Midnight Expression - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz. bottle.

Clear, black liquid. Looked orange at the edges when held up to light. Medium sized, dark tan head. Minimal lacing and legs.

Roasty aroma, some chocolate as well. Something sweet/fruity in there I can't identify.

Taste was mostly bitter, a combination of hops and roast. Sweet, wheat bread in the middle, hard to pick out from the bitter.

Light to medium body. Low to medium carbonation, could pick up a bit. Not particulary dry.

Very much a session beer. Taste character of a stout, with the mouthfeel of a lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2008 19:14:17 | More by

alphanon

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The appearance of this beer is jet black with a thin brown head that didn't hang around long. The nose was full of coffee and roasted barley smells. That is where the style portion ends, because when I drank this beer it was more like an ale then a lager. Lagers should be crisp and clean tasting dark or not and this was more like a porter. Don't got me wrong I liked this thought it had all kinds of great flavors, I just wanted a Schwarzbier, and this wasn't it. Won't stop me from drinking another.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2009 22:12:24 | More by alphanon

MrVonzipper

California

3.48/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pitch black in the glass with light showing a little brown at the bottom of the glass. Pour carefully, big head. Dense, foamy tan head with good retention and decent lacing.

Very simple nose. Not alot going on. Dark malt and a little smoke.

Flavor is pretty much the same. No depth. Bitter malt, cacao and smoke on the back end.

Medium bodied and high carbonation.

Overall it's a good beer but I was a little disappointed. I just had higher hopes. Was looking for more depth in flavor and there was virtually none. Its seems like a homebrewers first attempt at the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 05:27:20 | More by MrVonzipper

Nerudamann

Oregon

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

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass.

Look – jet black in color, with about three fingers’ worth of light tan-colored foam that dissipates somewhat slowly.

Smell – malty and roasted quality. Very sweet smelling like an oatmeal stout.

Taste – much like the smell, it has a malty quality right off the bat, but once in the middle of the tasting, the bitterness of the hops takes hold. In general it tastes more like a stout, but with a slightly less roasted quality than you’d expect.

Mouthfeel – pretty well-balanced, but definitely leans more toward the creamier side.

Overall – not a bad brew. It’s not quite what you’d expect at first, but it’s good-tasting and decently interesting.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 03:40:26 | More by Nerudamann

jsh420

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

bottled 1/7/10 (nice to see they are dating the bottles now!)

pours dark dark brown almost black with a 2+ finger tan head that left spotted lacing

smells of smokey roasted malts and some chocolate

taste much like the smell smokey roasted malts with some chocolate some nuts and a little dark fruit - but what i picked up on the most was that the flavors seemed watered down

mouthfeel is light with good carbonation that gives it the best of both worlds crisp and creamy

drinkability is ok - this is a session beer like the name says - i am just not a big fan of this style

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 03:18:42 | More by jsh420

chugalug06

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Nice, but nothing special. Head is nice chocolate color. No lacing or tiering on this one...

S - Very roasty with some slight funk going on... Smells super chocolaty. There's also a slight hop bite in this one.

T - Very nice and delivered. Chocolaty and roasty with some slight smokey tones. Smell throws off the taste.

M - Very light and smooth. Slightly bitter and uneven. Heavy bodied for the style.

O - Quite a good brew for the style. A bit all over the place, but still a good brew. Thanks for the great trade ShogoKawada

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 00:55:51 | More by chugalug06

FosterJM

California

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

545th Review on BA
Bottle to pilsner
22 oz

App-  Big dark pour with a one finger head.  A bit of a frothy light brown.  Nice lines of lace.  

Smell-  Roasty notes and a bit of fresh ground coffee.  Hoppy kick on a big whiff.

Taste-  Where did the spice come from?  This is a little bitter as well.  Pretty tasty with some off balance moments

Mouth-  Medium bodied and medium carbonated.  This is pretty wet drinking with some nice hop flavors

Drink-  A little bit different than I thought. Tasty, malty and a little dark hops.  Unexpected flavors but probably not coming back.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2011 23:36:38 | More by FosterJM

heygeebee

Australia

3.55/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a black body, one finger head, that dies quickly. Little lacing.

Aromas of roasts and caramel.

Taste is WOW! I know this style should feature roast malts but I think someone left them in the oven all night. Burnt flavours are left, with some coffee hints. Intensely bitter flavours more in line with a Big Stout.

All in all a 'surprise'. Not a session beer, even at 5%

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 08:54:12 | More by heygeebee

Pittsburgh

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Interesting beer, I was not expecting what it was, being called a lager on the label. I am not sure what Schwarzbier is so I don't really have a baseline here.

Dark brew, nice foam, pours almost like a stout or brown ale, tastes most like a brown ale to me, has that dark coffee taste to it, slightly burnt flavor, but also has a bit of a hoppy flavor in it as well, but it is very slight. Pretty bitter at the finish. Nice carbonation.

For a being called lager this is very dark, not a bad beer, but not outstanding either. Lacks depth in my opinion, after the coffee taste there is not much else following that up in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2010 00:19:03 | More by Pittsburgh

whatthehull

California

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a New Belgium snifter

A - Black opaque, with a huge 3 finger head that was milky caramel in color

S - A bright floral hop up front, maybe some citrus with toasted malt and grain

T - A light citrus crisp stout flavor up front. Hoppy, toasted malt backbone

M - Crisp, almost bubbly. It lingers for quite a while

D - Could drink this all day during the spring while Qing

Final thought - One of the best lagers I have had in a very long time

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2011 07:13:41 | More by whatthehull

jsanford

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle poured into a Tumbler. Bottled 12/17/10.

A - Pours a dark black with slight brown highlights and a creamy, 1-inch head of mocha-colored foam that settles to a thick cap. Very Stout-like.
S - Dark roasted flavors of malt, coffee, and chocolate with a touch of cream and sugar.
T - Very similar to the nose, lots of dark malt, chocolate, and coffee. Flavors linger for some time on the palate, especially the bitter hops.
M - Slightly watery, with a medium-thin body and fairly sharp carbonation.
O - Moderately drinkable, but not something I'd go out of my way for again.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 23:44:30 | More by jsanford

callmescraps

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

I'm a sucker for Port brews. Saw this at the old reliable Whole Foods, and had to give it a bid. That said, not my favorite style.

Appearance - Black. Maybe with a slight reddish hue. Amongst the most black beers you'll encounter. A half inch or so of tan head lingers.

Smell - Lots of roast. Almost like a hot cup of coffee. It's got that roasted caramel smell, but almost a sweet nuttiness as well. Kind of like cocoa. Doesn't smell like beer at all.

Taste - Smooth and smoky up front. Followed by some coffee bitterness. It just sort of sits on the tongue, and you can really taste the coffee. The smokiness really lingers. It's got a very toasted kind of taste. The follow is pretty bitter.

Mouthfeel - Surprisingly smooth. Much lighter and crisper than expected. Not syrupy at all.

Drinkability - I'm trying to be objective here. I hate coffee, so this one is not super drinkable for me. Also, the smokiness is a little heavy. Still, it's so crisp.

Even a great brewery can't make me love this style. That said, it's a good, not great example. The mouthfeel is really excellent, not too heavy or bready. But the smokiness is definitely a little much. Sort of like a smoky Guinness. Or even the Old Viscosity w/out the bourbon booziness. An interesting beer, but once is enough for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 06:14:00 | More by callmescraps

mjl21

California

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle poured into New Belgium globe glass. This is part of the 2009 release and is now called Midnight Sessions Lager. ABV comes in at 5%.

A-Dark black color. Upon pouring a nice one inch tan head quickly develops that lingers.

S-Right after opening the bottle the first smell that comes to my senses is that I am about to have a stout. That quickly dissipates as it is poured into the glass. Nice roasted smell comes next and as it warms definite notes of coffee arise.

T-Roasted malt with a definite bitterness from the hops.

M-Smooth like a lager. As I drink it the roasted malt begins to dry out my mouth.

D-Goes down easily as it is not heavy. The roasted malt that drys out the mouth definitely limits the drinkability. A 12 ounce serving of this beer is just the right amount.

I liked this batch more than when I tried the Moonlit Sessions during the summertime. Would work well with some barbecue.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2009 04:22:34 | More by mjl21

TexIndy

Texas

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass. No dating info but label had cool story on the side. It was pitch black in color with large carb geyser in center. Slight lacing. It had a large brown head that settled into a carb fed foam center and thin collar.

The aroma was good. Still fighting allergies so not getting a complete read on it but coffee, dark roasted malts and caramel coming through. The taste was good but not spectacular. It starts out good but I didn't like the finish. This is one of my favorite styles and I normally like the bitter finishes of them but this one just didn't set right. Was too bitter - too sharp. This also hurt the mouthfeel. Did have good carb levels.

Overall, a good but not great beer. Love the style so was a bit disappointed. Always on the lookout for a good schwarzbier. Mild recommend if you can easily get it. For me, I'd try another just to make sure my sample was good (it did go thru 2 shipments) but unless it improved it'd be a one and done.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2009 01:59:56 | More by TexIndy

jzeilinger

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pitch black color with a thin caramel colored head.

Smells of roasted malt chocolate and mild caramel, definitely more sweetness than anything.

Taste is chocolate roasted malt predominantly with a little bit of hops, not much more.

Mouthfeel is thin, light bodied, finishes dry, and is a little watery.

Drinkability is very good. I would love this beer on a very hot day, not one I would normally seek out, though.

For a Schwarzbier, it's not to style, but that's what makes Port Brewing Co. so good, they brew some really unique stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2010 02:58:02 | More by jzeilinger

PhillyStyle

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

1 pint 6 oz, bottled 12/17/10:

The beer appeared midnight black which produced a thick brown head that was not particularly well retained, but did provide for some lacing and a spotty cap remained.

The beer gave off a nice malt aroma. Not much else.

The beer followed the nose and had a nice malty taste with no real noticeable hop presence. The beer was pretty simple and straight forward.

The beer had a Lighter feel to it and perhaps the carbonation was a bit light. The beer was smooth, clean and very easy to drink. Overall, this is the second beer for this style and I am quickly determining that it is not one of my favorites. Not a bad style, just not for me, but I can appreciate it and will probably try to give some of the higher rated ones a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 18:20:08 | More by PhillyStyle

emmasdad

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bomber a jet black color, with a creamy light brown head on top. Aromas of roasted malt, dark chocolate and smoke. On the palate, this one was medium bodied and fairly crisp, with flavors of roasted malt, bitter chocolate, nuts and smoke.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 20:28:45 | More by emmasdad

metter98

New York

3.63/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very dark amber (near jet black) in color and poured with a two finger high tan head that quickly died down but never completely faded away.
S: There are light aromas of dark malts in the nose; the smell becomes warmer as the beer warms up.
T: Similar to the smell, flavors of dark malts are present in the taste along with notes of roasted malts and hints of chocolate in the finish. No bitterness is detectable.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink and is also quite sessionable. It is a good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 04:22:19 | More by metter98

illidurit

California

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bomber from Ledgers. Nice super dark brown color with auburn highlights. Decent cap of tan foam but it's a little fizzy. Roasted malt aroma, grains, sweetened coffee, brownie mix. Flavor is not as good, one-dimensionally roasty and a little ashy at the end. Some extremely dark chocolate creeps into the aftertaste as well. Body is too thin for sure. Not bad, the aroma alone makes it better than several German schwarzbiers I've had.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2009 06:43:36 | More by illidurit

champ103

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark brown, nearly black color. Some ruby highlights around the edges. A beige head forms, but recedes in a second. Light lace.
S: Lightly toasted malt. Mostly sweet caramel and some lingering spicy hops.
T: Follows the nose. Toasted malt and sweet caramel malt. A light hop flavor lingers.
M/D: A medium body with good carbonation. Creamy and smooth. Easy to drink. This is not hard to put back a few in a sitting.

Not bad at all. Nothing that jumps out though. Subtle and enjoyable. Worth a try if you see it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2010 04:31:34 | More by champ103

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As a beer, this is good. But if the aim was a schwarzbier, then it seems to miss the mark a bit, to be honest. It strikes me more as a kind of smoky porter than a schwarzbier. But for what it is, it certainly is consistent. Nice and smooth and fairly deep. Probably just a bit too deep for the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 20:59:18 | More by RblWthACoz

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Midnight Expression
Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port
Style: Schwarzbier
ABV: 5.00 %

LOOK: Pours a hazed dark brown with a bit of sediment. Looks like a typical schwarz, a bit lighter in color.

SMELL: Roasted malts, lager yeast, firm, bready notes, and a touch of herbal hops.

TASTE: Malty, smokey roasted flavors upfront with some nice char and hints of coffee. There is a bready, pumpernickel bread influence. Hops are mild, leafy, and noble, but have presence enough to provide ample bitterness to go with the roasted edge.

FEEL: Medium bodied, well carbonated, chalky finish, with malt and roast lingering.

OVERALL: Not a bad schwarzbier, highlighting a rich, malty flavor. Enjoyed this bomber for what it was and it did drink easily. A little loose around the edges, but still a solid dark lager.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 19:13:08 | More by Stinkypuss

Tone

Missouri

3.66/5  rDev -6.2%
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

Wetpaperbag

Washington

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Very dark black, with a thin tan head.

S- Coffee smell, smokey smell, and roasted malts. I'm also smelling the typical lager yeast.

T- Smokey and very roasted in taste. Coffee is there. There is a slight bitter earthy taste found in this beer.

M- The taste is bitter and sort of drys out the tongue. Thin in feel in the mouth, not too bad.

D- Easy to drink for sure. The smoky taste does get a bit overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2009 22:06:49 | More by Wetpaperbag

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark black with an aroma that is so roasty it makes me think of a stout which is no surprise given that this is a byproduct of serpent's stout. Roasty flavor and reminds me again of a stout but is distinctly different. Excellent drinkability and a really robust flavor make this very easy to throw back.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2009 00:56:36 | More by ArrogantB