Midnight Expression - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.4/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Having a Port Brewing session this evening. This seemed to fit both the "Port Brewing" and the "session" bill.

Pours a lovely dark schwarz, with a slight hint of brown at the edges. Head forms quickly when pours, but then dissipates almost as rapidly, leaving just a floating film of light beige. Lacing is a little hit and miss, some suds on one side, and a little of nothing on the other. Not bad.

Lots of roasted malt on the nose, toasted and slightly charred, with a slight astringency. Brown bread comes through as well, which oddly lightens the palate, and there's a whiff of something a little sweeter as well, perhaps a lilt of ripe banana - very faint though. Overall, it's mostly roasted and black, with just a few hints around the edges of something else.

Taste is dark, and a little empty around the edges. The bread notes come through more prominently here, leaving a damp emptiness through the centre of the palate, and a lingering odd burnt sweetness that continues through to the end. Mouthfeel is crisp, but with an oddly numbing effect.

Nope, this feels like something of a miss to me. It has some pleasant characters, but some slightly unpleasant ones as well. Not Port's best offering, that's for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2010 02:17:20 | More by lacqueredmouse

DoubleJ

California

4.3/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

22 ounces of San Diego brewed beer. And it's a dark lager, not a hopbomb. Bottled on 1/7/10, on to the beer:

Black with a little glow of runy red towards the bottom of the glass. The head has a semi-creamy look to it, is thick, and shows off very good retention. Aroma is spot on for the style. Milk sweet, roasted malts, a little coffee bean, lactose. A milk lager? We shall see.

Mmm, tasty. Midnight Sessions is certainly appetizing. I love how the flavors are balanced, and how prononuced the flavors are despite being just 5% ABV. I need to think here...well, you get a generous dose of roasted malt mixed with sweet creamer. Then baker's chocolate. Even a bite of clean hops makes appearances. Initially, the carbonation is very bubbly in the mouth, but a little extra time gives the bubbles a chance to be a little less intense. Still on the carbonated side though.

It's difficult to find a good American-made schwarzbier on the shelf. Midnight Sessions is made for sessions not just for midnight, but for any time of day. Damn tasty stuff; now it's my new favorite of the Port Brewing line.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2010 05:19:38 | More by DoubleJ

glid02

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this via trade with route66pubs - thanks!

Pours one shade away from black with dark brown highlights and a two-finger dark tan head. The head on this is interesting as it locks up after the pour and dissipates very slowly. Once it recedes into a thin layer on top it leaves decent lacing.

Smells of roasted malts and lots of them. In the background are unsweetened chocolate and charred herbal hops.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Roasted malts up front are joined by a faint citrus kick and earthiness from the hops. Near the end of the sip semi-sweet chocolate flavors join in before a dry and bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got heavy carbonation and a nice thickness.

Drinkability is good. I had no problem finishing the bottle and could sip on this for a while.

Overall this was much roastier than other schwarzbiers I've had (though I haven't had many). Still, it was balanced by the hops and chocolate flavors. Worth a shot.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2009 21:23:20 | More by glid02

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Dark heresy chocolate pour is dense black in the glass but offers little in the way of head and lace.

S: Earthy dark roasted malt, burnt wood, dark cocoa with a nice level of delivery.

T: Dark and bitter, earthy roasted woodiness and coffee with some burnt chocolate. Lingering coffee is roasty, fresh, and rich, yet smooth and silky. Finishes off with some roasted barley.

M: was quiet carbonation wise, oily roast feel.

O: Overall a black lager with a smooth easy yet respectable roastiness that is quite relaxing.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 23:20:36 | More by beerthulhu

HopHead84

California

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours black with a 1 finger, light brown head. The head quickly recedes and there is some scattered lacing. The aroma is roasted malt, coffee, cocoa, and a small amount of alcohol. Very flavorful. I'm told this is the made from the second runnings of Serpent Stout, and there are noticeable similarities. The flavor is much like the aroma. The coffee profile is nice; it's not overpowering. There is a burnt/roasted malt character. Alcohol is very minimal and there is a moderate level of hop bitterness that is most noticeable in the dry finish.

Medium bodied with nice carbonation and a dry and sticky mouthfeel. A truly sessionable schwarzbier. I have little experience with the style but this is very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2009 16:40:31 | More by HopHead84

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Midnight Expressions is a great name for a beer this dark and shadowy. Indeed, the beer has the black, lightless complexion of a winter's night sky and an inundating head awash against the glass like high tides during a full moon. While it doesn't cover the entire the surface, the colour of that foam is distinctly earthy, like dirt-covered mushrooms.

This may be intended as a schwarzbier, but it smells more bold and full-flavoured than any German lager I know (with respects to this style, that is). The closest thing to 'German' this comes is black forest cake; there's enough chocolate fudge, cold coffee and yet more bittersweet chocolate shavings to easily entertain notions of porter or stout.

But the taste, alas, is indeed much lighter. Any impressions of rich coffee and dark chocolate turn out to be premature as this flavour is anything but decadent. Rather it glides across the palate without much impact, too perceptible to call 'watery' but without any harsh roasted notes or lingering bitterness, certainly of that easy caliber drinkability. I'm impressed that Port could restrain sure urges to indulge the profile with bigger, more prolific flavours.

Just as Harry and the Hendersons taught us not to fear Bigfoot, so too this lager should teach the average drinker not to fear dark beer. While it has a little cocoa-y bitterness and some roasted maltiness, it is quite mild and offers the same light, clean quaffability as any golden lager its strength (albeit with a little bit of toffee and sooty, chocolaty aftertaste).

I see why the beer was originally called Moonlit Sessions - it's the kind of thing you could stay up drinking until way past your bed time. This may arguably be the most agreeable, widely approachable offering this side of the colour spectrum - that's what you get combining a German brewer's engineering with the ingenuity and skills of a true American artisan.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 04:05:37 | More by biegaman

kojevergas

California

3.3/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

1 pint 6 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into an EKU 28 snifter in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Paired with garlic bread. Expectations are above average given the brewery, though I don't particularly care for the style.

Acquired at Wades Wine in Westlake Village, California. Cost was $4.29 USD plus tax.

A: Pours a two finger head of fair cream, nice thickness, and good retention. Colour is a solid black. It's generally appealing.

Sm: Dry schwarzbier malts: nuts and maybe vague chocolate. Dark malts. Caramel. A mild strength aroma.

T: Dark malts, with notes of nuts and vague chocolate. The promise of the aroma is fulfilled, though it wasn't that grand to begin with. Some caramel. Enjoyable. Decently balanced. All around, the build isn't great but it's pretty good. No layering is present, nor is any discernable complexity. This is a simple black lager.

Mf: Smooth and wet. A bit creamy. Not too thick nor too thin. Suits the flavours generally.

Dr: Drinkable but largely unremarkable. I'd have it again on an 'every once 'n' then', but it's not great. Fans of the style will enjoy it, but it's far from unique or special. Don't go out of your way to track this one down, lads.

B-

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2012 07:56:08 | More by kojevergas

Georgiabeer

Georgia

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

22oz bottle for a very reasonable price. I bought mine at Ledgers in Berkeley. Pours a slightly murky very dark brown with a thin pancake head that sticks around for a while. Very roasty aroma, almost coffee-like. This surprised me, not your average dark lager. The taste is also quite roasty, and there is a fairly earthy/hoppy presence as well. Add in some light bubblegum flavors, some more coffee notes, and a light chewy graininess and you have a pretty interesting beer. There is a bit of a fade on the finish. Grainy and medium-bodied in the mouth, I altogether found this to be a pleasant surprise.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2009 02:09:50 | More by Georgiabeer

JohnGalt1

Idaho

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

Very thoughtful extra in a trade with Stawn.. Thanks a ton Chris!! Shared this with the brother. Mine into my Delirium goblet..

Nice 2 finger dark tan head.. great lacing.. the brew is the expected black.... not getting any highlites..

Nose is almost all dark malts.... coffee... some background caramel or some type of sweetness right at the very end... no char or burnt notes.

Coffee notes lead the charge on the palate... reminds me alot of a dry stout.. really not alot of difference I guess, but there is some Citric hoppiness that really helps add a nice dimension.. Wow... working through this, I am really thinking... this has waaay more flavor than most Schwarzbiers, but I like it.. the burps come up with American C hops... eeewwww .... I said it, get over it. The char builds with temperature.... still, the body and carbonation are making this very drinkable..

I think that this is separated from the dry stouts is there isn't too much of the black malt "sour tang" that shows in the stouts... instead, it is muddied by the citric hops.

Pretty damn good beer.... out of character for the style for sure... but still pretty nice.

Thanks again Chris... I hope you like brews in your box as much as I'm enjoying mine.

all 4's

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2010 07:28:46 | More by JohnGalt1

mactrail

California

3.45/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A dark and light bodied beer. Attractive head and lacing galore. A lot of the scorched malt taste. Feathery light, though, and makes an interesting contrast with the marshmallowy mouthfeel and the big dark roast taste. Well carbonated, almost creamy on the tongue. A lot of sour burnt flavors. Barely a hit of malty sweetness. Fainbt hint of caramel and roasted barley in the nose.

22 oz bottle from Windmill Farms market. Quite drinkable, but definitely on the blackened side of the flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 05:55:40 | More by mactrail

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Aroma is rich and smoky with undertones of malt, molasses, yeast and coffee - very like a good stout or porter. It pours a near-opaque sable with a thick, fluffy, fairly persistent light tan head. Flavor is mainly malty with an undertone of roast coffee and hints of molasses. Texture is fizzy as cola, dancing on the tongue and all the way down.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 00:34:54 | More by Cyberkedi

ccrida

Oregon

4.2/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle poured into my Samuel Smith imperial pint, Moonlit Sessions is a dark black garnet with a creamy tan head that has long last and leaves very light, scattered lace.

Smell is chocolaty, herbal hops, caramel.

Taste is pretty clean, a nice roasty chocolate note from the dark malts adds a touch of depth but keeps from overwhelming. Really nice flavor, a little coffee, bittersweet and delicious.

Mouthfeel is slick, medium bodied, a little dry spice.

Drinkability is great, a really nice schwarzbier. Big flavor without being to heavy or robust, if this was available in more reasonably priced six-packs, it would be a great session ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2009 02:38:17 | More by ccrida

RoyalT

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - This is an oily-looking dark brown in color with a decent head.

Smell - The roasted malts are light but dominant with a subtle brown sugary compliment and a mild, baker's-style of cocoa powder.

Taste - The malts come out beautifully at the taste. The raw sugar is a bit bigger on the tongue than it is at the nose but still very small. Port Brewing managed to avoid that nasty tin-flavored aftertaste that seems to permeate just about every American effort of the style.

Mouthfeel - This lager is short of medium-bodied with little carbonation (which is my preference for the style) and very bitter.

Drinkability - I really enjoyed this bier but it is definitely on the bitter end of the style spectrum and may be too choppy for those looking for a more traditionally-balanced brew.

Update - I had this one again almost a year later and it is still a very good drinker. I got more from the nose than I noted in my original review but otherwise the flavors and smells are right on.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2009 01:17:09 | More by RoyalT

largadeer

California

4.38/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Opaque black with a tan-colored head.

Smell: Smoke and chocolate primarily with an odd undertone of semi-burnt popcorn, and I don't mean that in a negative way.

Taste: Light-bodied and clean. Malty but not especially sweet; flavors of bittersweet chocolate and dark roasted coffee are at the forefront. The finish is roasty and bitter but cleans up nicely without much fuss. Unsurprisingly this tastes a lot like Serpent's Stout, just a whole lot lighter (it's just as delicious though).

Drinkability: Highly quaffable stuff!

Notes: Great stuff, highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2008 23:44:56 | More by largadeer

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -6.2%
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

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours deep amber to black in color with a tan head. In the aroma, malty and hints of caramel. In the taste, caramel, chocolate notes, and a hint of coffee, quite porter like. A small bite and medium to lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry coffee and chocolate aftertaste. More of a porter than lager and/ or schwartzbier with the big coffee/ chocolate roast, but nice nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 19:00:57 | More by OWSLEY069

gford217

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of floydster poured into a tulip.

The pour is very dark and settles in almost completely black in the glass with hints of mahogany when held up to light. A decent cream colored head hangs around for a while and leaves a solid ring and very good lacing.

The aroma is big on heavily roasted malts and bits of smoke. There is definitely some coffee and dark chocolate in the background, but the toasted character is dominant.

The taste follows the aroma with a slightly sweeter caramel sweetness. The toasted character is present along with some coffee which gives way to a slight smokiness in the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium to full-bodied for the style with good carbonation and a fairly dry, smoky finish.

This is an excellent schwarzbier, probably one of the better ones I've had. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2008 00:00:50 | More by gford217

scruffwhor

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Looks like an English stout. Black with dark brown highlights. Not much of a head after the pour and no foam or film. Chocolate, just a hint of non dairy creamer, an overall great roasted to burnt malt aroma. Extremely roasted, almost burnt malts add a note of coffee to the dark chocolate taste with maybe a touch of milk. The palate is grainy and dry, but pretty full. Each sip leaves a little prickle on the tongue. Great sessionable and very flavorful schwarzbier.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2009 03:08:26 | More by scruffwhor

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I bought this bottle from South Bay Drugs & Liquor. Thanks Joey!

Ahh, a Schwarzbier..I haven't too many of them...

It pours a very dark brown, almost black, actually. A nice 1 finger head of tannish foam and some nice lacing. Nice looking brew. The foam shrinks to just a ring around the glass a few minutes into the session.

Taking a few whiffs, I get a very bitter chocolate smell matched by a very roasted malt nose, and it's nice.

The taste..well...it's damn tasty! A lot of roasted malt and chocolate up front and then some coffee notes sneak in and in the background, I taste just a touch of citrus. Yummy. Now I'm getting some smokiness that I didn't expect. Dang. 5%abv, eh? Plenty of flavour here. ;^)

It has a light body , which I expected, the carbonation is fairly brisk, also expected, and it finishes with a bitter bite from the roasted and dark chocolate malt. A very nice and quite bitter brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2008 22:44:20 | More by Bitterbill

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

beertunes

Washington

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

Poured into 10oz glass. Poured a just slightly translucent black with over an inch of fluffy brown head that had good retention and minimal lacing.

The aroma is roasty upfront with a nice grain scent in the background. The story is pretty similar on the tongue nice, crisp roast supported by solid grains.

The body is very good, solid but not heavy, and crisp. Drinkability is very good, a 22 went down very easily. Overall, I found this to the best beer I've yet tried from this brewery. Worth seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 03:25:53 | More by beertunes

kylehay2004

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: single finger tan head with nice lacing on a jet black.

S: roasted malts, coffee, dark chocolate and hints of vanilla. this is very stout like.

T: smokiness comes out more in the flavor with a nice coffee and roasted malt base. vanilla and milk chocolate late in the finish for a sweet ending.

M: full body with moderate carbonation. nicely smooth.

Overall: I have limited experience with this style. This one is very flavorful and full bodied but still light going down making it very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 01:49:34 | More by kylehay2004

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.28/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bottle received from largadeer. Thanks! Poured into my RRBC pint glass

A: Pitch black with a mocha-colored head. Dark brown highlights. As the head slowly recedes, it leaves a gorgeous coating all around the glass

S: Simple yet complex with a ton of roasted malt, nuts, hints of cream and smoke and what almost smells like a hint of anise. Quite delicious

T: Burnt and roasted malts to start things off and this is followed by coffee and a hint chocolate. Bitter finish from the roasted malts

M: Medium-light body with a fantastic finish. Carbonation is present and goes well with the rest of the experience

D: Very very drinkable, one of the better schwarzbiers i've had and i'd gladly drink it again.

Notes: From what i heard, this was brewed from the second runnings of the Serpent Stout. It does show some stout characteristics but is recognizably a great schwarzbier.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2008 00:29:21 | More by DefenCorps

nickfl

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours with two finger of light tan foam on top of a black body. The head settles at a modate pace and leaves good lace.

S - smoky notes of dry toffee and chocolate.

T - Dry caramel up front with some dark bread. Light molasses in the middle and a finish of smoke, cola, and dry chocolate with herbal hops and moderate bitterness.

M - Medium body, moderately hi carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - Not bad, it is a little outside of the traditional German mainstream for the style, but that is to be expected from port. It is perhaps too roasty and smoky for the style but still white drinkable in the end.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 01:50:02 | More by nickfl

FosterJM

California

3.55/5  rDev -8.7%
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