Mongo - Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port

cdizinno

South Carolina

4.85/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Had the pleasure of tasting this at Green's Piney Grove in Columbia, SC

A - Poured in tulip. Golden bronze in color with two+ fingers of fluffy white head. Lots of lacing.

S - Fruity hops, pineapple, mango, lemon, grapefruit, almost like a fruit punch. Some grassy/earthy tones.

T - Bitter, piney, resinous, fruity hops, followed by some sweetness and a bolt of bitter hops. Dry and punchy.

M -Medium bodied, well carbonated and thick, but not too thick. Alcohol is well hidden.

O - This stuff is awesome and can't really compare to much else. It has got to be in the upper register for IBU's but so drinkable it is scary!! Great stuff.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2012 04:57:24 | More by cdizinno

argock

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap in a 13 oz tulip at Sunset Grill (Boston, MA).

A: Burnished yellow-amber with 1-finger of off-white tightly bubbled head with good retention and craggy lace.

S: Strong blast of Columbus hoppiness with orange and grapefruit citrus combining with medium-level crystal malty sweetness.

T: The Columbus comes on strong in the flavor too with semi-meaty, ganja-like hoppiness but with flashes of grapefruit and orange citrus and a big resinous hops blast in the finish. The maltiness takes a backseat but supports the hops with plenty of heft. Bitterness is moderately high, and grows with warming.

M: Drinkable DIPA for sure with medium body and soft carbonation.

O: I enjoyed this beer but it is definitely best suited for the Columbus lovers.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2012 21:27:01 | More by argock

Durge

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very cloudy dark amber colored brew with lots of random chunks of hop goodies rolling around. The head is a volumnous mound of oatmeal colored foam leaving chunky bits of lacing throughout. The aroma offers a tasteful grapefruit/pine blend with oatmeal spicey grain overtones. The flavor brings an unusual grainy hop attack with orange-grapefruit and intensely bitter grass. There's a little pineapple and dusty oak biscuit. This is a bit astringent but the hops settle into a fairly appealing IPA with a solid medium body and fizzy but somewhat viscous feel. Definitely a hoppy option but perhaps would benefit from a touch of malt sweetness. Pretty good though.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 03:45:13 | More by Durge

cosmicevan

New York

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

thanks to mike for tossing this one my way the other day. enjoyed from my lost abbey teku. bottled 7/19/2012

a - brew poured a murky orange with a generous three fingers plus of foamy ipa head that left massive chunky lacing.

s - nice citric and grapefruit hops with some orange peel. resiny.

t - dank resinous hops. like sucking on a pine cone. very much bitter, not as fruity as the nose suggests, but still quite tasty. as i got over the bitterness the citric grapefruit came out more. really nice classic west coast ipa.

m - bitter and nicely carbonated. medium bodied. a touch of booziness.

o - overall a very nice west coast IIPA. within 3 months of bottle date. i'd like to try this one a bit fresher, but still really nice and tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 21:41:25 | More by cosmicevan

Cresant

Kentucky

3.9/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Served this 22 oz. bottle in a Sam Adams glass. No date. The body was a bright copper color with an ivory head. A thick cap left clumpy lacing. The second pour was hazy from yeast.

The smell was soapy and resinous. Wet hay.

The taste was perfectly out of balance. Tropical fruits and big grapefruity hops that reminded me of ruby red grapefruit juice. Tongue ripping, pleasantly astringent hops. Yum. The second pour seemed a little sweeter?

The mouthfeel was medium bodied and carbonated. I would search for this one again!

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 18:01:13 | More by Cresant

Cobrito

Georgia

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Bottling date July 2, 2012.

Very nice head even on gentle pour; aggressive pour produces several inches. Cloudy orange-gold that I find appetizing. Aroma is very nice, if typically West Coast IPA, doesn't quite prepare you for how special this brew is. Mouthfeel is perfect balance between crisp and creamy. Taste is very tropical-plus-piney hoppy with a bitter yet smooth aftertaste that makes the back of my tongue sing Hallelujah. It's a bit like Ruination, only brighter, and the hops sail along on top of the background malt like the surfing cat on the label. So glad this is not like one of those DIPA's that's way too malty/syrupy/sweet for my taste (talkin' bout chu Maharaja, Hop Stoopid, etc. etc.). I live in GA, so we lack many highly rated products, but this is one of the two or three best beers I've ever had, and deserves even more love than it has received. Perhaps would receive more if fewer people expected a malty DIPA and just tasted this as an entirely superior IPA. Would give it extra points for being named after a late, beloved brewery cat, but it doesn't need them.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 22:15:44 | More by Cobrito

MagicJeff

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a snifter

Appearance: Light golden hue, tad hazy. Off white head which is retained throughout drinking, looks great.

Smell: Peppery grapefruit. Some grass and slight lemon. Even some alcohol presence.

Taste: Sweet grapefruit bodes well with some toffee malts. Not as peppery tasting as the smell. Very straightforward and delicious.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and creamy.

Overall: Awesome DIPA from Port. First Port brew I've had and I can say that I am going back for some more.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 23:22:54 | More by MagicJeff

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2/3 head to 1/3 liquid initial head. It's very lumpy with a decent amount of lace on the glass. Gold color with a mild chill haze.

Fresh floral hop aroma. If you like this (like I do), you'll find this very inviting.

Starts with an alcohol laced malt base. Lots of Tabasco-like pepper in the swallow--a definite hop bomb. Moderate body with a slightly above normal carbonation. Long, long aftertaste--like sucking a hop pellet.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 01:28:09 | More by smcolw

yonnie

California

4.53/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured in tulip. Golden orange in color with two fingers of fluffy white head. Lots of lacing. Yeast particles here and there.

S - Funky, grassy, fruity hops, pineapple, mango, lemon, grapefruit, almost like a fruit punch.

T - Bitter, sour, piney, fruity hops, followed by sweet, toasty malt.

M - Well carbonated and thick but not too thick. Alcohol is well hidden.

O - An excellent example of the style. Bursting with aroma and flavor, and easy to drink. One of the best DIPAs I have ever had. This is up there with Pliny for me.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 03:13:54 | More by yonnie

barczar

Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear deep golden color with an orange tint and a dense 2 inch ivory head that lingers. Eventually, it leaves moderate lacing.

Aroma is very resiny, with pine and an underlying grapefruit character adding complexity. Tropical fruits of pineapple and mango surface later, complementing the fairly bready caramel malt body.

Flavor is equally resiny, with a barrage of hops ranging from grapefruit to cannabis to mint killing the palate....in a great way. Fresh cut grass and pine are at the finish. The flavor is decidedly bitter throughout, but everything is held together by a fairly subtle caramel hop backbone. Not nearly as sweet as some dipas.

Body is moderate to full, but somewhat high carbonation keeps it relatively light. There's an alcohol warmth that lets you know abv is up there.

Overall, great beer! It's 4 months old, and hops are still kicking me in the palate. But the bitterness throughout keeps this beer very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 21:46:27 | More by barczar

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a nice dipa. Good balance of malt and hops with strong and mature hop tones peeking out with some spicy tones and a good amount of citrus as well. It's consistent, though not entirely trying to blow me away. Smooth delivery. Smooth feel. Another winner from Port.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 17:04:16 | More by RblWthACoz

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Sunrise gold in the glass with a healthy head and spider web like lacing on the glass. Aroma is citrus hop - grapefruit and lemon. Taste is solid hops - again the citrus is present but the floral hops are more forward. Very subtle boozy but overall a quality DIPA.

Serving type: on-tap

08-23-2012 22:40:40 | More by Oakenator

tronester

Oklahoma

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a hazy golden with a massive, billowing white head. Lacing sticks to the glass endlessly. Smell is some light citrus. Taste begins with an initial lemony flavor, followed by some light biscuity malt. It moves then to a rich herbal, piney bitterness that coats the tongue. A bit of orange and grapefruit in the finish. Smooth mouthfeel, pretty high carbonation. Overall an excellent DIPA, glad I got to try it, though had to have it shipped in.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 00:22:18 | More by tronester

crowsoup

California

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours hazy as hell, suspended particles floating like the building blocks of the future with a head as dense and history.

I'm picking up some frothy surf here, juicy hops on the front end, a dehydrated forest on the back end; a spicy ride in both cases - fantastic in its complexity, simply complex and damn near confusing.

This is a superb brew, gentle carbonation combined with a depth of bitter and dry hoppiness that is all at once well-rounded and purposeful. I'm coming back to this...as my corner store allows.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 18:21:53 | More by crowsoup

warnerry

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 3/23/12; consumed 5/23/11

A - Pours a hazy orange/brown with some suspended material and three fingers of dense light tan head. Head has great retention coats the glass with lacing.

S - Big burst of pine with some nice citrus as well. Faint caramel malt.

T - Still a nice resinous bitter bite even if it isn't the freshest bottle. Very piney and grassy with some grapefruit zest. Just enough caramel malt. Solid bitter bomb.

M - Medium mouthfeel with long lingering bitterness. Very dry. Somewhat creamy.

O - Definitely a bruising bitter beer, but very good flavors. Solid DIPA all around.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 02:56:59 | More by warnerry

mscudder

Georgia

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled 7/2/12. Poured into a snifter. I have had a lot of good experience with Port so I'm stoked!

A - A light orange-infused amber that is much lighter than what I am used in in Imperial DIPA's. A massive white head sits atop the brew with nice sized bubbles throughout. Good retention.

S - Pine, grapefruit and some tropical fruits are the most prominent notes. Some malts and hops exist on the back end.

T - BAM! Bitter hops are in high volume here with the bitterness receding only for some piney notes to take over. After sipping on this one for a while the sweet fruits leak through making this a solid DIPA for those bitterness lovers.

M - Big carbonation to set off the hops with a medium body.

O - A solid DIPA, although I am not a huge advocate of such intense bitterness, preferring a bit of aromatic hops. I would prefer to have the Wipeout IPA but this is still a solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 04:20:02 | More by mscudder

Momar42

Maryland

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber into Duvel tulip

A - pours a nice clear deep yellow. Big frothy white head of good sized bubble. Great leacing and head retention. Great looking DIPA.

S - strong resinous pine aroma. mild citrus to compliment but this one is christmas tree through and through.

T - nice dose of pine right up front. Malt helps carry it trough the middle but the bitterness breaks through all the way through the finish. Nice and astringent without being overly so. Just the right amount of sweetness as well. Great tasting beer

M - abrasive but balanced if thats possible. This is a very hoppy offering but very well done. Finishes clean and refreshing.

O - Another quality offering from Port. I dont have the luxury of getting much of their stuff but damn do I wish I could. This along with the regular IPA are two outstanding entrants in a VERY crowded category. Definitely recommend this one to any fan of west coast DIPA.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2012 01:52:19 | More by Momar42

Chad0601

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at Bailey's BBQ/Julian Brewing Co. 07/20/2012
The beer was served in a pint glass at the proper temp
A-Golden color and nice carbonation
S-WOW. Hop bomb with ceder, tangerine, and big citrus
T-Hells Yes! this was my favorite beer of the day. The flavor matched the intense aroma and the alcohol was hidden behind the hop curtain.
M-I enjoyed the feel of this beer, slightly fizzy from the taste bud overload
O-This beer is very impressive-it stood up to the BBQ we were eating. The alcohol seemed higher than 8.5% but I loved it!

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2012 01:51:53 | More by Chad0601

dannydetox

California

4.48/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

mongo. i had forgotten how good you are. great, great double ipa with all of the bitterness that san diego county is so good at producing in their double ipas. it had been months since i had this beer, and the brassy/yellowish color surprised me. the paler malt works great in my opinion, allowing the massively hopped nose to shine through. not heavy on the carbonation, and with sticky lacing lingering throughout the glass. elements of dank pine, grapefruit peel, and fresh grass dominate. taste is ever so slightly biscuity up front, but the delightful bitterness kicks in afterwards. and stays. long, mouth drying finish on this bad boy. 8.5% abv is pretty well hidden until you stand up after knocking back a bottle...

rivals just about any other in the style (yeah, you heard me pliny...)

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 02:37:00 | More by dannydetox

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 22oz bomber to Hess imperial pint glass on 6/13/12
*From notes

A: It's a clean darker amber at first. But as I get down to the bottom of the bottle, massive white floaties envelop the beer. These floaties coat the sides of the bottle as I pour. The finished product looks more dirty orange with snowy white flakes from top to bottom. The one saving grace here is the massive three finger fluffy head and dense retention. The lacing is boss. The massive, whipped head is killer.

S: Oh yeah. Pine-mango juice surfs from the top to the bottom of the bouquet. Muchos tropicale!

T: Man do I love me some West Coast hops. In a word, this is great. More juice and complexity then Port's Wipeout. And much bigger, too. The alcohol is preset here, yet it's balanced and easy to handle.

M: This sucker is dense, yet it never hard to drink or put back. It's a pleasure to quaff. The texture and carbonation are right on point. Spectacular.

O: Other then the Costco sized amount of white, kinda off-putting floaties, this beer is fantastic. I really wish this was readily available in the DC area, and I really, really wish it was in four or six-packs. I could drink this everyday and never feel I'm missing out on other hop forward brews. A kick-ass DIPA, and one I heartily recommend.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 00:12:44 | More by Rhettroactive

Lawl3ss

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lightly chilled 22 oz. bomber into a shaker pint. Bottling date 3.21.12.

Look- Started with a glass full of foam that fell over the course of two minutes or so, leaving four fingers of craggy head. Took four pours to get 12 oz. into the glass. Near opaque light amber, lots of sediment by the end of the bottle. Solid lacing.

Smell- Underripe mango, tangerine rind, fresh cedar shavings. Light biscuit. As it warms, the fruity aroma leans toward peaches and it takes on a resinous character. Appealing.

Taste- Starts sweet and clean before the resinous hop flavor shows itself. Also a bit of lemon-esque citrus, less evident than I was expecting after the nose. Oyster cracker and an interesting roasted pine-needle flavor carry through the finish, along with a hint of sweetness. Aftertaste is a nondescript moderate lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel- Full, chewy body, crisp carbonation. It's the sort of beer that leaves you wanting another sip. 8.5% ABV is well disguised.

Overall- I'd really like to try this one fresh- it's got a lot of promise, and I get the feeling that I missed out by picking it up three months out of the gate. As it is, it's certainly more than passable. Very nice - recommended.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 06:19:26 | More by Lawl3ss

rapidsequence

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bottle. Date says 3/23/12, so its pushing freshness limits. Erin brought it back from San Diego.

Appearance: Slightly hazy orange-gold with a ridiculous creamy head and beautiful sticky lacing.

Smell: Freshness concerns are out the window-- at almost three months old, this smells very bright and hoppy. Sticky dank, pineapple, orange, and grapefruit. A touch of crystal sweetness.

Taste: Bitter and dry, but not quite harsh. Bitter grapefruit pith, bong resin, pine, a little sweet orange/pineapple hops, and a touch of caramel malt sweetness. Its delicious, but could use a touch more sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Its carbonated perfectly and feels soft, but finishes very clean and dry for a bigger beer. Lasting resiny stickiness.

Overall: I'm really diggin this one. A tiny bit more malty sweet flavor would round this out a bit, but this is west coast style.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2012 00:54:37 | More by rapidsequence

superspak

Michigan

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled 2/23/2012. Pours slightly cloudy golden amber color with a nice 3 finger dense off white head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Some nice dense soapy lacing on the glass. Aromas of big pineapple, mango, grapefruit, orange zest, herbal, floral, grass, pine, and light earthy spiciness. Very nice and well balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of big grapefruit, pine, orange zest, pineapple, herbal, floral, grass, and earthy spiciness. Good amount of piney bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, pine, herbal, floral, pineapple, and earthy spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Great balance of hop flavors; with a good balance of bitterness and malt sweetness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very crisp and sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden at 8.5%, with hardly any warming noticed at all after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic DIPA! Great hop flavor balance and complexity; and very smooth to drink for 8.5%. Delicious stuff.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 04:51:38 | More by superspak

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle poured into a tulip at cellar temperature.

L - Deep gold color with a massive 5-finger white thick and pillow head. Very nice retention and awesome lacing. Moderate amount of carbonation bubbles - good for the style.

S - Lots of hops with mostly lemon and orange notes but there’s some tropical fruits, grass, and pine in there as well. A nice undercurrent of sweet caramel malt.

T - Tons of hops! Starts off a little sweet with caramel malt and orange and lemon hop notes and very quickly builds into bitter hop flavors of lemon, grass, and pine.

F - Medium-bodied with a good amount of carbonation, a chewy and sticky and creamy mouthfeel, and a moderately dry and very bitter finish. Hoppy bitterness lingers for a long, long time. There’s a nice throat-warming sensation from the alcohol, as well.

O - This is a very nice DIPA. It has a lot of hop aromas and flavors, but I think some more malt would balance it out nicely. Regardless, it is still very tasty, looks great, and has an awesome mouthfeel to it. The bitterness lingers for an outstanding amount of time. I’m glad I got to try this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 04:02:06 | More by BlackBelt5112203

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle served in a snifted glass.
bottled date: 02/04/11

pours a cloudy dull gold tone with a towering, creamy, 3" beige-colored head. excellent retention and lots of sticky lacing all over the glass. well done on that count.

potent nose smacks of pine and juicy, aromatic tropical/citrus fruitiness; a touch of malt in the background. great aroma. taste is a bit of a letdown for me. the pine and tropical/citric hoppiness pull through and are nice, but there's a huge bitterness characteristic to it that is a bit overdone, sort of overshadows the other aspects of the beer. don't get me wrong, it's a solid brew - just perhaps more so if you like your DIPAs bitter as hell.

crisp, medium-bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation. decent drinkability. very enjoyable though my initial thoughts are that it strikes me more as a once in a while type of beer - although i wouldn't be surprised if it turns into the kind of DIPA that grows on me.

originally reviewed: 03-07-2011

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 03:52:55 | More by BostonHops