Tröegs Dead Reckoning Porter - Tröegs Brewing Company

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on cask last night at Al's of Hampden. Served cask temp in a Nonic.

A practically black shade of dark brown with slight crimson accent at the base w/ a sandstone cap which settles to a ring of small beads. The lacing clings moderately well. The smell is hoppy, wait...is this a porter(closing my eyes - no, this is an IPA!)the smell of piney hops like a Cascadian black ale w/ slight grapefruit accent of Columbus, with a rind-like citrus element. The feel has bitterness of malt and hops w/ light sweetness and subtle grainy texture w/ gentle cask carbonation and medium body w/ semi-dry finish.

The flavor is big on hops -This is a black IPA, I don't care what anyone says. The cascadian black flavor is great with citrus rind, pine and light astringency from the hops w/ a gentle dark malt flavor which gives a light molasses and subtle caramel tinge to the hoppy goodness. The wood notes come out more from malt and light bitter cocoa when warmer w/ a delightful floral compliment of Columbus which lingers in a residual palate coating way. I enjoyed the taste and smell of this most, the drinkability is high, but porter fans beware you will not be experiencing a cask porter. A confused beer, a beer that tastes great is hoppy and is black -Cascadian Dark Ale w/ great drinkabiity- Cheers Troegs!

Serving type: cask

10-06-2010 16:52:32 | More by Slatetank

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

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

On one of the handpulls at Al's of Hampden on 9/23/10.

A - Deep walnut brown liquid with burgundy highlights around the edges and two fingers of slightly gritty tan foam on top that reduced to a quarter inch crown and retained well, leaving some strands of lace around the glass.

S - Dry, leafy and earthy notes abound. The hop character is definitely kicked up a notch (or two) from the standard version. A mild coffee character also develops midway, accompanied by woody notes and a hint of chocolate, both of which create a kind of cocoa tan bark aroma.

T - Wow! Yeah... definitely hopper than the standard version if you can imagine! Dead Reckoning is one of the hoppiest porters I've had, and this dry hopped cask version goes even further. The coffee attributes work nicely with the fairly sharp leafy and earthy tones imparted by the aggressive hopping. A subtle vanilla sweetness creeps into the mix, but ultimately this finishes with a flavor long on hop bitterness.

M - Silky smooth, warm and sticky with a light hoppy bristle. Finishes with lots of hop bite on the palate, almost like a dark IPA or India Brown.

D - How do you make Dead Reckoning even tastier? Add copious amounts of Columbus hops and throw it in a firkin. This is a delicious porter all around and boasts a wonderful hop character that works well with the coffee and dark malts. Hey you Central PA BA's... head over to Al's and get some!

Serving type: cask

09-24-2010 14:22:10 | More by ffejherb

biophiliadude

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cask Conditioned - would've added it as a separate beer but i need to review a few more before i'm allowed to do so. Into a pint glass.

A: Dark black at the bottom of the glass to dark brown to 3/4 inch of white head that quickly turned tan.

S: Chocolate

T: Coco followed by hoppy bite. Served at cask temperatures really brought out the final bitterness, which went perfect with my meal.

M: smooth, bitter end.

D: Could easily have a few of these, but too bitter on the end to be a night cap... of course leaving me wanting more isn't a bad thing. Recommend.

Serving type: cask

11-10-2009 00:56:33 | More by biophiliadude

Lolli1315

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Adark blackish color, not quite opaque with a light brown to white head. Great lacing on this beer.

S- Roasted malts come out quickly with signs of coffee lingering. Maybe a slight hint of chocolate, but nothing that jumps out at you. A little bit of a nutty smell seems to come out at the end as well. The alcohol is masked nicely with this beer.

T- Nice smooth beer with those roasted malts coming out nice and evenly through the whole drink. The coffee and chocolate tastes compliment the roasted malts, but are not as strong as you would fine in a RIS or American Stout. There is a little bitterness to this beer that creates a nice finish and leaves you wanting more.

M- A thick mouthfeel, but not quite chewy. Really is nice as it does not try to take on the feeling of a stout.

D- Taking a sip of this beer only leaves you wanting to pick the glass right back up. Easy to drink this beer and there is a good chance that you will want to have another.

Serving type: cask

10-14-2009 17:21:34 | More by Lolli1315

BeerSox

Virginia

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

16oz bottle into pint glass.

Pitch black, without any noticeable ruby highlights. The head was filled with thick bubbles, but lasted for a while. Light roasty aromas, with a little bit of cocoa. The flavor was loaded with roasty malts, a bit of coffee, and a slight amount of hop bitterness toward the end. Full bodied. There's a creamy overtone to the cask version that I don't recall in the bottled version. Recommended (cask or bottle).

Serving type: cask

09-20-2009 00:02:52 | More by BeerSox

treyrab

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had at Zeno's Dark Side day. Had it poured into a pint glass...

A: Very dark brown and clear with a small khaki head. Not as dark as expected, but decent for a porter.

S: Very chocolaty with a nice hop scent and caramel scent as well.

T: Very bitter chocolate with a very, very earthy hop finish. The hops really kick you in the teeth and are a bit out of line in this beer.

Overall, a pretty good porter that has an enormous hop presence.

Serving type: cask

10-05-2008 03:27:04 | More by treyrab

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

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

On cask at Frisco's the other day.

The beer pours the expected blackish brown color with fair head retention and lacing. The nose is fairly attractive, consisting of some sweet roasty malt, superimposed with some light coffee and noticeable licorise. The flavors on the palate completely replicate the nose, with the beer having a very dry finish after an initial blast of roasted male and licorise. The beer is a bit thinner on the palate then I would expect for a porter, but it's still pretty well made. The beer finishes well and is ultimately pretty drinkable (as one would expect given the abv.).

Have had this beer on several occasions with consistent results. I want to like this beer, but for some reason it just doesn't do much for me. It's still a decent porter, but as there are many other superior versions available these days, I probably will not order it again.

Serving type: cask

09-22-2008 12:47:49 | More by johnmichaelsen

StrangeBrewer76

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I'm a fan of the cask as most BAs are so I'll drink nearly anything from the pump but porters are not really my thing.

The color was less than opaque black which I thought somewhat unusual for the style but more like coffee. Depending on how much beer you were looking through it was either a watery brown or black.

The head was just off-white and small with little lacing.

It smelled of sweet malt like brewing with extract. Carmel syrupy and toasted grains in the background.

The taste was full flavored. The chocolate malt really came through as it got a bit warmer in the glass. Excellent choice for a cask. Hops are present here too but in a complimentary way, grassy, herbal.

In the mouth it was smooth and creamy like skim milk but with a way-better taste.

Overall a very fair porter. I would have two in a session from a cask but I doubt I would have it on tap when there are other choices

Serving type: cask

09-19-2008 18:26:44 | More by StrangeBrewer76

francisweizen

Australia

4.5/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Super fresh cask at sharp edge. I also sampled this one on draught at the brewery, but I preferred this cask sample, and so i'll enter this review from my notes into the db here. Anyway, this one is very dark cocoa, brown, nearly opaque with a wonderful cascading head of casky, wish-washy, tan foam. The beer settles into a beautiful looking pint and the head lasts well and leaves wonderful lacing for a cask offering. Aromas are all dark roasted malts, chocolate, toffee, and caramel with some nice green, dank hops as well. Upfront taste is roasty, bitter, and almost astringent with soem lactic properties creeping in as well. The alpha acids and resiny flavor of the hops really make this one come together nicely. Very hoppy and super roasty, this one is the best of both worls with a wonderful cask mouthfeel, which is medium bodied and well structured. Drinkability is amazing as well. The brothers are damn proud of this one, as they should be, a real stand-out from a brewery that seems to have several stand-outs! Superb.

Serving type: cask

07-29-2005 06:01:17 | More by francisweizen

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a pint glass, cask-conditioned, it pours a black color with some slight red tints throughout, not leaving any light through hardly. It leaves a 3/4" tan, milky, stoutish (Guinness) head that kinda suprised me...very smooth look to it!

Aroma is of sweet toffee malts with berries and floral hops, which tend to overpower much of the aroma suprisingly to me.

Taste is of sweet caramel malts and a "musky" taste, due to the mix of the hops and the malts maybe (?). Lots of hops beats my palete pretty hard. Some nuttiness comes through as well as rasberry chocolate maybe. Pretty complex IMO.

Feel is a bit of alcohol that hits the palete and a nice full-bodied brew, probably better suited for early spring than early summer. A heavy brew with some nice life to it! Great taste and wonderful too drink!

Serving type: cask

06-07-2005 00:42:58 | More by Fish113d

JackTheRipper

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on cask @ Fatheads in Pittsburgh.
A: Dark brown, some ruby highlights. Smallish head that dissipates all too quickly, but leaves behind some nice lacing.

S: Nice, if expected, mild coffee aromas. Malts in the nose could have been a bit bolder. Mild hop aroma.

T: Surprisingly hoppy! The higher level of hops plays well with the sweet porter taste. Solid malt base. Just a ton of hops here!.

M: Smooth and creamy and served at just the right temperature. Very low CO2. Alcoholic warmth seemed a bit higher than it should be. Very strong alcohol feel.

D&N: The hoppiest porter I've so far encountered. That's a very nice twist. The high alcohol feel could have been a bit less and this would have scored higher. Also, the body was a bit thin. Fix those things and the five's would be flying for this beer. Very nice and highly recommended.

Serving type: cask

06-02-2005 19:03:16 | More by JackTheRipper

weeare138

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On cask at the Drafint Room in Exton.
Appears a dark brownish black with a thick tan head and scattered lacing.
Smell is of huge whiffs of delicious, warm caramel malts.
Taste is creamy, light with definite crystal and caramel malts dominating the flavor.
The mouthfeel is slightly watery with a mildly sweet finish. Seems to be sweet up front with a slow linger towards the back of the tongue.

Finger licking good.

Serving type: cask

06-02-2005 18:51:48 | More by weeare138

ElGuapo

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Same deep dark brown as the tap version, but this one is topped in a huge bubble never-dying mass of tan foam that I have just grown to love out of the hand pump. Aroma has a lot of hops, floral and earthy. Roastiness gives way to the hops a bit more from the cask. Chocolate is still there, and it seems to be in the same quantity.

The silky smooth mouthfeel and nice rich body really provide a solid base for this beer. The more earthy flavor is also a good addition, and that combined with the added hoppiness really made me enjoy the cask more than the tap. This is an exceptional brew, and you should get a hold of it if at all possible.

Serving type: cask

11-06-2003 15:36:03 | More by ElGuapo

crookedhalo

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4.5

Chocolaty dark malt roastiness with a decent hop background to it. Rather thin body but good flavor. Out of this hand pump, a cappucino-like head that could be piled on this opaque dark brown colored porter. Drink up! I love real ales and this a pretty damn good one.

Serving type: cask

09-30-2003 07:21:00 | More by crookedhalo

beergeek279

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on cask at Fathead's. The color was black, with excellent head retention. The smell was very coffee-chocolate malt. The taste was a very rich malty flavor, with definite hints of coffee and chocolate in the taste. Mouthfeel was very smooth. Drinkability-wise, I could have many more of these!

I didn't know that this was a single batch beer...just wanted whatever they had on cask. I'm certainly glad that I did though, because I got to enjoy this beer. I have to agree with one of the previous reviewers that this hopefully will be released for year-round, and further compliment Troeg's already excellent lineup!

Serving type: cask

09-01-2003 03:52:03 | More by beergeek279

Jarod

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +17.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cask Conditioned – served at Market Cross Pub (Carlisle) at the perfect temperature.

This beer poured a dark chocolate brown/black color that no color passed through. The cream that it produced was thick, rich, heavenly and light cocoa powder colored and long lasting, till the end of the glass, matter of fact after the last sip there was still a small amount of foam on the bottom that I was trying to force up the glass into my mouth. It produced a thick and sticky lace on the sides of the glass either in sheet forms or clumps the whole way to the bottom. The aromas that came from the glass were big and rich dark coffee, cappuccino, cocoa powders, dark chocolates, roasted nuts and malts, hops (flowers) and some caramel. The flavors were a reflection of the aromas just more pronounced and creamier. Tastes of hops (flowers), dark fruits (hints), earth tones, dry ash, caramel, coffee, roasted malts and nuts, some sweet malt, cocoa and bitter chocolate. The after taste was a dominant chocolate cappuccino. This beer was medium to a light heavy body. Slightly dry but fully creamy and satisfying. Great combination of flavors and tastes, an experience for all the senses. Creamy, rich, seductive (sure, why not), well balanced and a all around fabulous beer. I can see this being made year round in a year or two (I hope).

Serving type: cask

08-17-2003 00:42:00 | More by Jarod

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