Santa's Little Helper - Bourbon Barrel Aged - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

unitmonster

California

3.63/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Lost Abbey on 8/13.

A - Dark, black as night. Pretty viscous with some decent legs. Hard to tell from taster glass.

S - Bourbon. Maybe some chocolate. Oh, and bourbon.

T - Bourbon. There is also a slight hint of bourbon on the finish. There is actually some chocolate hidden in there.

M - Viscous! Heavy. My friends referred to these tasters as shots.

O - I like this beer. I know what I'm getting going in to it. It's very boozy, and it doesn't try to hide it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-16-2011 01:30:41 | More by unitmonster

jm1229

California

3.28/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On tap at Lost Abbey.

A- Poured black with very little head, however proof of previous presence lies in the minimal lacing along the sides. Looks tasty but from here I can smell the...

S- Bourbon. Whoa. Bourbon- bomb. "Hello, sir. Do you like lots of bourbon in your beer? Yes? Try this." Oh man. So much bourbon. If there's anything else, I'm not getting it...

T- Also, I'm only getting the bourbon. There's just so much of it. It really just tastes like beered-down bourbon. If you like that, great; if not, you (like I) are in for a true test of nerves.

M- Very low carbonation and thick mouthfeel, but this one's definitely a sipper.

Serving type: on-tap

08-15-2011 08:37:57 | More by jm1229

badboyrsl84

California

3.9/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at lost abbey/ pizza port

Pours a dark cola colored with a fizzy tan colored head that disappears down to a lacing around the top of the beer.

Smell- beautiful bourbon, vanilla, oak, and alcohol. Chocolate notes are present as it warms.

Taste- tons of bourbon up front and once it settles in your mouth the flavors open up and vanilla, chocolate, charred smoke taste. It ends with a note worthy alcohol bite.

Overall- its a solid showing for a bourbon barrel beer from port. Although older viscosity is still my favorite, but still very good.

Serving type: on-tap

07-30-2011 17:52:57 | More by badboyrsl84

portia99

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Armsby Abbey, poured into a 4oz tasting glass.

A - Pours a deep black with some murkiness to it. Decent sized khacki head leaving behind lots of frothy lacing on the glass.

S - Strong vanilla and caramel aromas followed by some dark roasty smells. Bourbon is very noticeable, but not in an overpowering way...smells very good.

T - Smooth and creamy tasting with a focus on vanilla, caramel, brown sugar and molasses flavors. Lightly roasty and a well balanced bourbon flavor mixed with slightly hot alcohol.

M - Medium level warmth from the alcohol giving a bit of a tingle on the tongue. Full bodied with a lowish carbonation level.

D - Excellent barrel aged beer...smooth and creamy, lots of barrel character, mild bourbon heat...enjoyed this very much.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 18:40:56 | More by portia99

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

Had on tap @ Armsby Abbey on LA/Port takeover night. Also have to thank Ineedabeerhere for a bottle he sent me a while back that I'm aging.

Just about pitch black colored beer with a light creamy dark head with lacing.

Nose of bourbon and light oak, dark malts roast chocolate dark chic, little vanilla and caramel, little booze, oatmeal.

Taste is rich with lots of chocolate, baker's and dark as well as cocoa nibs. Chewy oatmeal dark malts, little vanilla and caramel, some bourbon but not as much as the nose, pretty boozy too. Some bitterness spicy tingly booze. Bitter from malts and earthy spicy hops. Plenty of roast and coffee. Finishes smooth and long bitterness chocolate roast and more bourbon. Boozy. Rich creamy thick mouth. Some woody esthers and smooth oak.

Mouth is pretty thick and somewhat boozy, with decent carbonation.

Drinkability is OK, some booze and a bit of stickiness, but otherwise drinks smooth and well.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2010 02:39:16 | More by jlindros

gregmoscetti

California

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

My personal favorite of the Christmas in July Party, this baby is thick, chocolatey and viscous. Definitely a dessert beer, I was blown away by its intensity and flavor. BASLA has a velvety sweet taste, similiar to BCS with a surprisingly low level of alcohol burn. I think if cellared a year or two this could be delicious. Only tick was that I drank too much of it. I would keep this one to a 4-6oz serving at a time

Granted I am drinking it from a tap, I was surprised by the complaints about it being flat. I am hoping the 2010 version is not as problematic as the 2009 considering we all seem to continue funneling money into Tomme Arthur's wallet for flat beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-02-2010 19:56:16 | More by gregmoscetti

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at Tops Tasting Room in Tempe, with the staff. The most knowledgeable person promised it was the barrel aged version, arrived recently, and tasted bourbon in it. I found it just a very good imperial stout. Black appearance, though no noticeable head. Very drinkable and smooth, some wood but still boozy. Coffee, chocolate.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2010 03:44:09 | More by northyorksammy

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle courtesy of Bankhead, shared and split at a tasting, poured in to a tulip.

Appearance: Pours a dead-looking, nearly pitch black-bodied brew, completely devoid of head save for a few faint bubbles atop the surface around the collar and a faint dusting that actually disappears kinda quickly. God how I wish this one were carbonated.

Aroma: Bourbon is incredibly pungent and strong, earthy, slightly sweet, spicy, and - well - alcoholic. The base beer is here, and definitely prominent - cocoa, toast, faint dark fruits, toast, dark toffee, and caramel are all over the place. It's pungent, intense, and powerful, but it's good.

Taste: Well shit. This brew is absolutely stellar tasting. Huge amounts of cocoa, huge toasty earthiness, sweet roasted notes, incredibly dark toffee, faint toasted astringencies. Dark fruits meld with hugely dark malts, actual bittersweet chocolate - powdery, sweet, and authentic - and a slew of other dark malts. Bitter hops exist somewhere in the background, though they're an afterthought. Bourbon barrel aging adds vanillin notes, coconut, and a good amount of oaky, wooden notes. Just ... absolutely stellar, complex, balanced, and well-brewed.

Mouthfeel: Just absolutely dead. A thick, sugary body - thinned out slightly by the bourbon addition - makes for a slightly unpleasant delivery vehicle. It's really a shame too, even more so than I think the appearance was a shame, because now I know what's being offered in the aroma and taste I think that this could be a truly stellar, amazing brew.

Drinkability: I feel like I'm doing precisely what everyone else here is doing ... mouthfeel and appearance suck ... aroma and taste are amazing. I may be emphasizing too much of either end of the dichotomy to make a point, but it is truly quite a variance between what this beer IS and how this beer is PRESENTED, if that makes any sense. No wonder the discrepancy between the scores of this beer on tap and this beer out of the bottle.

This is a plea to Port/Lost Abbey - please, please, please figure out your bottling carbonation problems. You are amazing brewers, and are capable of truly great things. I don't want to rate your beers like this. I would love nothing more than to rave uniformly about your beers and trade my kidneys and other spare organs I have for them. Please, allow me to trade my spare organs for your beers.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2009 01:10:27 | More by CrellMoset

Halcyondays

California

4.4/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Blue Palms,

A: Pours a virtual black with a light smattering of bubbles, quite imposing.

S: Strong bourbon whiskey, vanilla, what you'd expect, very rich.

T: Here we go, very good integrated bourbon and wood flavours into the nice chocolate backbone of Santa's Little Helper, very impressive, good complexity, it's not all just whiskey and ethanol.

M: Smooth, full-bodied, viscous, mild carbonation.

D: An outstanding effort from Port, like this a fair bit better than regular Santa's Little Helper.

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2009 20:56:28 | More by Halcyondays

womencantsail

California

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Thick and black with a beautiful mocha colored foam that sticks around for quite awhile. Very little carbonation.

S: Wow! Bourbon, chocolate, coffee, and booze.

T: Just as decadent as the nose. I firstly noted the chocolate flavor and then the bourbon. The coffee flavors are not as present as I would have expected. The booze is very upfront in this one. I cannot wait to see how this tastes in another year.

M: Thick, creamy, and very smooth. Massive body on this beer.

D: The only reason I "marked it down" on this aspect is because the booze is still very pronounced.

Serving type: on-tap

07-26-2009 19:25:52 | More by womencantsail

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

3.46/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2011 Vintage, straight from the brewery poured in to tulip.

A - Poured dark brown and settled black. A thin layer of light brown head formed and quickly disappeared.

S - A big oak aroma up front with char, bourbon, chocolate and some noticeable alcohol.

T - Sweet bourbon and oak dominate. Char, chocolate and a big warming alcohol presence. The oak dominates.

M - Medium body. Very light carbonation, which is too low and detracts from the beer. The body detracts from the beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 02:34:19 | More by TheSevenDuffs

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

4.45/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

1pt 6floz. Bottle. Oversized wine glass. Pours very dark brown in color. Dark beige froth builds close but thin & lasting crown. An aroma festival to the nose: prune & bigarreau cherry aromas, hints of chocolate, notes of marmalade, cane sugar & molasses, ginger & toasted malts. Smelling evokes rhum fragrances. Flavors are complex as expected from the aromas are involved by gentle warming sensation. Full body. Soft carbonation. Moderate oily texture. Subtle bitterness in the middle is covered by rhum & anise hues. Notes of chocolate & dried nuts on the aftertaste. Celebrate Xmas no matter what month is!!!

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 15:47:55 | More by GONZALOYANNA

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.16/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 bottling split into snifters with my brother.

A: Very dark pour yields an inky-black beverage in the glass; opaque, with a large but quickly receding darker khaki head.

S: Pretty substantial bourbon, vanilla and a good kick of oak. Hints of spice even? Roasted malt and dark chocolate underneath that, with pretty nice layers of caramel and darker sugary sweetness. A bit of booze here but pretty minimal.

T: Pretty close to the nose: darker caramel and toasted oak & some nuttiness...dare I suggest coconut? Its faint. Pretty moderate vanilla and bourbon. Roasted malt and dark chocolate/cocoa lays a nice foundation. There is a bit of spice here too, not sure if thats from the barrels or the base beer? This says oak barrels, and I don't remember spices from the base beer. There is a light, burning alcohol here but more than manageable in an espresso-like finish.

MF: Medium-to-full mouthfeel here, dry and bitter finish. Alcohol is a bit drying.

O: Surprised this doesn't score higher, I couldn't find much wrong with my bottle. This was an enjoyable bba stout with plenty of spirit notes and a good base beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 18:36:35 | More by Scotchboy

writerLJBerg

Oregon

3.18/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 2 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle, 2010 vintage. Consumed 1-26-13, reviewed from notes.

A: Bottle opens with a soft plip. Obsidian sludge, devoid of any head. Very sticky legs.

N: Heavy bourbon, prune and some soy to start. Lots of vanill and some raisins. Blackberry brandy and coffee overtones. 2 yeras has not decreased the alcohol. Chocolate and fudge, of course. Mint.

T: Blended bourbon and chocolate. Vanilla is the most dominant flavor with some tannins from the oak. Stale coffee grounds and prunes. Brandy, more so than bourbon after a few sips. Raisins and licorice. Honey.

M: Stick, viscous, very, very hot and practically flat.

O: Despite the low rating, I did enjoy this, but there are a lot of fatal flaws in a very competitive field. Age hasn't seemed to help this much, surprisingly. I will say that's it's apt they put Santa Claus on this, because there's a lot of raisin/prune which I'm sure is good for regularity.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 23:37:15 | More by writerLJBerg

dirtylou

Washington

3.6/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

22oz bottle, 2011 vintage

Served in an oversized snifter - muddy garnet body, bubbly head - low carbonation. Overwhelming aromas of bourbon and vanilla, caramel and chocolate. And then, unfortunately, you take a sip. Absolutely fierce - burnt rubber, charred malt, torched oak, abrasive bourbon, caramel and chocolate. Heavily bitter - gonna be a tough one to choke down

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 22:34:03 | More by dirtylou

Gavage

New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a dark brown color with a 1/2" tan colored head.

Smell: vanilla, oak, and a bit of bourbon are easily picked up by the nose.

Taste: roasted malt, oak, bourbon, vanilla, prunes, mild alcohol, and a moderate bitterness.

Mouthfeel: heavy in body. Lightly crisp at the start, smoother at the finish. Long lasting aftertaste.

Overall: a very enjoyable but slow sipping beer. Great beer to sip in front of a fire place.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 20:26:59 | More by Gavage

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Originally had a flat bottle of the 2009 and scored it a 1.65 because it was a flat bourbon bomb. This bottle came over the pond from Vanlingleipa. Cheers for the brews man!

From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2012
Note: Drunk right after the base beer.

APPEARANCE: Pours out thin and transparent, just like the base beer, yielding a one finger, medium looking, tan head with decent retention. Head fades to a thin wisp and sticks to the sides of the glass. Black, relatively clear body with medium carbonation evident. A slight wisp remains but leaves no lacing down the glass. Thin for the style, but the head is alright.

SMELL: Bolder nose of oak, vanilla and caramel for sure. Light roasted notes with milk chocolate as well, but mostly lots of oak, vanilla and some surprisingly restrained bourbon from the bourbon barrel.

TASTE: Oak and caramel/toffee sweetness up front, then licorice, roasted and slightly burnt malts and bourbon barrel at the swallow. Aftertaste is bold with bourbon, more oak and wood from the barrels, as well as dark chocolate and burnt malt notes from the base beer. Surprisingly well balanced and the base beer pushes through the bourbon barrel aging. Some alcohol lingers on the palate after the swallow. A well balanced brew and more interesting than the base beer alone.

PALATE: Medium body and medium levels of carbonation. Creamy on the palate but not quite as weighty as the base beer, goes down fine with a bit of a burn after the swallow and finishes rather sticky. Needs a touch more weight and could be smoother for the style.

OVERALL: This is a solid barrel aged beer. The bourbon barrel adds a layer of complexity that complements the base beer, making this a more complex brew than the regular Santa's. This was way, way more balanced than the '09, and the carbonation helped make it far more enjoyable as well. Still not something I'd jump through hoops for, but certainly something I'd gladly drink again. Thanks again Vanlingleipa!

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 19:39:12 | More by Jeffo

chugalug06

Colorado

3.85/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

2011 into an Avery tulip

Very little white creamy head. No lacing. Thin (pitch) black brew.

Tons of oak-y vanilla. Smooth and milky. Great aroma.

Very smooth up front with nice smooth oakeyness. Milky, light, thin. As flavor fades horrible rubber bitterness shows up and becomes nearly undrinkable. I love the flavors, but can't stand the mouthfeel. High rubbing alcohol flavors.

By far nowhere near the best Imperial Stout on the market.. This brew doesn't even hit top 20, IMO. Port needs to bring this brew back to the drawing board. It's very uneven and unbalanced. Great aroma and flavors, but horrid appearance and aftertaste... Can't recommend @ $17/bottle

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 21:27:14 | More by chugalug06

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle 2011 vintage... Poured into a duvel glass

A: pours a very very dark cola brown, little to no head, no lacing either...

S: the aroma really starts to step this brew up, nice dark chocolate notes laced with great notes of toasted oak and burbon. The burbon gives great vanilla notes and coconut... Great aroma.

T: taste doesn't dissapoint either, overall id say the taste reminds me of a nutty dark chocolate burbon brownie.... Absolutely delicious. Very well rounded. The chocolate and the oak blend together so nicley with a rich of roasty malt flavor on the end, for a brief hint of coffee... Excellent.

M: medium body, with very little carbonation, I wish the brew had a bit more heft and a nice bit of creamy carbonation. A touch dry on the finish.

O: this is a great burbon barrel beer, incredible barrel flavor and balance, a must try for any fan if this style.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 03:39:01 | More by PeterIngemi

Jeb37

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I opened this bottle today which was a Stocking stuffer from my girlfriend last Christmas (2011). Poured into a 20oz pint glass

Appearance
Beer pours a deep super dark brown that entices you. Very little carbonation, head disappears quickly and leaves slight amount of lacing on the glass.
Smell
This beer smells heavy with coffee, chocolate, and caramel.
Taste
Really tastes of chocolate and coffee, really surprisingly smooth and balanced for a beer that says its ABV is 12%, it doesn't have that warming alcohol sweetness.
Mouthfeel
This beer is very light for such a high ABV, very easy to drink.
Overall
I was very surprised that a Stout this high in ABV would be so delicious and well balanced. This was a beer I thought would be heavy on the alcohol warmth and sweetness seeing as it was aged in oak. I wonder how holding it for a year may have changed the balance of flavors and mouthfeel. I will definitely get 2 of them this year, one to have now, and one to hold till next year. I recommend this beer as a great stocking stuffer or just to enjoy with family of friends.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 19:00:24 | More by Jeb37

JohnGalt1

Idaho

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

Got this from ChrisInIdaho a few weeks back in an IP trade... Thanks Buddy!! Shared tonight with Buckeyeboy... Pours impenetrable black... short lasting dark brown head...

Nose shows plenty of bourbon and fudgy coffee spiked brownie batter... never sweet smelling... just plenty of big aromas.

Flavor pretty much mirrors the nose... long and lingering on the palate.

Body is thicker than medium... carbonation is about right.

Fairly good... $17 good? Nope... but very tasty nonetheless.

All 4's.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 04:56:45 | More by JohnGalt1

metter98

New York

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is essentially jet black in color. It poured with a thin tan head that quickly faded away, leaving delicate lacing covering the surface.
S: There are strong aromas of bourbon in the nose.
T: Like the smell, flavors of bourbon really stand out in the overall taste and become even stronger as the beer warms up.
M: It feels a bit more than medium-bodied on the palate with a low to moderate amount of carbonation. There is lots of warming from the alcohol.
O: This beer packs in lots of bourbon aromas and flavors without making the taste too alcoholic. However, the bourbon seems to be too strong really masks any of the flavors of the underlying beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 02:30:26 | More by metter98

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 Vintage

A: Pours an opaque jet black in color with light hints of dark brown at the edges of the glass when held up to the light. The beer has a quarter finger tall mocha head that reduces to a very thin ring at the edges of the glass. Minimal amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Huge aromas of bourbon upfront with this beer - notes of bourbon sweetness, oak, and vanilla. That is followed by coffee, dark chocolate, molasses, dark fruit, and light notes of alcohol.

T: The flavors of this beer really follow the smell, there is a nice roasted malt flavor with some coffee notes and dark chocolate, molasses, and dark fruit sweetness. There is a significant amount of bourbon flavors including the oak, vanilla, and some light alcohol.

M: Just shy of full bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Light to moderate amounts of alcohol heat in the finish.

O: There is a nice complexity to the flavors of this beer and it smells exactly like it is advertised - bourbon barrel aged American Double/Imperial Stout. Really enjoyable but not the easiest beer to drink because it is really big - sip slowly and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 23:18:06 | More by dbrauneis

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Not seeing the date on the bottle but just came in so i'm assuming 2012. Shows 12%, not 10. Reads "Oak" not "Bourbon" barrel.
appearance: very dark though compared to older vis it's downright pale. Crimson highlights. almost no head other than some tan bubbles on the pour.
smell: Smooth bourbon, oak, coffee, vanilla and chocolate treat. Decadent and well...oh so good.
taste: More of the same. This is why I loves the new wave of beers over stuffy wines.
overall: I had thoughts of waiting till Christmas but screw it. August deserves a beer like this too.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 20:15:38 | More by cindyjeffsmith

Beaver13

Colorado

3.05/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

22 oz bottle - 2012 version 12% abv. Pours opaque black with a smallish brown head that quickly goes to a thin film that leaves a little lacing.

The aroma is sweet baker's chocolate, some roasted grainy malts and some light bourbon.

The flavor is sweet fudgy chocolate with a lot of roast and a big sharp alcohol in the finish. The mouthfeel is kind of light bodied for an impy stout.

Overall, it's a bit subdued other than hot alcohol.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 06:33:50 | More by Beaver13