Midnight Expression - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

WoodBrew

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The Port Brewing Black Lager that I picked up is called Midnight Sessions....name must have changed over time. The appeance is great dark....opaque...nice tan head which seems to be lacing. The smell include roast with hint of espresso and hops. The taste is common of most black lagers, light/medium body, with good roasty tones with touchs of coffee, caramel, and hops that help to clean the pallet. The Mouthfeel is very good as well very easy to drink with not overbearing ABV. I am guessing they changed the name because it is a great sesson lager. Overall a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 01:54:12 | More by WoodBrew

Tone

Missouri

3.66/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a black color. 2/3 inch head of an off-tan color. Great retention and great lacing. Smells of roasted malt, sweet malt, hops, hint of smoke, and a hint of pale malt. Fits the style of a Schwarzbier. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of roasted malt, sweet malt, hops, hint of smoke, and a hint of pale malt. Overall, good appearance and blend, but the bitterness that the roasted malts impart it too strong for a Schwarzbier.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 15:29:19 | More by Tone

smiga

New Jersey

4.24/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 oz bottle in an assorted six-pack at WHOLE for $14.99 - great deal.

A - Very dark and handsome, between stout and black. A medium, soft, tan brown head. Looks and laces like a stout.

S - Boom! strong bouquet of mineral aromas; nicely bitter, oily, sensuous, appetizing. Some grassy sweetness and toasted, roasted grain.

T - Excellent taste. it's bitter, roasted, smokey, dark grains. Slight presence of charcoal and burnt wood in a good way. Beach bon fire, boardwalk. Also nutty and grainy, some one wrote like a bran muffin. Mineral, earthy, reminds me of my spring garden. Coffee and chocolate notes round out with sweetness but finishes nicely refreshing and dry. Complex. Good session or meditation beer. Good with food.

M - Despite complexity, there are no off or overpowering notes, and it feels smooth and drinkable. A great black lager meets stout. Easy going. Not overwhelming, but rewarding.

O - If you like stout, black beer, you must try this.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 01:19:33 | More by smiga

ALBuff

Hawaii

3.5/5  rDev -10%

03-24-2013 23:39:48 | More by ALBuff

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +15.7%

03-23-2013 22:13:06 | More by leprechaunandfatman

FrankShirley

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +2.8%

03-22-2013 00:44:57 | More by FrankShirley

JohnK17

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%

03-21-2013 16:42:17 | More by JohnK17

ambruns1979

California

4/5  rDev +2.8%

03-13-2013 04:50:29 | More by ambruns1979

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - Somewhere between cola and black. A thin, soft, light brown head. Looks like a stout.

S - A strong bouquet of mineral aromas; smells of bitter, metallic mineral water. Some honey sweetness and dry roasted grain.

T - Definitely bitter, dry roasted, dark grains. Strong presence of charcoal and burnt wood. Is also nutty and grainy, like a bran muffin. It tastes like it was made from rich, raw mineral water. Mild, semi-sweet chocolate powder adds some sweetness before it finishes pretty dry.

M - For all of this flavor going on, it's quite smooth and drinkable. Typical of a schwarzbier, and that's why I love them. A rocking session beer.

O - I got this 1 pint 6 oz bottle for $2.99 at my local beer store, Jack's Wine Sense. Can't beat that.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 04:25:37 | More by BeerForMuscle

heavenlyStash

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%

03-08-2013 07:33:02 | More by heavenlyStash

ryser2k

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%

03-06-2013 21:55:00 | More by ryser2k

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.84/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

22oz Bottle from Bevmo La Quinta for 4.50$

Appearance - Dark brown colour with an average size fizzy/frothy beige head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation showing and there is some good lacing. The head lasted for 5-6 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, chocolate, grains

Taste & Mouth - There is an average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate, and coffee. There are also some smokey/burnt notes and a bit of a nuttiness. It ends with a chocolatey aftertaste with a lingering roasted coffee bitterness.

Overall - It smells like a Schwarzbier but has the flavour of a RIS or a porter. Regardless, it's very good and packed full of flavour.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 03:55:48 | More by spinrsx

irishgreensoda

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -10%

02-25-2013 03:45:22 | More by irishgreensoda

JMS1512

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +15.7%

02-22-2013 14:10:21 | More by JMS1512

Philousa

California

3.3/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Pours a dark black with a khaki, creamy head, fitting the style nicely. Coffee, light roast, cream soda, wheat bread crust, and bitter chocolate round out the aroma. Flavor starts with sweet chocolate, a hint of lactic sugars, turns quickly to bitter, burnt toast, and dark, slightly chalky chocolate. If there are hops in this, they are well hidden. I'm guessing earthy English hops, since I don't get any nectar you find in noble hops. Feel is creamy with a slight chalk to even it out. Finish is slightly dry. Loving all the diversity of flavors in this sessionable lager.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 22:49:41 | More by Philousa

Fossilhunter

California

4/5  rDev +2.8%

02-18-2013 20:06:31 | More by Fossilhunter

fox227

California

3.25/5  rDev -16.5%

02-14-2013 15:50:37 | More by fox227

DotBier

California

3.5/5  rDev -10%

02-09-2013 03:26:30 | More by DotBier

SamanthaMarieee9

2/5  rDev -48.6%

02-02-2013 02:58:22 | More by SamanthaMarieee9

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.71/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

"It's not often that a great summer swell coincides with a full moon, but when they collide, nature affords us a rare opportunity to paddle out long after everyone has called it a day, these moments are a solitary pursuit with empty lineups, but those who carve graceful lines under a full moon understand how things can be dark, lonely and rewarding at the same time. So next time you paddle in from an overcrowded beach break, remember that nothing tastes better than a cold beer after a session. We suggest a glass of this smooth roasty black lager for contemplating empty lineups and waves that go on for days, most likely you'll long for epic summer swells under moon lit sessions opening the doors to isolation and empty secret spots of an age trying to pass us by..." Brewed in the style of a Schwarzbier (Black Lager). No bottle date, but this is their early winter seasonal release, possibly from late 2011. Purchased on discount from locals at Smokerise.

Poured from a 22 oz. bomber to a pint glass. Served north of 45º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a brown creamy head of a large size over a very dark brown body, near black. Retention is quite nice and lacing is thin but consistent throughout. The appearance of this beer is quite exceptional for what could have been a very shallow dark lager. 4.5

(Smell) First impressions are faint chocolate malt and some black patent malt with a roasty sweet tone paired with a bread-like yeast character. There's some fruit here too- dark grapes and plum mostly, perhaps indicative of an overdue bottle to drink. It's largely in balance still, even without a significant hop aroma, there manages to be a bitterness to round out the mild sweetness. The aroma is clean and the potency is medium at best. At its age it's not ideal but it is certainly a decent smelling beer. 3.25

(Taste) Up front is most of the aged qualities- the rush of unexpected fruity esters and a touch of wet cardboard oxidation. It all fades away quickly leaving a clean, heavily roasted caramel and black malt blend, slightly dry but expected for the style. the finish is very enjoyable, a wonderful blend of black malt bitterness and mildly chocolatey roast, with a touch of syrupy sweetness that keeps balance in check. Drinkable throughout, although a little heavier in body than the average Schwarzbier. 3.75

(Mouthfeel) Crisp and slick with a touch of airy carbonation, it has a slightly dry finish. Body is medium+ for Schwarzbiers, light-medium amongst all beers. The carbonation is very good for the style, not overly busy but lively. Alcohol presence is medium at the highest. 4

(Overall) Out of the schwarzbiers that I have had, this one is certainly one of the better ones, even with some (obvious) age on the bottle, most of the flavors are well preserved and the beer is quite well balanced. Carbonation is present but not overdone and neither sweetness or bitterness take over the flavors, leading to a drink that specializes on drinkability, especially fitting since I'm here alone with an entire bomber of it tonight. Worth a shot if you find a well-priced bottle or if you enjoy a fully flavored, yet light bodied and drinkable beer. 3.75

Port Brewing Company's
Midnight Expressions Lager
3.71/5.00

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 04:36:43 | More by Jadjunk

hpthebull

California

4.5/5  rDev +15.7%

01-22-2013 04:36:01 | More by hpthebull

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%

01-10-2013 21:47:48 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

mltobin

Connecticut

3.74/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

I picked a bomber of this in Western Mass. Poured into a pint glass and it pours a black color with a thin light brown head, which continued to sit with a nice ring throughout consuming the beer. Its` nose has coffee, over cooked malts, some caramel. The taste is roasted malts, smoky, while a tad watery. Mouthfeel is very nice, it is creamy and finishes clean. All things considered, this is an enjoyable beer and while I was on the fence when I see it in the aisle (for the 10th time or something), I am glad that I finally picked it up on one of my infrequent visits to a bottle shop in my neighboring state to the north.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 00:49:34 | More by mltobin

PaulMc

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%

12-29-2012 06:39:31 | More by PaulMc

hopley

Massachusetts

2/5  rDev -48.6%

12-16-2012 00:26:29 | More by hopley