Midnight Expression - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

Bajasith

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

- Poured this bomber into my favorite pils glass... Very dark (dugh) with a thin earthy yellow head...
- Instant roasted coffee and burnt malts with dark chocolate aroma fill the rim...
- Taste is fairly balanced as burnt undertones hit the palate. Slight sweet sensation lingers at the end.
- Medium bodied and rich dark roasted feel and creamy... Not a bold as I would imagine. Very smoothe and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 02:15:21 | More by Bajasith

ajr24

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I cracked open my bomber and poured somewhat aggressively into a pilsner glass.

Port Midnight Sessions lager is a love story. A hearty porter meets a delicate lager on e-harmony.com or somewhere and they fall in love. It's a healthy relationship. They share and compromise where they have to. The porter gets the appearance; it pours a dark, impenetrable brown with a red hue. Light, fluffy and wispy mocha head sits atop and stays for a short while. It shies away to a modest covering... like the morning dew on the grass, it is beautiful and noticeable and also delicate. Its aroma is dominated by roasted malts and coffee tones. The crispness and smooth lager qualities combine with the coffee and roastiness in the taste. It's an alliance, unlike China the the USSR in the 1950s, there is no ego war here. No ambivalence, just harmony. The mouthfeel is like listening to Bob Marley. Peaceful, jovial, pensive, mellow... but not Jamaican. The drinkability is superb...

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2009 04:30:43 | More by ajr24

throwitallaway

Alabama

3.95/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 5

Bought from South Bay Liquor. Poured from a bomber into a pint glass. Dark with a small brown head. Smells of chocolate and coffee. But in a soft way, not like a stout. Tastes exactly like it smells. Chocolate at first, then coffee, finishing with a slight bitterness. Mouthfeel is unfortunately on the thin side. Not a complex beer by any means, but extremely pleasant and very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2008 01:47:46 | More by throwitallaway

Dijeriduster

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Very dark and opaque with ample head that doesn't last too long, though plenty of lacing

S - Dark and roasty with just a hint of lager yeast coming thru in the end. Very unique bitterness

T - Again dark and roasty with malty sour notes coming thru from high extraction. Amazing as this is second runnings from Serpent Stout

M - Fuller then a regular lager for sure with thinish wispy after taste.

O - Nice session beer, a little harsh on the roasty taste but very drinkable. Another amazing beer from Port Brewing

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2010 23:15:20 | More by Dijeriduster

EGledhill

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Big thanks to numbeercruncher for this one.

poured into pint glass

A. Black body with off whit head that stuck around for a good 5 seconds before fading away.

S. Smells of coffee, slight chocolate, dark fruits. not too bad at all

T. Taste follows nose of coffee, chocolate figs, and cashews. definitely a malty sweetness to it.

M. Mouthfeel is good not a whole lot of carbonation and slightly sticky.

D. I guess drinkability is damn good. Crushed a 22oz bottle and don't feel shit. Either I'm drinking too much lately or this is a session lager... wait...

overall a damn good session lager. Loving the brews coming out of Port/LA

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2008 03:41:47 | More by EGledhill

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

thethrone

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours nearly black with thin tan head with good lacing.

S - Lots of bitter chocolate and coffee in the nose, with hints of smokiness and dark fruit.

T - Lots of flavor, with a profile that matches the aroma; lead by chocolate and coffee, and also adds some toasted grains and molasses added in. Just a hint of citrus comes in the back end.

M - Light mouthfeel, good carbonation.

D - Lots of bang for your cuk with the flavor in this brew. Would make a great session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2008 02:42:44 | More by thethrone

mikecharley

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received in a trade from a hell of a guy.
Served in my Portsmouth pint. The color reminds me of cocacola. Just like coke. Really no head or lacing to speak of. just a light cola ring around the edges
Nose of roasted nuttiness. The nuttiness is nice, with the slight dark roasted barley in the background.
The taste is of the nose. Some roastiness, with a very slight bitterness that is detracting for the style. There are slight hops, but minimal. Decent Black Lager, but not great.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2009 16:44:17 | More by mikecharley

nelnutter

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured 22oz. bomber into Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

A: Poured a pitch-black with huge foamy/sponge-like head that stuck around for a while. Left patches of lace here and there.

S: Roasty, coffee, chocolate...and there was a smokiness that was making me think of beef jerky; yum. Now I want some beef jerky.

T: Roasty and smoky, bitter chocolate, and coffee dominate, and there's just enough hops to smooth things out at the end. Leaves a long bitter finish (not hoppy though). Very very nice.

M: Medium-bodied for the most part. Ample, but on the lighter-side of carbonation. Goes down easy.

D: Thoroughly enjoyed this. Definitely would have it again and could easily make this a go-to beer when I'm in the mood for something roasty like this.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2010 23:47:57 | More by nelnutter

jjh19

California

3/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: My bottle of of Midnight Sessions had a moderate, tan head. Very dark color and opaque. Tiny bubbles throughout.

Smell: I got mostly coffee smells, but not a very strong aroma.

Taste: I found this beer to be surprisingly sharp in the taste. A couple touches too bitter for my tastebuds, for a dark lager. Maybe the balance was off for my bottle?

Mouthfeel: The carbonation was decent leading to an okay mouthfeel. I thought this lager was a little thin and watery.

Drinkability: Not good, not bad. This was fine, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2010 05:36:32 | More by jjh19

maskednegator

California

3.78/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Black. Fluffy brown head that settles to a thin skin, leaving great lace.
Smell: Roasted malt (a shit ton of it), coffee. Little bit of lager yeast.
Taste: Roasted malt up front. Mild coffee and chocolate. Thin, metallic hop bitterness at the back.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, medium carbonation.
Drinkability: Decent enough. Metallic finish lingers.
Verdict: Not sure why I was surprised that it was so dark, given the name. It's like a big stout with an unexpected finish, and without the alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2009 19:21:06 | More by maskednegator

Bricelyn

Idaho

2.2/5  rDev -43.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

Poured out of Large 24 oz bottle, pitch black looks like motor oil that hasn't ever been changed Made about a half inch of nice brown head.

Smell is smokey and like baking chocolate.

Taste is much the same but with a watery hop at the end smoke lingers after on the back of the tongue.

Mouth feel watery and light carbination

I Was told to give it a try and I did... not to impressed.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2010 02:06:37 | More by Bricelyn

alphanon

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -10.5%
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

WarsteinerIceman

California

3.33/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A - Beer pours a dark dark brown, almost black. It has a mocha colored head that is persistent. As dark as it is, it's not as viscous as one would expect.

S - Smell is crisp, of smoke and nuts and is slightly sweet.

T - Tastes... good with first sip. Smokey, but not heavy like a stout or porter. Finishes with a little bitterness and woodiness, but not hoppy.

M - Very smooth at first, with a little bite at the end. Middling carbonation, just enough to keep things pleasant.

D - Drinkable, but not something I'd turn to for a Schwarzbier. It's light enough that I'd be able to enjoy a few should the mood for multiple smooth, smokey beers strike me.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2010 04:07:41 | More by WarsteinerIceman