to deposit lace on the glass, but it slides back down after each sip. The body is mercilessly black giving no chance for light to come through.

S: HUGE nose. Bourbon strikes along with vanilla, coconut, sweet molasses, chocolate and trace amounts of dark fruit. Very boozy - not so much in a hot way - but very, very smooth.

T: The taste is just as expected given the nose, albeit not as impressive. Bourbon is showcased again, and it is bigger than ever, resulting in a lack of complexity. The dark fruits however, are much more prominent on the palate than they were in the nose, coming through in the form of prune and raisin. Big malts combine to keep a constant level of sweetness in all but the finish.

M: The mouthfeel is gently carbonated. The body is medium. Leans towards - but doesn't quite reach - a dry finish with noticeable tannic astringency. Far from a lush texture.

D: [DRINKABILITY] Older Viscosity is a bourbon bomb and it makes for a beer with only average drinkability. Blending would have served this batch well. All things considered, this beer isn't bad, just mediocre in its class, and not as great as it could be. Frankly, I prefer Old Viscosity.

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2011 16:59:43 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

Spider889

Ohio

4/5  rDev -8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Found this on tap at The Distillery in Savannah over the summer. Review from notes.

A - Served in a Stone snifter. Black with a short head of grayish/tan large bubbles. Little retention or lace.

S - Loads of vanilla and chocolate. Sweet bourbon aromas - extremely smooth. Deep notes of chocolate covered raisins and a bit of cherry-wood as well. Inviting.

T - Quite sweet and a little hot. Bourbon is big, as is aged charred oak. Sweet dark fruit flavors pop out at you. The stout is roasty bot never burnt or ashy.

M - Medium body for a stout. Hot. high carbonation for a barrel-aged beer imo.

O - Well done, I could see improvement though, be it in the recipe or even in the age.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2011 10:06:44 | More by Spider889

bashiba

Iowa

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice deep black with a thick and creamy dark tan head, nice retention and lacing.

The smell is very powerful, big dark roasted malts with a boozy vanilla, bourbon, and oak layer mixing in nicely.

Has a big sweet dark fruit flavor up front with a bit of molasses and a touch of honey. The roasted malts become more pronounced the more you drink it with the bourbon characters being well balanced with just a touch of vanilla and booze.

The mouthfeel was thick and chewy with a nice dry and warm finish.

Very nicely done barrel aged stout, a good balance without being to sweet or messy.

Serving type: on-tap

12-12-2011 16:12:46 | More by bashiba

Troegman

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ran into this on tap at the Blue Dog in Chalfont

Poured a nice dark color with a small tan head.

Smelled of chocolate , a little woody and then there is the bourbon, some vanilla as well.

I expected more bourbon but this was full of chocolate, vanilla, oak, coffee and a smooth bit of bourbon. Very nice.

Nice and viscous going down, smooooth.

Great beer. A lot going on with this and it is done expertly. Going to try to let it warm up more next time.

Serving type: on-tap

11-22-2011 17:31:53 | More by Troegman

haazer

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First beer sampled at the CBS raffle, on tap at Blue Dog. 11 AM? Never too early, especially when my girlfriend and I were the only ones there at the start.

A- Incredibly thick, pitch black brew. No light enters at all. A dark mocha head forms of about one finger, and drops down to a thin ring.

S- Big notes of smooth bourbon, I say this because the alc doesn't burn the nose at all. White chocolate, cocoa, and charred roasty malts. Nice woody oak to finish a great nose.

T- The bourbon accents the stout well. The base beer is heavy with usual suspects. Dark roasted malt, dark chocolate and creamy vanilla. The bourbon blends in with the vanilla quite well. There's no heat or detectable booze that comes from bourbon aging sometimes which is a big plus.

M- Full bodied, creamy brew with low but felt carbonation. No heat from bourbon or abv.

O- I really enjoyed this. The nose was the standout, and I love that the bourbon wasn't overbearing. Glad to get this on tap first, the bottles seem a bit overpriced.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2011 01:27:07 | More by haazer

jacksonattack

Iowa

4.22/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at The Local Option in Chicago on 10/1.

Looked exactly as it should; black as Satan's heart and hardly any head or carbonation visible. The booze on the nose was noticeable but covered nicely by heavy chocolate and dark fruit notes. Thick and velvety on the tongue, lots of complex flavors running around, I picked up a lot of dark cherry. Overall a great beer, and really glad my first time trying it was on tap.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2011 23:56:10 | More by jacksonattack

charlzm

California

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Consumed September 8th, 2011 at BoHo in Hollywood, CA.

Beer is an opaque black with virtually no head. A very thin skin of tan foam fails to provide any meaningful sheeting or lacing.

Aroma is rich, deep and sweet: full of brandy and chocolate, vanilla and pitted fruit.

Flavor is sublime: as aroma but with a slight sour cherry tang as well. Fairly low bitterness.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly thin for as full as the flavor and aroma are. The slightly dry finish is nearly evaporative - unexpected. Some carbonation tingle present.

This is just awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2011 20:34:56 | More by charlzm

Fenris244

Texas

4.68/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

reviewed from notes, had at the distillery in Savannah, Georgia

Pours jet black with a thin tan head, minimal retention and lacing

Intense bourbon, vanilla banana and raisin, bits of oak char, caramel and some brown sugar, some bits of licorice thrown in for good measure as well. Great aroma.

Bourbon comes through strongly, banana and vanilla again(comes with the bourbon) caramel, little bits of coffee and some char for bitterness.

Mouthfeel is smooth, almost has a creaminess to it, definitely heavy on the palate

Overall, why can't I get this in Texas? It's truly enjoyable, I must have spent a half hour on one glass alone just sipping and marveling, I'd buy this by the case. By far one of the best stouts I've ever had.

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2011 23:56:38 | More by Fenris244

Bierguy5

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Local Option in Chicago. Pitch black color. Tan frothy head disappears rather quickly, but leaves a few nice spots of lace.

Great nose, full of roasted malts, oak, bourbon, toasted coconut. Burnt sugar & molasses.

Roasty, with a big alcohol kick. Bourbon, oak, with some vanilla. Oak tannins come in and dry things up at the finish.

Lighter body, but a good amount of carbonation very complex. Alcohol is certainly felt, but not overwhelming. Amazing beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-28-2011 00:39:15 | More by Bierguy5

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.85/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at Public House, in San Francisco.

Older Viscosity pours a gritty motor oil black with a head that's like cement both in colour and in form, at least in most spots, there are patches that fizzled out. It may have a bit of brown in its edges but there's certainly no seeing through this beer anywhere. The lacing it leaves is the colour of caucasian skin and endures like super-glue.

The aroma signs a wonderful melody of heavily charred wood, vanilla bean, macerated dark chocolate and has a resounding chorus of bourbon. The alcohol is quickly and easily perceived, but it is well fairly integrated and, if anything, works fine with such a rich cast of flavours. With warmth, the beer starts to smell like a bourbon-soaked tootsie-roll.

Bourbon is unquestionably the star of this profile, but it's one of many. Black licorice follows start to finish and Spanish coffee and dark chocolates pop up here and there along the way. Roasted malt impressively manages to stand up to all the bourbon notes (and their astonishing level of vanilla). The barrel - not the alcohol - has final say on the finish.

Older Viscosity doesn't make you breath fire (although it's not a bad idea to keep it away from open flames). The 8 ounce pour I had lasted me the length of four innings of a baseball game; I found it a very pleasurable drink but one that better suited to a leisurely pace. The aftertaste is bitter (you can really tell Old Viscosity is heavily hopped) and strong, but more soothing than belligerent. Bourbon is a detail on the edifice not the foundation of it.

Some feel we shouldn't reward beers simply for trading in their drinkability for strength and intensity. But it's hard not to. Older Viscosity (like any bourbon barrel-aged double digit beer) is not one to think of in terms of six packs - it's one to think of in terms of six people. It's meant to be enjoyed at a different pace. So grab a snifter and shut-up already!

That said, a lot of bourbon barrel-aged beers are highly rated solely because the intensity and departure the barrel affords them. For me, the rose already came off that bloom; long gone are the days when I was impressed solely by a beer because it was barrel-aged. But to this day Older Viscosity fascinates me. Offering bourbon as a detail on the edifice not the foundation, it is perhaps the most refined such beer I've come across. Worth every penny.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2011 22:35:29 | More by biegaman

ArrogantB

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Hops and Pie, 10oz for $8 is not bad considering that a 375ml bottle costs $17. Dark black, no surprises there. Smells fantastic like chocolates and a very subtle barrel and bourbon character. the taste is equally fantastic, chocolate, slightly boozy but the barrel and bourbon never take over. This is a very well done beer, other breweries should take notes because most barrel-aged beers are all barrel and booze. Oh, it wasn't flat either.

Serving type: on-tap

07-10-2011 01:04:27 | More by ArrogantB

emmasdad

Colorado

4.55/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this one on tap this evening at Hops and Pie. I've had this one before (bottles) and while enjoyable, I haven't been all that impressed. I am now. Poured a deep, dark black color with a good tan head. Aromas of bourbon, roasted malt, dark fruits and dark chocolate. On the palate, this one is full bodied, with big (yet very balanced) bourbon flavors, along with roasted malt, dark chocolate, plums, vanilla and oak. Excellent balance, drinkable and delicious. I didn't want to finish the glass.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2011 05:14:52 | More by emmasdad

DoubleJ

California

4.47/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally! On-tap was a 2010 vintage at 38 Degrees (the place, not the serving temperature), on to the beer;

The color is as black as ink, while the head on top has a milky texture and is somehwat tanned in color. And then this....tons and tons of aroma therapy potential, and by this we're talking mounds of cocoa and dark malt with accents of wood. One small ding is a little rub of rubbing alcohol, otherwise the nose is just what I want.

As good as the nose was, the taste is even better. If the aroma can be described by mounds, then the taste can be describes by an avalanche. There's so much coconut and chocolate that I'm only short of the almonds to be drinking liquid Almmond Joy. With the addition of vanilla specs, it takes on the character of a great ice cream. Then there's a whisper of peat, did somebody drop scotch in the beer? The only reason it misses a "5" is because the alcohol has a less than pleasurable solvent character. Even a pleasant warming alcohol would have been enough to put Older Viscosity into the ring of the elite. There's little surprise with the mouthfeel, which is rich and fairly smooth and a tad carbonated, no worres of a flat liquid from a keg.

Older Viscosity is walking on the line of very good and elite, and I think would make an excellent cigar beer. Yet despite such accolades, I remain very hesitant to pull the trigger on a bottle for two reasons: the $17 pricetag for a 375 ml bottle at a store (versus $7 for 10 ounces on-tap at a bar), and the brewery's reputation of erratic carbonation control in its bottles. Looks like I'll have to wait to find it on-tap again.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2011 00:49:34 | More by DoubleJ

DarthKostrizer

California

4.33/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at 38 degrees Barrel aged week.

Look: Very very deep purple color with a very slight brown ring around the top. 1/4 tan head with zero retention

Smell: Hints of bourbon and roasted malt, followed up nicely with traces of coffee and bitter chocolate

Taste: Bitter chocolate right up front followed up by just a hint of coffee and vanilla with a bourbon finish and a nice amount of heat

Mouthfeel: Typical barrel aged stout. Very warm mouthfeel to it and a little silky on the palate

Overall: This beer is very enjoyable. Great flavor profile with a nice amount of bitter chocolate which I love. Very well balanced and just the right amount of heat that it shouldn't turn you away.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2011 19:41:52 | More by DarthKostrizer

badboyrsl84

California

4.85/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours jet black with a fizzy white head.

Smells - Bourbon, Bourbon, more Bourbon. Vanilla and chocolate.

Taste - fantastic! It hot up front with Bourbon but settles in with chocolate that rides you all the way through till the end where another hit of Bourbon and some vanilla kicks in. Alcohol is very present in the throat.

Overall - I love this beer and if I could afford it I'd drink it everyday. Go get you some!

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2011 20:08:53 | More by badboyrsl84

dmsohyea

California

3.45/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Hamilton's in South Park. Served in a mini challis.

Pours dark brown like nasty motor oil, and probably equally as thick (hyperbole). No head. No lacing. A swirl shows a small bubble structure that dissipates immediately.

Smell is chocolate and molasses. Brown sugar, vanilla and some coffee, but this one seems to be mostly chocolatey.

Tastes, as a friend described it, "like Kahlua mixed with club soda." That made me laugh. And really, a quite apt analogy to the flavor. Tons of chocolate, super sweet and syrupy. Tastes a lot like alcoholic chocolate milk. Considering the high ABV, it's well hidden. Thick and rich, I couldn't finish the glass for I had to drive home.

Mouthfeel was extremely oily and flat (shocking, a Lost Abbey beer that's flat?! Wait, this was on tap...). Anyways, it really suffered from the extremely low carbonation. Not terrible, it was certainly full bodied and thick.

Overall, I don't think I'd drink this again for a while. It's too heavy and undercarbed to be fully appreciated for it's nice flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2011 23:14:47 | More by dmsohyea

BretSikkink

Mexico

4.2/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Darkest black with brown sugar foam. Looks quite stout indeed, although there's a fair component of brown malt to the coloring. The nose is full of bourbon, smoke, and sweet malts. Chocolate, coffee, brown sugar, caramelized sugars, and vanillin are all appreciated. Very nice.

Older Viscosity is as good as I expected. With such an unusual base beer as Old Vis, I assumed as much. This one is malt-heavy and thick, as the name would suggest. I encountered little bits and hints of a thousand different flavors: fruits such as raspberry, blackberry, and fig; roasted notes such as coffee, chicory, chocolate, and molasses; sweetness from bourbon, vanilla, tobacco, and coconut.

Great beer, super complex, and definitely worth seeking out.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2011 16:43:27 | More by BretSikkink