Hot Rocks Lager - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

metter98

New York

3.74/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A: The beer is jet black in color and has bits of carbonation visible near the edges of the glass. It poured with a two finger high off white head that gradually died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of dark and roasted malts in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of dark and roasted malts in the nose along with notes of chocolate and hints of sweetness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied and a little watery and airy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is easy to drink and seems a little reminiscent of a schwartzbier and a porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 18:30:26 | More by metter98

pkalix

California

4.38/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

this was a great brew. actually, it still is... on the 2nd half of the bottle now....
very dark brown with some red in it- kind of like how your hair reddens in the summer.... beautiful foamy head, volume according to the vigor with which it is poured. super nice holding on to the side of the glass as it's tilted. i like that property....
smell is interesting. light, grain-y, nothing special, and smells like a very UN-extraordinary brew of which i was expecting to be disappointed.
taste, however, is very good. not spectacular, but very good. sweet and malty, with traditional bitterness, reminds me of a european commercial style, but with some substance. again, surpassed the expectations formed during the sniff...
it is an interesting note about dropping the glowing 'hot rocks' into the boil, but i wonder how much that contributes overall to the flavor. this is just a great 'standard' beer with some great properties. i like the way it laces on the sides. i like the semi-chocolate-y taste. i like the 6.5 % abv. it's not a super awesome brew, but a great standard which is very easy to drink and with a respectable abv.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 22:59:31 | More by pkalix

spycow

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

05-19-2013 03:44:12 | More by spycow

ocelot2500

Arizona

3.68/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep, rich caramel color with a tight, tan head that leaves little bits of lacing.

Smells of toasted malt notes mostly with some nuttiness and caramel.

Tastes of rich toasted malt notes. Malts are a big component with toasted bread and nutty notes coming through. This then leads to a bit of caramel sweetness. Touches of earthy bitterness comes on the end and rounds everything out.

Mouthfeel is medium with a smooth amount of carbonation.

Overall, this is pretty good. It won't knock anybody socks off, but it doesn't do anything wrong.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:53:18 | More by ocelot2500

Zimm

New Jersey

3.25/5  rDev -14%

05-15-2013 17:36:04 | More by Zimm

leprechaunandfatman

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +12.4%

05-10-2013 22:29:08 | More by leprechaunandfatman

BucannonXC5

California

3.69/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Type: Draft
Glass: 16-oz. pint glass
From: Polite Provisions in University Heights (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $6
Purchased: May 8, 2013
Consumed: May 8, 2013
Misc.: N/A

Poured a brownish black color with two fingers of khaki tan frothy head. Lots of sporadic khaki lacing on the sides. Good retention all the way down.

Smelled roasty malts up front. Also chocolate, caramel, toffee and nuts. Reminded me a bit of a Newcastle.

Tasted similar to the nose with roasty malts and nutty malts coming through the most. Also caramel, toffee and chocolate with some bitterness on the tongue after.

Medium body. Creamy-to-sticky texture. Average carbonation. Bitter finish.

I probably gave this beer a bit better rating than I should have. It definitely had its moments.

Serving type: on-tap

05-09-2013 07:27:22 | More by BucannonXC5

Lledd

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Dark brown with a tint of red. No visible carbonation. Small head receding over a few minutes.

S: Nice light caramel malt . Mild hops. Im expecting a balanced brew.

T: It is balanced. It's very refreshing as well. Theres a smoky earthiness, maybe from the brewing process? Its a tad sweet too. yum.

M: Refreshing. Clean and crisp (which i great with the malt). Soft, moderate carbonation.

O: Delicious. Refreshing, gulpable, sweet, balanced, earthy, Good price point ($5.15). Ill buy again.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 03:25:04 | More by Lledd

cgentzkow

California

4/5  rDev +5.8%

05-02-2013 17:18:12 | More by cgentzkow

Tom-Peters

California

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-29-2013 16:28:12 | More by Tom-Peters

wonothesane42

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-28-2013 20:23:33 | More by wonothesane42

DJMonroe

Washington

4/5  rDev +5.8%

04-25-2013 19:12:43 | More by DJMonroe

Bluecane

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

04-21-2013 06:39:08 | More by Bluecane

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.69/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottled on 04/06/12

A: Pours a clear dark amber in color with some light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some moderate garnet red highlights. The beer has a three finger tall dense foamy light tan head that reduces to a large patch of thick film covering about 85% of the surface of the beer and thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of toasted and roasted dark malts.

T: Moderate flavors of toasted dark malts with some light amounts of sweetness and just a touch of nuttiness. Lighter notes of dark chocolate and earthy hops. Light amounts of lingering bitterness.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation.

O: Interesting and not exactly what I was expecting when I opened this one - the hot volcanic lava rocks must have made the brewing experience interesting. Very malty but pretty easy to drink. Reminds me a bit of a schwartzbier.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 18:35:44 | More by dbrauneis

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

03-07-2013 19:53:42 | More by orangesol

CaptainNomihodai

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

03-07-2013 06:02:29 | More by CaptainNomihodai

sonorb7

Australia

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

03-02-2013 12:56:42 | More by sonorb7

swungomonkey

4/5  rDev +5.8%

02-24-2013 18:17:33 | More by swungomonkey

mychalg9

Illinois

4/5  rDev +5.8%

02-17-2013 18:34:36 | More by mychalg9

Gregwa

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

01-27-2013 21:26:23 | More by Gregwa

Offa

California

3.91/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Almost black, this has a big tan head slowly shrinking to thin foamy top.

Aroma is nice caramelly chocolate, hint of coffee toffee and bread, hint of licorice. It is a nice dark lager quality.

Taste is nice zesty toasty caramelly dark chocolate, dry woody-toasty licorice finish with light bitterness after being sweeter up front. Feel is good. However, it does not pack much character for the abv.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 19:14:40 | More by Offa

westcoastbeerlvr

California

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

01-09-2013 23:55:48 | More by westcoastbeerlvr

Ego

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

"merry new year"
"it's happy, in our country we say Happy new year pal"

hot rocks ? way #1,000,2000,022323,2302k3203,2 discovered to make beer... I think we need a moondust brew, eh, sam over @ dogfish probably already has booked a flight on space x...

eyes...
dark brown with a ton of geysers of carbonation streaming up the glass, 2 full fingers O fluff, a bit craggy and a bit off white, pretty standard to slightly above average looking

nose...
malty with a euro hop smell, musty and earthy, slight citrus notes hanging around for the party.

taste etc...
much livelier than a typical lager... the carbonation is a bit bright for the style (I happen to like it this snazzy though), this really drinks like a red ale... sort of APA thing.. but subdued... but tasty. I think the carbonation might be a bit much in the long haul but for one glass it is fine. this drinks medium in the mouth and rather smooth. the flavors are pretty mellow, sort of a slightly souped up euro ale, it doesn't have the depth of flavor of those however but it is more "american" which might not be bad based on your personal tastes, there is no sense of the alcohol here (not that 6.5 is huge)

verdict?
an interesting brew that really has some euro flavor with an american slant, that makes it interesting, but not great. Definitely worth a try if you see it on tap, I don't think many will dislike this beer but of course not many may fall head over heals for it either.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 06:26:31 | More by Ego

sloelco

California

3.5/5  rDev -7.4%

12-25-2012 22:15:46 | More by sloelco

Pecan

California

3.75/5  rDev -0.8%

12-20-2012 08:21:34 | More by Pecan