Tröegs Dead Reckoning Porter - Tröegs Brewing Company

sinstaineddemon

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

A - dark chestnut in color, but clearly brown and not black, wells up a half finger of light brown head, too dark to note carbonation

S - big roasty toasty malts up front, would you expect any less from a quality porter?!? Notes of both chocolate and coffee rest above a finish of alcohol

T - bitter coffee and chocolate hit first, but it doesn't stay that way. The bitterness fades into great chocolate flavor and finishes with the straight peaty malts and some alcohol

M&D&O - not smooth, but layered and complex for a standard porter, more flavors than I expected. First Troegs beer, and a good way to start.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:22:13 | More by sinstaineddemon

rawfish

California

2.85/5  rDev -25.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Pours a stark black with cola highlights. Head is two fingers in height with very good retention and surprising lacing that coats the glass really well.

Touches of roast and smoke with a very bready and vinous fruit sweetness to it. Not much in the way of coffee or chocolate not hop presence wither if I had my eyes closed I would guess it was an esb and not a porter.

Bready with some roasted malt, cereal grain and caramel sweetness. Some bittersweet chocolate and a good dose of vinous fruit. Lactic acidity, herbaceous and ashy on the finish. Lasting bitterness with and low detection of alcohol.

Thin and flat, consistency of water. Bitterness dries the beer a bit but the malt remains very sticky. Not the easiest to drink, weighed down somewhat by the yeast from the bottle.

A very sub par porter, poor display of the roasted malt resulting in a fruity sweetness devoid of any hints of chocolate or coffee but full of lactic acidity and charred astringency.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 07:02:09 | More by rawfish

greybeardloon

Rhode Island

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottled July 31, 2012

A: Decent, tight head that dissipates quickly. Splotchy lacing.

S: Mostly grapefruit hops covers some faint roasted and chocolate elements, but this smells like an IPA.

T: Grapefruit hops up front, some mild roasty notes follow. Some faint fruity, yeasty flavors midway through. Somewhat bitter piney hops and some char on the long finish.

M: Thin for a porter.

O: An interesting hoppy porter. The citrus hops and roasted malts work well together, and usually I don't appreciate that combination.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 00:26:24 | More by greybeardloon

cottonkoozie

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Little to no head, a little sign of carbonation but not much. Dark brown in a pint glass with some amber and caramel colors around the sides of the glass.

Smell - Combination of citrus hops and sweet malts give it some what of a unique smell. Smells like something but I can't place it, almost like a fruity chocolate candy smell.

Taste - Good but needs something still. Starts with a hit of citrus hops, then the malts kind of balance but do not overwhelm, then finishes with bitter hops. Good but would like a more dynamic malt flavor instead of just enough to balance.

Mouthfeel- Could use more carbonation, kind of flat and watery to me, only a slight bite of carbonation. Not too thick or oily.

Overall - Decent porter, but not my favorite I have tried and probably wouldn't seek this one out again. However it is a solid slightly above average example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 21:12:55 | More by cottonkoozie

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dead Reckoning opens to a surprisingly hoppy nose for a porter, with high levels of pink grapefruit, grapefruit rind, and pine resin emerging first and foremost. In fact, the beer smells far more like an IPA than a porter, to the extent that it takes a bit of effort to locate porter-like aromas beneath the hops. They are there, however, bringing in light layers of chocolate and chocolate malt, coffee, tobacco, cream, and even some toasted nut. Smatterings of toast crust and heavy brown breads add to the earthiness. But the majority--say, 60%--of the aromas are hops, which makes for a strange experience, and doesn’t seem to match up with the style. This would not ordinarily be a bad thing, as the hop aromas are very nice, but it does add a sense of confusion to the beer.

On the tongue, the beer opens with a hop blast that comes straight from the nose, with opening notes of grapefruit, grapefruit rind, and pine resin. These last for a second or two, and are then joined by a good layer of porter flavors, including coffee, chocolate malt, ash, tobacco, cream, toasted nut, and thick, almost burnt toast crust and brown bread, these latter flavors growing in strength as the beer is held on the tongue. The aftertaste is heavily ash, tobacco, burnt toast, and coffee grounds, and lingers for a long time. Mouthfeel is medium-light to medium, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, the beer seems to come in two stages: the hops first, then the porter flavors later, making the brew seem almost bipolar. This impression continues in subsequent sips, and while the transition from hops to ash within a single sip is nice, the sudden jar back to hops at the beginning of the next sip is strange, the grapefruit and coffee not quite mixing. Still, this is a decent porter, and quite refreshing in its lightness and citrusy goodness, with just enough black backbone to add body and an interesting counter.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 17:39:05 | More by jondeelee

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Dark, nearly opaque, red-brown with two-finger, off-white, creamy, foamy head that lasted more than several minutes. Great lacing.

S: Earthy pine hops and mild roasted notes.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and solid hop bitterness. Bitter roasted malt with pine hops. Chocolate makes an appearance in the finish.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Chewy mouthfeel.

O: Good porter. Looks great and has a great mouthfeel. A bit bitter for my taste, but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 02:16:47 | More by SolipsismalCat

rlee1390

Indiana

3.85/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Black in the glass, one finger tan head, some lacing.

S-Roasted malt, coffee and chocolate round it out.

T-Roasted and burnt malt. More burnt than roasted. Not much bitterness. Slight dark chocolate. Improves as it warms.

M-Medium bodied, some carbonation a tad watery.

O-Too much burnt malt. Had the malt been more roasted than burnt the beer would have improved.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 23:57:40 | More by rlee1390

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a delicious and unconventional porter. this one pours a nice smooth chocolate brown color, with some suspended sediment and an inch or two of foamy tan head. the nose is surprisingly hoppy for a porter, bitter and resinous, almost like a black ipa more than a porter. there is also a big old roasty malt profile that compliments the hops nicely. the flavor is balanced between the two, a little smokey and a little chocolatey sweet. the remaining yeast also adds a pudding like element to this, with perhaps just a touch of spice lingering with the hops in the finish. i like the idea of a yeasty and hoppy porter. unfiltered is nice here, and it adds some body. carbonation is very lively, and its a fun beer to session, especially in winter time. overall one of my favorite troegs brews.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 17:17:30 | More by StonedTrippin

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.08/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a very dark brown color with excellent opacity. It's not perfectly pitch black, but it doesn't need to be. The head fades quick, but still leaves behind some nice lacing.

S: Fairly hoppy, with a strong flowery character. Dark roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee are present, though I kind of wish they were a bit stronger aromatically.

T: Initially, there's a pleasant wave of roasted coffee beans, before it finishes with piny hops and chocolate. I have a bit of a problem with how the hops finish the beer. It's not that they provide excessive, clashing bitterness - I like the slight citrusy character they provide, even if there's a slight balance issue between them and the dark malts - it's that they come across as overly acidic. It's one of the 'brighter' porters I've ever had, coming across as almost refreshing instead of stoutlike.

M: Creamy smooth, but also a clean finisher. Not dry, mind you, because the flavors do linger fairly well. I'd say the aftertaste is more pleasant than the initial finish. Carbonation is high like a lot of porters.

O: It's just okay. Granted, it's five months old, so I'm not sure it's fair to judge this as being a good example of a traditional 'robust porter'. I think I'd definitely prefer this one with the hops providing more than just an alpha acid assault. One of Troegs' lesser beers, IMO.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 21:57:44 | More by ThisWangsChung

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.35/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint.
5.4% ABV, Bottled on 073112, Batch # 120711

A - Clear though the pour, this rich cocoa brown fills the pint with a cold darkness and caps it off with a tall head of mocha foam. After the suds subside, ring after ring of thick lace is left on the glass.

S - Roasted, astringently bitter malts breach the surface with pine-y hoppiness following closely behind; a overwhelming combination. Pretty well hopped, as it warms, Dead Reckoning develops into a bigger pine and citrus American hop nose, turning more into a roasted Black Ale than a porter.

T - Aggressive, burnt roasted malt screams out with bitter, dry cocoa and dark bakers chocolate succumbing to the strong pine and resiny hops. It's stark taste is polarizing, mashing up two bitter ingredients with one another with little balance to calm it.

M - Balance be damned. Bitter as sin, this dark, medium bodied beer has an initially smooth feel, which leads to a gritty, almost chalky dryness on the finish and lingering roasted aftertaste.

O - I think there's a place for this beer somewhere between a porter and a Black Ale but it certainly doesn't leave my taste buds craving more. This is one of those beers I find to be brewed well but not particularly to my liking and I think it's from the harsh contrast of bitter, gritty roasted malt and equally bitter hops. There's no balance, no sweetness to keep it in check at all; it's just, honestly, a bit offensive.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2012 23:35:00 | More by BeerFMAndy

ghengisflan

3/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: A slightly opaque amber brown.

Smell: Very hop-dominated.

Taste: Hop dominated; I was expecting a porter by the name Dead Reckoning Porter.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, good carbonation.

Overall: A good beer, if mislabeled. It isn't quite a "black IPA" or Cascadian dark ale, though.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 00:38:21 | More by ghengisflan

kangarooAdam59

Maine

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

On tap at Troeg's itself in Hershey:

In a Troeg's pint glass:

A: perfect dark brown with barely any lacing and head. The body was too dark for any carbonation to be seen rising.

S: fair amount of hops in front with a nice citrus profile, weird for an American Porter, but hey still desirable as nothing smelled off.

T: followed the smell and actually added a very slight smokiness that tasted pretty nice.

M: light and the carbonation was felt, sessionable

O: is this really an American Porter? No worries, I still liked it even though it is perhaps on the edge of an American Black Ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 19:20:23 | More by kangarooAdam59

SeamusDoyle

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown, nearly black, with a thick ring of tan lace. Aroma of roasted malts, espresso, vanilla, a nutty and doughy character. Hops are apparent, but don’t overpower the porter qualities in the nose. Creamy texture, with a medium body starts with a bit of coffee and a cream sweetness. A bit of bittersweet chocolate through the middle finishes with an intense roast and bitter coffee, intensified by a moderate hop profile.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 13:05:09 | More by SeamusDoyle

Damian

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Drank from a 12 fl.oz. bottle purchased at Downtown Wine & Spirits, Somerville, MA
Bottled 081712
Served in a pint glass

Fantastic appearance. A super tight, creamy and bubbly crown of beige foam topped the dark mahogany liquid. The head had fantastic lasting power. As it receded, thick chunks of sticky lacing coated the glass.

There was unexpected hoppiness to the nose. Had I not known, I would have guessed this to be a American black ale. A distinctly dry and powdery yeastiness was following closely by some intense, piney and grapefruit zest-like hops. Touch of roasty, smoky malts. As the beer warmed, the hops died down and the dry yeasty quality took over.

The flavor profile was more of the same. Some roasted malt and chicory notes clung for dear life as they were enveloped by a cornucopia of intensely dry and bitter hops. Like the nose, West Coast-style hops dominated. Lots of grapefruit peel and piney, resiny notes. The dry, citrusy bitterness lingered on my palate for what seemed like an eternity.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied. Creamy, slick and smooth on the palate. The liquid contained a fine, moderate effervescence.

Dead Reckoning Porter is far from being a bad beer, but it definitely was not what I expected. Call me a traditionalist, but I still like my porters to taste like porters and my IPAs to taste like IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 22:12:49 | More by Damian

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

2.48/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a tulip pint glass.

Appearance
Deep brown with 2 fingers of off white head. Good retention.

Nose
Pine, lemon zest and light notes of roasted barley.

Taste
Pine needles, lemon zest and notes of Fruity Pebbles. There’s some roasted barley in there if you look for it. :/

Mouthfeel
Light-medium bodied, water and bitter.

Overall
This is too hoppy for a porter. The maltiness is also very thin. WTF Troegs?!

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 16:46:40 | More by justintcoons

MikeCactusGordon

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

If I was wearing a blindfold, I'd tell you this was a pretty decent Black IPA. If you're looking for a traditional porter this is not for you. I was able to enjoy this beer because of my addiction to hops. I like the attempted risk. I would drink again but wouldn't go out of my way.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 13:57:50 | More by MikeCactusGordon

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - dark chocolatey brown color with minimal tan foam. Fizzles out quickly but leaves tons of spotty lacing against the glass.

S - a surprising yet pleasant aroma. A very chocolaty and roasty base illiciting notes of melty milk chocolate, black french roast coffee and dark chocolate shavings. There are also earthy notes such as leafy greens and pine needles and just a slight hint of citrus fruit.

T - very roasty up front. Hints of chocolate meld with the coffee notes creating a sort of mocha flavor. Notes of bitter orange peel and pine mix well with the roasty coffee grind flavors on the mid and back palate. The grinds and citrus rind flavors linger long after the finish.

M - creamy milky texture. Medium bodied. High bubbly carbonation.

O - the expert use of american hops without going overboard leads to the complex depth of flavors. An excellent american porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 03:09:35 | More by Teleweizen2

oline73

Maryland

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: The beer pours a dark brown color with some light turning the beer red at the edges. There is a quarter finger of light tan head that goes away completely and rather quickly.

Smell: Some roasted malt with an underlying dark fruit sweetness. I'm getting hints of molasses and dark chocolate. There is a very mild hop note underneath the other smells.

Taste: This isn't a particularly sweet porter. Lots of roasted malt yields some bitterness throughout the sip. There are some mildly sweet malty, dark fruit notes underneath. In the finish I'm getting some more roast along with a slight hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with smooth, tingly carbonation and a very dry finish.

Overall: This is a fairly average porter. I would have liked some more malt to balance out the bitterness. Still not bad, but there are better porters out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 02:13:06 | More by oline73

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours an opaque clear very dark amber to dark brown (almost black) in color with light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a two finger tall dense dark beige head that slowly reduces to a quarter finger tall dense layer covering the entire surface of the beer evenly. Significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of roasted malts with a moderate to strong smell of pine/resin hops - this is quite interesting to smell a hopped porter.

T: The beer starts out with moderate to strong flavors of roasted malts and finishes with the light pine/resin hop flavors and a moderate amount of lingering bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Crisp with some light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: Seems like a hybrid between the styles of a porter and a black IPA and a quite successful one at that - it appeals to my enjoyment of dark roasted flavors and hop aromas/flavors. Very easy to drink and a beer that I could definitely enjoy again.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 01:45:23 | More by dbrauneis

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-hazy brown color with a light tan head and some lacing

S-roasted malt, coffee, pine, slight herbal notes

T-roasted malt, chocolate , coffee, pine, nice bitter hoppy finish

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, smooth

O-decent flavors and a fairly good porter

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 01:49:00 | More by MDDMD

Duff27

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thin light beige head that doesn't stick around long, collar and cap left throughout. Base is dark brown.

Coffee aroma, roast.

Very nice roastiness. Hop presence is pronounced for a porter. Omnom.

Medium mouthfeel, biting carbonation.

Packs the flavor for a lower abv porter, almost sessionable. Thanks for this MaxSpang!

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2012 00:47:56 | More by Duff27

yorlummass

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This is a darker beer with a full flavor. It follows the Troegs' philosophy flawlessly using their mixture of strong beer and interesting bottle art to create a truly unique beer experience. It is not for the light of taste, however, so anyone who is not a regular beer drinker will have a difficult time swallowing this dark and powerful mixture of brew. But, for those who are fans of the darker brew, especially if they are fans of the Troegs' style of beer making, this beer will both satisfy and amaze.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 11:55:13 | More by yorlummass

metter98

New York

4.13/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is hazy very dark brownish amber in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger and a half high dense beige head that has excellent retention properties and left heaving lacing down the sides of the glass and a thin head covering the surface.
S: From the initial sniff, this beer has the unmistakable aroma of a well-hopped American Porter. The Chinook hops really stand out in particular and contribute the smell of pine resin in the nose.
T: As in the smell, the hops are apparent with flavors of pine resin and a light to moderate amount of bitterness. There are also notes of roasted malts.
M: It feels medium-bodied and crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. Some notes of dryness are present in the finish.
O: This is a great porter that can really stimulate your nostrils and taste buds, yet despite all of the flavors it remains rather easy to drink. This seems like a beer that would appeal to hopheads—especially those who enjoy Black IPAs.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 03:08:59 | More by metter98

snegopady

New Jersey

2.08/5  rDev -45.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

I feel bad because I'm realizing that I only seem to review beers when I don't like them, and Troegs is one of my favorite regional breweries, but ... but I just do not like this beer. It is like a parody of a porter. I just don't get this sudden movement to add ridiculous, Xtreme amounts of hops to any and every style of beer, to the point that the style is completely drowned out. Close your eyes and taste this and you will say "IPA" every time. So why bother? There is no porter left here. Will not buy again.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 00:14:46 | More by snegopady

cucuilin

4.15/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

As a porter I was expecting it to be more porter (chocolate/roasted grainy taste) than hops. This one seemed a lot more IPA than porter. It was enjoyable and smooth to drink, I was just taken off-guard.

I bought it as part of a Mixed 6-pack, and I would drink more. It will be on my "Get Again" list.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 23:12:17 | More by cucuilin