Tröegs Dead Reckoning Porter - Tröegs Brewing Company

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Top Hops and poured into an O'Hara's pint glass.

Dead Reckoning Porter pours a deep brown, lightening noticeably to amber along the outer edge of the glass. A finger of wispy light tan foam sits atop the beer, sticking around for a quick minute before leaving a nice amount of lacing caked to the inner wall of the glass. The nose is based around some nice mild chocolaty and nutty aromas, but there's a definite citrus background note. The balance in the flavor profile is shifted a little bit more towards the hops. The malt comes across as more straight ahead chocolate/roast and less nutty, and it's all followed by a bitterness that catches me off guard for the first sip or two. The finish is decidedly grapefruit, displaying a hand for hops that was just a hair too heavy for my taste. The body has just a little bit of a chewy aspect to it, perfect for a low ABV malty beer, and carbonation is just lively enough to let you know it's there. I enjoyed Dead Reckoning, but it was trending a little bit too much towards a black IPA for me to consider it a truly great porter.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2012 22:25:34 | More by axeman9182

circus_cat

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Decent but kind of surprised this is considered a porter and not a black IPA. It basically tastes like a piney, floral IPA except a little more malty, full-bodied, and black rather than amber. The bitterness lingers in a decent way, kind of leaving hints of smoke and coffee.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2012 01:01:49 | More by circus_cat

jmunsters

Michigan

4.45/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served on draft at the B Spot in Westlake, OH
A - Deep brown with a slight amber hue. Two and a half fingers head that dissipated slowly and heavy lacing.
S - Roast malts. Heavy sweet hops?
T - Very hop forward. Nice sweet malts. Not a typical porter.
M - Smooth and creamy. Actually asked if it was on nitro (wasn't)
O - My first thing from Troegs. Very impressed. If you're looking for a Baltic or heavy malted and smoked porter you won't be happy though. Awesome autumn brew.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2012 21:15:22 | More by jmunsters

claspada

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a dark brown chocolate color with a semi-frothy khaki tan head that leaves a decent amount of lacing on the glass as it recedes

Aromas begin with a faint amount of dark roasted maltiness but the hoppiness asserts itself and makes it hard to grasp the malt backbone. As it warms you get more of the dark chocolate and pine needles as well as some cold black coffee in the background.

The tastes begin with a rather fruity, hoppy flavor that is joined by the roasty chocolate elements. As it warms the the bitterness increases and coupled with the dark roasted grains leaves a fairly acrid flavor

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Finish is dry roasted bitter and hoppy.

Overall this beer is just not my cup of tea. Dark roasted malts and big hop profile just create an overall bitter, acrid flavor profile. This could easily be categorized as a black IPA because of the intense hop presence. Good for some, not for me.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2012 15:20:20 | More by claspada

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

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

Had at TJ Smith's the other night.
has a deep almost stoudt black look about itself with a small but dense mocha head. The dense lasted throughout with plenty of lacing.
Aroma I think is the weak point, it was very sutle and light with just a roasted malt bill. It lacks depth. Taste was good, a good porter but again lack of depth. It has a nice robust and rich malt bill. It has a faily smooth feel and a semi dry and semi bitter finish.
A simple easy drinking porter that is pretty good.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 12:29:43 | More by micromaniac129

JizackFH

New York

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

Had on-tap at Sunswick 35/35 on 10/28/11 in Astoria, NY.
Review taken from notes.

This beer pours a dark brown color. It has a finger of tan head resting on top. The head has good retention, and it leaves a nice sheet of lace behind on the glass. The nose has a nice bit of roasted malt in the forefront. There are some nice aromas of coffee, chocolate, toffee, and a bit of hop presence. The taste starts off with Roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee. There are also some flavors of toffee, caramel, and a bit of hops. The finish leaves some lingering roasted malt and hop bitterness lingering on the palate. The body of this is on the heavier side of medium, and it has pretty good carbonation. It goes down easy and has a nice rich smooth feel to it. There is some roasted bitterness, as well as a little bit of hop bitterness. There is some chocolatey sweetness that comes through as well. Also, there is a bit of dryness to it. Some roasted malt and sweetness lingers on the palate. This has good drinkability. I could easily have a few glasses of this. The taste is really nice, and it has a nice feel to it. Overall, I think this is a solid porter and a solid all around beer. I really enjoyed it, and I recommend trying it out.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2011 08:46:59 | More by JizackFH

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured on-tap and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is a deep, dark, amber-highlighted, black-brown coloring with a thin, tight bubbled, foamy, light tan head that settles into a slick film. The nose is effervescent, with light character overall, and little bits of nut and coffee are discernable. The beer's flavor is rich, with dark chocolate and black strap molasses sweetness, and a hazelnut-coffee bitterness to blend and clean up. The aftertaste is slightly bitter and cloying, with a rich chocolate and dark fruit sweetness. The finish is cloying, as well, with a good linger. The beer has a light and smooth body, but carries an awesome cling.

Serving type: on-tap

11-13-2011 06:36:57 | More by GarthDanielson

lovindahops

New York

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

another troegs brew that I have not had. Let's see how these two make a porter

A- cocoa body with brown lacing splashing around the glass. Looks hearty as we approach fall.

s- good coffee and chocolate scent that is tipped off some roasted malt scent. A little dark fruit even

t- all the flavors of the scent profile are on display to combine into a good porter taste. slight earthy flavors cameo in the tasting as well as that sweet dark fruit at the end

m- medium body

o- a good seasonal porter that keeps me interested. There is no doubt a sixer will make its way around these parts

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2011 17:20:46 | More by lovindahops

garuda

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Deep ruby, tan head, good retention and lacing.

S - Nice roasted malt and dark chocolate character.

T - Follows the nose, but finishes with a bit of a hop bite and lingering leafy, pine bitterness, which doesn't work so well for me in a porter.

M - Medium body, low carbonation, pretty smooth across the palate, but finishes with a hop bitterness which is a little out of character.

O - Its a decent beer, but he hops just seemed a little out of place and didn't really meld all that well with the malts.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2011 23:39:29 | More by garuda

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

on tap at good dog in philly

Pours an opaque wooden brown color with a beige head resting on top. A filmy cloud of retention rests on top with some spotty lacing on the glass.

Nutty malt and hints of caramel in the nose. Roasted tones with some sweetness and faint hops.

Light hop notes up front with some malt complexities. Roasted and layered with nuts and caramel. Some sweetness and leafy notes. Finishes a bit dry and crisp.

Medium body, decent carbonation, tingly and chewy on the tongue. A pretty solid porter, but not necessarily something I'd run out and buy again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-30-2011 06:26:41 | More by xnicknj

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at TJ's, Paoli, PA

Poured into a nonic, a solid black color with a huge puff of tan head that the bartender had to let settle before finishing the pour. Nice aroma, basic porter nose, dark malts, roastiness, hints of chocolate and light coffee. Taste followed the aroma, roasty, dark malts, implied chocolate and coffee notes, neither were too potent. Tasted and felt a little bit thin, but still acceptable. No real complaints. Smooth, medium body, and quite drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-18-2011 00:03:08 | More by Rifugium

Demer

New Jersey

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

Served on-tap at Shepard and Knucklehead

A. Poured dark brown almost black. The 1 finger mocha head dissipated rather quickly but a ring remained.

S. I immediately pick up the roasted malts, chocolate, coffee and hops.

T/M. A medium body. Tastes are hops and roasted malts, some coffee/ espresso. The finish is dark bitter chocolate. A little more hoppier than I like my porters usually but it was still very pleasant.

O. A very solid beer from Troegs. I tend to like my porters on the maltier side but still enjoyed it. It probably wouldn't be my first pick on a draft list but it was still pretty enjoyable. I just tend to like my porters to go in the opposite direction. Overall a very solid drinkable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-27-2011 23:57:49 | More by Demer

orangesol

Pennsylvania

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

Served on-tap in the Tröegs tasting room

A - Pours dark brown, bordering on black, with a small half finger tall off-white head leaving streaky lacing down the glass.

S - Smells of dark roasted malt, chocolate, cream, and lots of hops. Good balance of dark roast and hops. This has to be one of the hoppiest porters out there.

T - Starts off with lots of dark roasted malt quickly giving way to a mix of light chocolate sweetness and lots of citric hops. The roast and hops are very well balanced. The finish is a mix of dark roast and hop bitterness, lingering for some time.

M - Medium-Heavy body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Roasty, hoppy, feel that lingers on the pallet for some time after the finish.

O - I have always liked this one. It has good balance of flavors and is quite easy to drink. It is nothing mind blowing but it doesn't have to be. Another solid offering from Tröegs.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2011 19:07:31 | More by orangesol

JayS2629

Alabama

2.9/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

On tap from the brewery.

A- Dark rich brown with a tan head and sticky lacing.

S- Faint sweet barley, hints of coffee, chocolate and citrus hops. Grapefruit?

T- Unsweetened cocoa in the background, roasted coffee forward, earthy tones, brown sugar, smoke and hops. This is very off. It is a porter for hops lovers. For a porter something went wrong. Its like hops wrapped in coffee. Bitter finish like asprin going down the back of my throat. Complex front end with nasty after taste.

M- Too much hops for this style. Not well balanced. Medium body. Kind of watery.

D- Its ok, but too hoppy for a porter. Its a bitter pill to swallow, but several other qualities made it a redeemable sipper.

M- Medium, silky and milky.

D- Good porter. Very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 03:11:16 | More by JayS2629

Durge

Connecticut

3.65/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Found at The Girl Next Door in Haverhill, MA, this porter is a deep dark, black color with some rosy highlights. The head is a sparse light tan cover that disperses quickly with fair lacing. The aroma is a meager malt/citrus hop hint. The flavor delivers a tart leafy/citrus hop over a shallow charcoal malt. It's a little thin with very fine carbonation. Mouthfeel is tingly with a slightly silky but dry touch. The flavor is a little slim which seems counter to my previous experience from the bottle, but it's still pretty good with its hop tones over a classic porter flavor. I get some melon brightness as well. It's medium-light bodied and easy drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

11-09-2010 05:16:46 | More by Durge

JunkYardJake

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at the Cork and Cap in Lancaster.
Served to me with a small tan head. Color is near black with some amber outlining. Nose is of roasted grain, cocoa and a some citrus that reminds me of some of Troegs' hoppier offerings. Taste is wonderfully balanced. A bitter hop bite cuts the sweet malts perfectly. Dark chocolate, roasted malts and a moderate earthy hop profile make up the palate. Mouthfeel is velvety and fluid. Drinkability is high due to the balanced palate and is quite sessionable, coming in at a friendly 5.4% abv. A new favorite of mine from one of my favorite breweries.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2010 00:55:48 | More by JunkYardJake

SkunkWorks

New York

4.08/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap October 8, 2010 at the Lark in East Northport, NY. Served in a pint glass.

Look: dark brown with a brown colored head. There's a lot of brown lace on this one.

Smell: a little roasted malt but generally underwhelming in the aroma department. I couldn't really detect very much.

Taste: much more powerful than the nose would suggest! There's a little more hops than I am used to in porters, with roasted malts and chocolate as well.

Feel: medium bodied leaning a little towards light. Not much bitterness.

Drink: high. This is a good session beer.

Overall, a good beer and definitely worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2010 15:27:49 | More by SkunkWorks

Chickenhawk9932

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark as night with a brown head.

In the nose was a sour malt with sweet caramel.

Taste was smoothe with a caramel richness balanced by a bitter piney hop taste. A very hoppy porter. A Good beer with a nice mouthfeel. It is a drinkable porter with appeal to those who prefer lighter and hoppier brews without compromising the porter quality.

Serving type: on-tap

10-09-2010 05:06:34 | More by Chickenhawk9932

Spider889

Ohio

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Had on tap at Mad Mex in Columbus.

Nice dark porter, not much head, but left an excellent blanket of lace.

Smells of sweet chocolate malts.

Very malty, but also extremely hoppy for a porter. In a blind tasting I could potentially confuse this for a malty black IPA.

Medium body and decent carbonation.

Not bad considering I dislike the average porter, but, I do prefer my porters to be more malty than hoppy... this one was the reverse.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2010 06:01:50 | More by Spider889

mmercede

Pennsylvania

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

On-tap from whole foods, plymouth meeting poured into a pint glass

appearance: dark brown/black with little transparency

Smell: dark malts, raisins, caramel, dark chocolate, boozy. very similar to a lighter barleywine

Taste: very nicely balanced. The base reminds me of an english brown ale with extra caramel and chocolate malts. The boozy smell is not reflected in the taste. Very little bitterness with no apparent hopping.

Mouthfeel: This beer is deceptively light and carbonated for a porter. Although initially very carbonated, it settles and goes down smooth.

Drinkability: This beer is nothing special, but very drinkable. A great interpretation as usual from the guys at Troegs. I would definitely like to have another sometime.

Serving type: on-tap

09-21-2010 23:50:59 | More by mmercede

jrallen34

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Bodega into a pint glass...Pours dark brown with really nice retention and lacing...The aroma is perfect, reminds me of a what I would think would be a good English porter, or maybe what Guinness would taske like in Dublin. Light chocolate, a hint of smokiness, super easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-17-2010 23:17:22 | More by jrallen34

Katahdin

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

pours rich and dark as you would expect of a porter. The surprise comes in the initial taste. Full blown hoppiness much like a Double IPA masquerading as a porter. Yet after a bit of a struggle the taste and texture settled down into the smooth creaminess of a porter. If you are like me and like porters but don't like IPA's then stay away, there are a lot better porters out there even though this finishes nice.

Serving type: on-tap

02-02-2010 20:06:10 | More by Katahdin

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

Had this on tap back in September at Horseshoe pub in Hudson, MA, but forgot to log it here. Went over my notes and saw it there.

A: Very dark brown color with a small amount of light streaming through. Light head disappears quicky.

N: Some roasted malts and some bright hops. Touch of coffee and toffee.

T: Taste has quite a bit of roasted malts and coffee with some chalky chocolate powder and slight creamy flavor. Slightly spicy hops bitter it a bit.

M: Pretty thin on the mouth surprisingly for the style, but has quite a bit of carbonation.

F: Slightly spicy with earthy roasted finish and bitter hop bite. Semi sweet with almost a sour fruit hidden behind everything else.

Serving type: on-tap

11-23-2009 15:18:27 | More by jlindros

mkb218

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

16oz shaker glass from a tap, accompanied by a plate of chorizo, 2 cheeses, and toast.

A: Opaque dark brown, not much of a head, which is fine by me.

S: Burnt coffee, roasted barley, not a whole lot of hop aroma.

T: Bitter, burnt, strong, all in a good way! Subtle hops on the tail end.

M: Big body, but not syrupy.

D: Tasted a bit like there was some scorched malt in there. I don't think I could drink this one all night.

Serving type: on-tap

11-07-2009 19:27:45 | More by mkb218

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

About as fresh as fresh can be....the 2009 batch of DR Porter on tap at the brewery, 2 day old keg.

A-Deep, dark, clear brown tinted copper with a thick tan head. Head retained nicely and left decent lace.

S-Roasted malt, a touch of coffee and light dark chocolate malt. With a bit of warming citrus/lemon hop zing penetrates the roast.

T-Bitter dark roasted malt upfront with a nice pop of bitter dark chocolate. Earthy/lemon citrus hop zing comes in afterwards and nicely accentuates the roast.

M-Medium bodied, sharp and rather crisp for a porter. Nice lingering roast/hop bitterness.

D-Like a cross between a porter and a straight IPA. Certainly the hoppiest porter I have had but...it all works and works well. A tasty fall treat I look forward to each and every year!

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2009 21:31:50 | More by Deuane