Schlafly Porter - Saint Louis Brewery / Schlafly Tap Room

BigBry

Alberta (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

More reviews copied from notes.

Served on tap in St. Louis.
Beer is dark brown (not quite black), minimal light penetration. Short tan head, small stream of bubble kept a floating cap of foam, thin string lace.
Aroma is roasted grain, mild coffee and chocolate. All of the solid 'porter-like' flavor to be expected, roasted malt, cocoa and chocolate, bitter coffee to finish.
Medium in body and mouthfeel, not overly sweet to leave a cloying aftertaste.
When nothing sticks out (good or bad), it must be a good one, bang on the style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2012 20:02:20 | More by BigBry

drabmuh

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served on tap at a local beer bar ina tiny snifter. Beer is dark brown hazy with a tan head of small bubbles, haloed in the snifter, low retention, minimal lacing, low carbonation.

Aroma is mildly chocolately but mostly roast.

Beer is medium in body with a minimal bitterness at the back of the palate, an interesting little beer, decent enough porter, minimal sweetness up front, minor malt roast / bitterness in back. Not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2011 02:17:45 | More by drabmuh

birchstick

Missouri

3.15/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a chocolaty brown without much of a head on it. The nose consists of chocolates and a bit of smoke. The palate follows the nose. Starts off a little chocolaty rand then fades to more of a burnt malt / coffee / smokey flavor. There is also a touch of grain in the mix as well. Medium body with average carbonation goes down smoothly. Pretty decent porter. Nothing to crazy, but sessionable nonetheless. Definitely worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

11-18-2011 03:30:41 | More by birchstick

DCon

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed on-tap @ Sandrina's in St. Louis, MO for $3.25. Tapped from the Black Handle w/ a Red Circle & "Porter" on the top into a 16oz Pint Glass. First time enjoying this brew from Schlafly!

Aroma- Has a very sweet dominated aroma with tons of cherries hidden in the background. A bit of roast and malt follow everything up.

Appearance- Received with a .5 finger head that dies fairly quickly. Has a deep brown colored body and clear to what I can see. Leaves no lacing behind.

Flavor- Has one of the most wild tastes I've gotten in a Porter since I've been drinking the style. The whole drink is filled with a Cherry covered Espresso Bean! Seems wild but who knows what they brewed into this one! Has a Light-Medium hop bitterness at the finish.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Light Carbonation, Smooth, and leaves only hints of coffee/roast on the palate. Should be more here.

Overall Impression- Tasting this Cherry covered Espresso Bean flavor was so crazy! Not sure they were going for this but it came across when I went to enjoy it. Wish there was a bit more body in this brew also... Still very good and would like to now go pick up a 6-pack and see if this flavor is in these as well!

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2011 16:18:19 | More by DCon

FanofHefe

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at the Schlafly Taproom in a pint glass. Deep, black body, no visible light getting through. One-finger tan head that leaves a little lacing.

The aroma is sweeter than I would have guessed, more sweet chocolate and a little roasted malt. A bit of dark fruit in the background.

Very enjoyable mix of flavors featuring chocolate, roasted malt, and light notes of coffee, and dark fruits. Not too sweet, not too bitter.

The consistency in the mouthfeel is thin, but appropriate for the style and distinguishes it from a stout. This is definitely going to give Founders Porter a challenge for space on the shelf in my beer fridge.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2011 17:07:45 | More by FanofHefe

Vancer

Illinois

2.58/5  rDev -27.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

I’m really bummed to have to file this review – what a total disappointment the porter turned out to be. I sure hope it was just a bad batch, and they’re not all like this………

Blackish pour, little to no head. Just a note of chocolate malt in the aroma background, and brother, it was WAY back there. The quaff? Man – it was watery , weak, with just a pathetic hint of charcoal malt. Sippable but extremely boring. Like this review.

I’ll have to try again down the road, I can’t believe this.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2007 13:33:08 | More by Vancer

Realale

Missouri

2.65/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Black with ruby overtones when exposed to a light source. Thinnish wisp of a mocha head dissapears soon after presentation.

Nose is pretty subdued. Just a touch of burnt coffee and a bit of bready malt. Did not improve throughout the pint.

Very thin in the mouth with just the roast coffee and a touch of hop flavor the only things of note. Really needs an infusion of malt flavor to fill it out. Some chocolate and brown malts certainly wouldn't hurt either.

Mouthfeel is a bit harsh due to the lack of stuffing, and I'm not very interested in having another pint.

I'm as big a booster of Schlafly as anyone, but this offering is a real dog. Not sure how a brewery capable of hitting such heights with their oatmeal stout can fail so miserably with a related style. A mystery indeed, and one I hope the folks at Schlafly solve before next year's Porter is released.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2003 18:59:19 | More by Realale

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Nicely done Porter that is somewhat understated. The color is very dark brown, the head a bit light along with the lace effect. There is no sense of smoke in the nose, but some light roasted malt makes it through.

The taste is good giving equal bits of chocolate and coffee with that nice roasted sense. The feel is very smooth and creamy, nicely crispy at the end. Solid, drinkable porter.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2003 02:50:21 | More by AtLagerHeads

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I sampled the Porter at the Brewpub.

The color was good (a dark brown/black liquid with a weak foam head). The aroma was faint, with the smell of malt. The taste was good with bitter chocolate and coffee coming through. The mouthfeel was smooth and sharp with a very sharp finish. The drinkability was very good.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2002 03:37:36 | More by UncleJimbo

fallopia

Indiana

2.05/5  rDev -42.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into an ale glass

Appearance: Dense, very dark brown color with a thin, quickly dissipating tan head

Aroma: Overall there is very little aroma, but with repeat evaluation there are faint hints of walnuts, earth, and pine needles.

Taste: Harsh hops are out of balance with any malt flavors

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a brief bitter aftertaste

Overall, I was disappointed with this rather bland, tasteless, out-of-balance porter.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 02:43:45 | More by fallopia

Dave1999

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a very dark reddish brown with a small tan head.

The smell is roasted malts and coffee, too subtle for me though.

The taste is much the same as the smell, roasted malts, with a tiny amount of bitterness.

Mouth fell is medium with low carbonation.

Overall decent but average porter.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 22:33:19 | More by Dave1999

homebrew311

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into pint glass. Appearance is deep and dark with deep brown highlights. Dense brown head forms and has good retention. The nose has dark fruit, roasted barley, and chocolate. Notes of plum and raisin come through as well. Taste is primarily roasted and bitter. A bit of a metallic taste is present as this finishes. Mouthfeel provides a decent body with sharp carbonation. Overall, a pretty run of the mill porter. Some decent flavors, but nothing to keep me coming back.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 05:59:02 | More by homebrew311

samie85

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an opaque black color with a three finger light tan head.

Smells of that distinctly porter mix of light coffee and dark chocolate notes.

Tastes of cocoa and some light roasted notes with a very light bitterness.

Creamy yet medium bodied with low to moderate carbonation.

Very drinkable yet well crafted and complex porter; I wish we had access to Schlafly.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 06:35:53 | More by samie85

TippySelenoid

Missouri

3.58/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass.

It's a super dark ruby with a tan head. Not much retention or lacing.

It's got some faint roasty smells, mostly chocolate.

A nice bit of chocolate and a hint of coffee. A nice herbal bite from the hops.

Medium bodied with a good carbonation.

This beer's pretty good. There are better porters out there, but this one's pretty affordable to boot.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 00:05:20 | More by TippySelenoid

climax

Kansas

3.33/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A disappointing start, as not much head was eager to form after a raucous pour. It's black with a brief alabaster ring of soft tiny bubbles.

Though none too bold, it is balanced and pleasant to to the nose. Fleeting graces of hops offer brief citrus and herbal tones. The overall roasted character is mild, but satisfying.

The flavor boasts more intensity, but it's still wrapped in a neat package. It's roastier with a fair does of smoke. The finish has a slight dark chocolate chocolate sweetness, but for the most part is clean.

It's slick in the mouth with gentle carbonation. It doesn't leave the mouth too dry after it slides down, yet has an effortless drinkability to it.

This is a nice easy to porter to drink. It's on the inoffensive side, so the lack of bold flavors could be seen in a positive or negative light. Regardless, it's well made and certainly a sessionable option.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 01:05:44 | More by climax

mrfrancis

Kentucky

2.73/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours a dark mahogany with a thin tan mousse. Already, the lack of head retention bothers me a bit.

S: Aromas of coffee, burnt toast, and bitter chocolate fill the nose. As the beer warms, a scent I can only describe as being somewhat "off" emerges.

T: Notes of coffee, burnt toast, bitter chocolate, minerals, roasted nuts, and black cherry bludgeon the mouth. The finish is short, sharp, and thin with roasted nut and burnt toast flavors.

M: This ale is oddly light and thin in the mouth. Carbonation is fizzy and rather weak compared to many other American porters.

O: This is the first Schlafly beer that has really disappointed me, and I'm hoping that something was wrong with the last bottle I drank. Nothing about this beer indicates that it is or ever was a quality porter.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 13:44:40 | More by mrfrancis

twiggamortis420

Texas

3.55/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle pours a near-black color with a small rim of tan head. Not much for lacing and retention.

Nose is a nice little combo of roast, chocolate and piney hops. Sweetness is about medium and the yeast gives of a mild brazil nut aroma.

Taste is a bit thin and has some definite fruitiness, tangy almost in a souring way. Dont think it is infected, but certainly different. Still maintains some sweetness and the malt profile is really nice and smooth. Hops get a bit leafy on the finish for a bit of a drying effect. I like it, would love to try it on tap.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 19:53:14 | More by twiggamortis420

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

3.33/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Somewhat transparent black with reddish hues and a 1 finder off brown head.
S- Oooh, Smells kinda like a cheap beer to be honest. It smells like Newcastle brown with some chocolate coffee notes. Its not bad, its just faint and disappointing.
T- Not bad, not as robust and complex as some of my other recent porter tastings. Doesn't really have as cheap of a taste as the smell led me on. Some espresso beans, roasted malts and dark chocolate. Not a strong taste but balanced.
M- More drinkable then your average porter, good carbonation and a moderate mouth feel. aftertaste is only meh.
O- Its just one more off my list, im glad I tried it but I dont think I will bother revisiting anytime soon. Its decent enough to try.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 09:31:49 | More by TwelveOunces

secondtooth

Indiana

4/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep black with red nuances in the light. Nice foam and attractive hoop-like lacing.

Nose is nicely nutty, roasty, and a little cocoa. Not so much a coffee vibe here.

Taste is mild but balanced and very appealing. Hints of coffee come in here, along with some chocolate malts. There's an evident roastiness, but it's not bitter or burnt. A perfectly balanced and enjoyable porter, and one to revisit for sure.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 04:24:19 | More by secondtooth

soju6

Missouri

3.4/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a dark brown with a small head that fades quickly to some lacing.

S: Mild aroma of roast nuts, bit of chocolate and coffee. As it warms there is more of a burnt aroma coming through.

T: Flavor of burnt coffee with some bittersweet chocolate and roasted nut mixed in. A mild bitterness and a fairly dry finish.

F: Fairly medium body, decent balance. Just needs a bit more character.

O: Decent beer, sort of a middle of the road kind of beer. Would like to try this on tap.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 20:25:08 | More by soju6

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle ($1.79 a single at Liquor Barn), bottled on 9/22/2011. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours mostly dark brown with some ruby red tints along with an inch tan head that stays around a while. There's a good amount of lacing, too. Aroma is roasted malt, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, nuts and a bit of dark fruit. Taste is similar to the aroma, it tastes like roasted malt, coffee, bittersweet chocolate, grain and nuts. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's smooth, a bit slick, goes down easy and has moderate carbonation. I think this is a good brew, I'd buy this more often if it was available in Ohio. Too bad for me it's one of Schlafly's seasonal beers and not available year round.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 03:04:28 | More by bluejacket74

jkrich

Indiana

3.88/5  rDev +9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. dated bottle: Nearly black with brown highlights with a quickly receding beige head.

Spicy, somewhat floral hops and a solid semi-sweet malt aroma.

The flavor begins with a roasted, semi-sweet chocolate with some faint coffee notes. Not very complex, but extremely drinkable and refreshing with standard English hops.

The mouthfeel is very silky, smooth and creamy with a lingering bittersweet chocolate on the palate. This light to medium body porter has restrained carbonation.

This is a very solid everyday porter that Schlafly should have available year-round. At 5.4 ABV (per the Schlafly website) and refreshing quality, this could be a standard session porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 23:48:08 | More by jkrich

pschul4

Illinois

3/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from 12oz bottle into pint glass

A- Looks great! Very dark brown with a nice mocha head

S- Hmm this smells pretty hoppy for a porter, makes me a little apprehensive to try it...

T- I knew it, it's really hoppy for a porter. As far as hoppy beers go this is pretty good but I prefer more malty flavors in my porters

M- Decent carbonation nothing silky though

O- I know it's a good beer but I wish it wasn't so hoppy. I wasn't able to get over that fact and it's score suffered

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 01:01:41 | More by pschul4

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.8/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an effervescent mahogany with 2+ fingers of mocha colored head. Average head retention & lacing

S: Much coffee & a touch of dark fruit

T: Charred grain, coffee, dryness & much roastyness. Coffee, woody hops & cocoa are in the front as this warms. finishes dry, with charred grain & more coffee

MF: Medium bodied with smooth carbonation, thins out a touch as this warms

Easy drinking porter, not great but solid & just another example of how Schafly turns out on point examples of styles when it mass bottles them. Need to do a side by side with their coffee stout, pretty similar I'm thinking..

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 23:49:42 | More by russpowell

bnes09

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Black and opaque ale. Faint ruby when held to light. Thin head with minimal lacing.

Smell is nothing special. Faint bread grains and mild roasted character.

Descent roasted flavor with some coffee and almonds. Sweet prunes come through. Mild piney hop bitterness. Finishes dry with a corn tortilla chip flavor.

Medium bodied with a harsh carbonation. Coarse, gritty texture.

This stuff is just ok. A little rough around the edges.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 00:10:14 | More by bnes09