Older Viscosity - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

pisano

Massachusetts

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

a: deep dark brown, not quite black, opaque, half finger tan head is quick to dissipate, nice lacing

s: caramel, toffee, vanilla, molasses, milk and dark chocolates, oak, bourbon, slight alcohol

t: similar to the nose but heavy on the chocolates, vanilla and bourbon

m: mouthfeel is on the lighter side of heavy, low carbonation, slight alcohol burn, drying

o: fantastic. dangerously delicious and drinkable at 12%. highly recommended for the barrel aged imperial stout enthusiast.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 06:00:56 | More by pisano

Lognar

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

2011 Vintage poured into a DFH signature glass.

Appearance: Pitch black, no head, no lacing.

Smell: Bourbon sweetness, vanilla, molasses.

Taste: Thick, sticky. Bourbon but not nearly as sweet as BCBS and not even close to KBS. Lots of bourbon, maybe too much. If it's this boozy with a year on it, I can only imagine how boozy it is fresh.

Finish: Some dark chocolate. Malt. Woodiness. A bit of burn. More sweetness as it warms, but more burn as well.

Overall: Not as complex as other barrel-aged brews. I feel like I should have drank an Old Viscosity first to see how the barrel aging adds or covers elements of the base beer. I've come to feel that barrel aging needs to enhance or add to the complexities of a beer otherwise it just ends up being overly boozy, like someone splashed bourbon in a stout for no good reason.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 05:51:40 | More by Lognar

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.7/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

this is absolutely amazing. reminds me a lot of the angels share. pours thick and black, minimal tan head, dense as can be. smells like bourbon, old earthy wood, dark chocolate malts, licorice. flavor is equally complex, some toffee sweetness, plenty of boubon, vanilla, and dark chocolate flavors interplaying. the flavors keep unrolling one after the other, this is really an incredible beverage. the alcohol isnt even really that evident, but you will feel this one. mouthfeel is good, very heavy and full bodied, sticky, with relaxed carbonation that works well letting the flavors hang around and compliment one another. overall this was one of the best beers ive had in awhile, it was perhaps aided by the fact that this was compensation for my housemate crashing my harddrive, but im almost glad he did. its that good

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 20:26:37 | More by StonedTrippin

VaTechHopHead

California

4.65/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2011 bottle poured into a goblet

A - Pours pitch black and couldn't get a head on this one to save my life. Very little carbonation lacing on the side.

S - Sweeter on the aromatics than I was expecting but has a very pleasant vanilla, molasses, charred wood aroma backed by a subtle malt sweetness.

T - Starts off neutral with a slight sweetness before all the flavors kick in. First is a sweet vanilla, roasted marshmallow, light molasses and oak flavor. It moves to a darker bourbon spice flavor without much heat and finishes with a great barrel char and mellowed out bourbon flavor. Fantastic.

M/O - Very viscous for a beer and damn near flat with just a hint of the right amount of carbonation. Finishes semi-sweet and slightly dries the palate. Slight chewy malt flavors stick around with a roasted wood on the palate. In summary, a great example of a barrel treated stout without anything else added. One of the best.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 23:50:25 | More by VaTechHopHead

51mmz0rz

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a tulip. "Vintage 2011" printing on the side. I bought/drank it May of 2012.

A: Minimal soda like head. In fact if it we're for some lacing, it would look like cola. Body is pitch black, though.

S: Mixture of dark malts (soy sauce, some chocolate) and some heavy booze. Hints of wood. One of the only times I've actually smelled the charred wood in a barrel aged beer.

T: WOW, there's no mistaking this is aged in bourbon barrels. Up front there is an aged stout character, followed soon by a hit of whiskey, which moves into the finish. A slight sweetness lingers with the harshness of he whiskey in the aftertaste. Intense.

M: Carbonation is low, but exactly what this beer needs. Otherwise the body is slightly thick, but not sticky. I think the extra alcohol helps wash it away.

D: Overall, this is an over the top unique beer. This is taking barrel aged stout and running with it. A sipping beer, or one to split, even at 12 oz.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2012 04:01:03 | More by 51mmz0rz

dlello2

Illinois

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

Shared bottle between myself and my dad

A - Black with hints of red and brown. Not at all cloudy. Thin cream colored head.

S - Bourbon. Sweet black coffee. As it warms up there is a TON of butterscotch and coconut coming through.

T - Excellent. Bourbon up front, then a toasted coconut sweetness, caramel and butterscotch. A touch of alcohol burn in the middle. End is a woody, earthy chocolate.

M - Medium body. Perfect thickness and carbonation.

O - Really nice beer here. Worth the ridiculous price tag? Probably not, but I'm glad to have been able to try it anyway! Maybe another year of sitting on this one would have helped smooth the taste to perfection.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 22:17:37 | More by dlello2

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

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12.7oz corked and caged bottle served in an oversized wineglass.

pours an opaque jet black tone with a nice finger and a half of a mocha toned head, soon lapses into a collar around the glass - forgiveable given both the style and strength of this beer. decent lacing.

wow, nose is a straight wallop of bourbon, might even exceed bourbon county stout. roasted and chocolate malts are hanging in the background. very nice follow through on the flavor front; a big bourbon presence is obviously a player, but the roasted and chocolate notes are more pronounced than i anticipated from the aroma... picking up on a vanilla presence and a bit of coffee... warming, boozy finish. very tasty.

full-bodied mouthfeel, smooth and viscous. low carbonation. pretty drinkable for a beer this big. great brew; not convinced it's worth the price tag, but for an occasional treat OV is a hell of a beer.

originally reviewed: 11-22-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 22:09:18 | More by BostonHops

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

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

A - pours much like coffee. A deep opaque brown with some mahogany colors on the rim. Lack of foam makes it seem even more like coffee.

S - this smells like it came straight out of a barrel. Very woody reminiscent of sawdust. Notes of vanilla and caramel lend a pleasant contrast to the strong wood, oily espresso beans, cacoa and touch of fussel alcohol.

T - very chocolatey up front. Notes of coffee grounds enter quickly after. The middle is full of barrel flavors, lots of carmel forward bourbon and earthy wood. Alcohol is strong on the finish along with some vanilla.

M - surprisingly it is medium bodied. Light yet sprizty carbonation keeps it almost refreshing.

O - a very well made barrel aged beer. While it may not live up to its name in mouthfeel but it sure has flavor. Alcohol is a little strong now but I feel it will integrate nicely over time.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 04:07:56 | More by Teleweizen2

Alieniloquium

Florida

4.3/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

375 mL bottle poured into a Kate the Great snifter. No bottle date...

Appearance - Pours jet black with a substantial mocha head considering the ABV. Diminishes quickly, but still nice. Pools of foam shimmer on the surface, but none really cling to the glass.

Smell - Barrel notes all over the place. Smells incredibly good. Vanilla, oak, and bourbon. Incredible. Coffee and some chocolate come through behind it all, but it's the barrel that makes this smell so impressive.

Taste - Again, the barrel is the star. Bourbon is much more pronounced in the taste. It even made me cough. Unfortunately, as with many great barreled beers, it outshines the base stout. A good dose of coffee, but the really nice chocolate flavor is only a afterthought. Finishes hot as hell.

Mouthfeel - Thick and chewy, but boozy as all get-out. No carbonation issues. I've never had any issues with Port or Lost Abbey. Maybe I'm lucky or maybe people are too critical.

Overall - So impressive. Definitely one of the best barrel characters out there. Maybe not the best stout behind it, but still awesome.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 02:36:36 | More by Alieniloquium

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

Drinkerofales

California

4.13/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A black beer that lets no light pass. A tiny mocha head forms and is quickly dissipated to a ring.

Smells heavily of bourbon, smoky wood, almost overpowering boozyness. Almost out of control.

Taste reigns it in however, vanilla, roasted malts, bourbon and bitter chocolate, pretty nice.

Texture is full bodied, and almost chewy. Low carbonation, a sipper for sure.

I liked the beer, but I won't buy this again, there are other options that are as good, for a better value.

DOA

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 20:19:30 | More by Drinkerofales

derkfromwi

Wisconsin

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

A: Thin khaki head with some carbonation, nice dark brown color with dark red-brown tints around edges of glass

S: Bourbon, dark fruits, molasses, toffee, vanilla

T: Caramel, bourbon, oak, dark fruits, chocolate, vanilla

M: Smooth and warming, medium-full bodied, low carbonation

O: Tasty stuff, I wonder if aging this will tone down the bourbon a notch

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2012 14:55:21 | More by derkfromwi

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

Falcon91Wolvrn03

California

4.25/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance – Pours a dark black color with a very thin brown head. No lacing at all, and the head completely disappears before long.

Smell – Mainly bourbon. Also licorice, malt, oakiness, and a touch of vanilla.

Taste – Mainly bourbon. With oak, coffee, and some hops.

Mouthfeel – Lightly carbonated, thick and creamy, a little too boozey.

Drinkability – If you’re into big bourbon beers, you might like this one; it’s a bit more bourboney than I prefer (although I do like The Bruery's "Fruet" because it is sweet).

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 05:05:37 | More by Falcon91Wolvrn03

Tilley4

Tennessee

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Snatched this brew from Tower's in Hotlanta and marked a Want off of my list... I'm having this after a particularly spicy dish of Thai food as I'm lounging at my hotel...Pouring this into a red wine glass..

Pours still into the glass... Ordinarily, this would worry me but I was sort of expecting it here... Still and thick and viscous...

Big bourbon aromas right up front that have a dark fruitiness to them... Dark roasted chocolate and cherries... Raisins and oak... Like Raisinets on steroids... Incredible... I'm all over this... Completely world-class aromas...

Dark roasted cocoa nibs and a sweet dark fruitiness dominate the initial sips and as this warms, that lovely bourbon begins to shine through and send this one to a different plane of goodness... I would've liked a hair more thickness to this but that's really insignificant... This is damn delicious and I'm happy that I picked it up... There's a little bit of vinousness going on here that keeps this from being a straight forward Double Stout... Intriguing...

I paired this with some Godiva dark chocolate after dinner and it was sublime... Had this been a little more full on the palate, it would have been flying in rare air... As is, it's still a damn solid beer that I'd love to drink on a nippy November evening...

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 23:57:04 | More by Tilley4

kylehay2004

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

No head on this one. Aroma is atrong with brown sugar, vanilla, roasted malt and chocolate. More of the same in the flavor which is a little too sweet for my liking. Mostly related to the vanilla, brown sugar and licorice notes. This one also has a subtle smokey note to both the aroma and flavor. Although it appears thick its actually thinner than one would expect. Light carbonation. A touch too sweet but very drinkable otherwise with the booze well hidden.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 02:55:04 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

4.03/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Pours with a small head of tan foam on top of an opaque, black body. The foam settles down rapidly and leaves light lace on the glass.

S - A dark aroma of nutty caramel, vanilla, whiskey, and chocolate.

T - Dark, sweet sugar character up front with notes of caramel and toffee. Some mocha notes come out in the middle with oak and vanilla. Finishes with molasses, caramel, oak, and more vanilla.

M - Medium-thick body, moderately low carbonation, and a sweet finish.

D - Dark and complex with a distinct contribution from the oak. The sweet finish is a bit too much for me and it contributes to a flabby finish with an unpleasant sugary note that lingers on the palate. Not bad, but I don't know that this really lives up to the reputation that it has developed.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 02:52:05 | More by nickfl

ncketchum

Wisconsin

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

Served cellar temperature in a Duvel tulip

A - pours very dark brown, minimal head, but doesn't appear as viscous as the name might suggest...

S - very strong bourbon up front, then coffee, malt, chocolate, some dark fruit

T - again, big bourbon up front, then chocolate and roasted malt

M - feel is not as thick as I expected, but smooth with a good amount of alcohol burn in the end

O - excellent barrel aged stout. I wish this one was more readily available in my area.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 02:28:41 | More by ncketchum

ReelBigwigFish

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Popped the cork on a 2011 vintage bottle. No "pop" at all from the cork, I had to really pull that thing off.

A: Almost fully opaque dark brown color, with the slightest amount of tan bubbles. Basically flat. Really surprised at the lack of carbonation.

S: Very boozy, lots of bourbon notes. Chocolate, vanilla, wood, leather. Sweet dark fruit and dark chocolate.

T: Strong chewy bourbon up front. Dark chocolate, super sweet booze, vanilla, oak, leather. Good amount of vinous character to this beer. Warming alcohol far into the finish.

M: Chewy, chewy, chewy. The lack of carbonation, high ABV, and big malt character make this thing a beast on the palate. Tough to finish a 375ml, but outstanding complexity.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 01:55:15 | More by ReelBigwigFish

kojevergas

California

3.58/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12.7 fl oz brown glass bottle with hood and wire cap over a cork served into a Port Brewing 4 oz taster glass. Reviewed live. Expectations are quite high given this beer's reputation as well as the brewery and my own experience with Old Viscosity.

Served refrigerator cold. Side-poured with standard vigor as (in spite of the brewery's reputation) no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Not paired with food.

I forget exactly where I got the bottle; I think it was Wally's Wine in Westwood, California.

The cork doesn't pop hardly at all when I dislodge it, indicating undercarbonation.

A: Pours a quarter finger slight tan colour head of no real cream, okay thickness, and awful six second retention. Colour is a solid nontransparent black. If yeast particles are in there, they're not visible on account of the opaqueness. Though the ABV is 12%, the combination of the poor head retention and lack of cork pop makes me suspect it's undercarbonated.

Sm: Heavy bourbon dominates. Alcohol. Dark malts. Oaky wood tones. Chocolate. Molasses. A strong aroma. Not particularly appealing, but certainly bold and powerful. It has presence, anyway - even to me broken nose. But that doesn't make me excited to try it.

T: Molasses, a heavy dominant bourbon tone, and a coffee and slight chocolate finish with hints of mocha. Dark malts - some caramelized, others more clean. A strong oak wood tone. Sort of thin-bodied for the sheer complexity of the flavour. Not a flavour profile I'd call subtle by any means, but the wood tones and impactful flavours do cooperate well. There's layering here. Hops are minimal, at least compared to the other tones. Yeast comes through, though it's overtaken. It's certainly tasty, and very little alcohol gets through, which I find impressive. I wouldn't call it malty in a Spanish lager sense, but it's certainly got a fair bit of malt packed into its body. I haven't ever had tobacco, but I imagine one of the notes I get from this is indeed tobacco - sort of an earthy rich-but-bitter vibe. Shoe polish. Light cacao. Clumsily balanced, with heavy boldness and experimentation to its credit. Built well overall. I don't know that I can call it unique, but it's very close. Certainly a special beer.

It's structurally brief, with the open and finish feeling rather truncated compared to the second act. It doesn't stay on the palate very long, even in the aftertaste.

Mf: Viscous, but not to the extent they might want us to think. It's thick but stops short of unpleasant syrupy consistency. Surprisingly smooth and wet. The beer has presence; that's for damn sure. I can't help thinking some coarseness and dryness would suit her better. Undercarbonated. Heavy on the palate, but (again) not to the extent the label suggests.

Dr: It's certainly a manly beer. It hides its high ABV quite well. Not quite a sipper for me, but very close. I think the bourbon and oak tones are fantastically handled, complementing the flavour profile nicely. I'd have it again, preferably with a good book or amongst friends for the craic. Not a beer I'd want to drink a whole lot of, or particularly frequently. But certainly a beer I'd return to. I'd recommend it to friends, but it's definitely a beer you have to be in the mood for. From what I remember of Old Viscosity, I think I prefer this.

Might pair well with a cigar or some high cacao chocolate.

Drank very nicely out of me Port Brewing taster glass. I recommend a low volume taster (even a snifter is probably too large) for this beer.

Low B

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 05:49:32 | More by kojevergas

ngeunit1

California

4.48/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a dark black with just a touch of brown with a thin layer of chocolate head. The head fades down very quickly leaving behind very little lace.

S - Aroma is full of bourbon with oak and vanilla with roasted chocolate and some booze coming through and a bit of coffee.

T - Starts off with some Bourbon with lots of oak and vanilla with some roasted chocolate malts. Through the middle some coffee flavor comes through with some more Bourbon and milk chocolate. The finish is a mix of roasted chocolate malts, Bourbon, light coffee, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with very mild carbonation. Smooth with a warming and slightly sweet finish.

D - Very drinkable. The bourbon really adds a great element to the beer and compliments the chocolate malts nicely.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 06:54:00 | More by ngeunit1

Naugros

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This poured like a stout with quite a bit of alcohol, mainly because that's what it is. That means that it was dark and had a head that didn't last all that long. The thing about it that put me off was the sizzling carbonation. It was as if I'd poured a dark cola, like Moxie.

Really strong bourbon smell. It dominates but doesn't mask the other aromas: chocolate, cherries and vanilla. I was fully expecting a massive alcohol bite once I sipped, but was completely surprised by the smoothness of this beer. The carbonation takes the bourbon and lifts it into the top corners near the back of the mouth. It then dances its way to the tip of the tongue and sits there while the rest of the flavors (chocolate and cherries) slide to the back of the throat and linger. The bourbon outlasts this, leaving your tongue tickled by the alcohol, which throws very little heat. With the beer's name I expected a bit thicker, but I imagine that the carbonation thinned it out a bit.

I'm so glad Port Brewing now distributes to NJ and I was truly surprised that this gem lasted on the shelves for weeks. Next year will be different as the word spreads in the Garden State.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 01:27:16 | More by Naugros

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2010 bottle reviewed in late 2011. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours absolutley black with absolutely no carbonation or head. Nice aroma of dark and roasted malt, whiskey. Medium to heavy bodied. Flavor is rich and mellow. Dark malts, chocolate, whisky, dark fruit and oak. Finishes with a strong whiskey flavor. The lack of carbonation is too bad, but the flavor is excellent and well integrated. I look forward to finding out what a newer, carbonated bottle will taste like.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 01:00:53 | More by LiquidAmber

Dan3279

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I got this one through a trade with my buddy Aaron. My review is based off my notes from two nights ago.

I poured this into my DFH snifter to find a deep dark body that was black as night. The alcohol hits you upfront first in the nose with a lot of bourbon. The taste was not what I was expecting. To me this came off as more of an American Strong Ale than an Imperial Stout. I was a disappointed and I hope to get another bottle in the future and give it another shot.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2012 02:26:57 | More by Dan3279