Snowdrift Vanilla Porter - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

jwc215

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From winter variety pack - best by April 01, 13:

Pours black with ruby highlights. A thick tan head leaves ample lacing.

The smell is of vanilla with black licorice. Not much roast comes through.

The taste is sweet - vanilla with black licorice candy. The is a dryness, and just a subtle hint of roast to balance some of the sweetness - enough to keep it from being too sweet or sticky.

It is on the fuller side of medium bodied. Very smooth.

The vanilla is a nice touch without dominating. It has a black licorice character to it that is more like the candy than like actual anise. An interesting brew. Alcohol is well-hidden. Sweet, dark, easy-to-drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 21:31:39 | More by jwc215

Bierwolf

Missouri

3.08/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

Appearance: Medium to dark brown; 1 finger of tan foam; translucent with some nice carbonation and light lacing.

Smell: A little malty with a trace of vanilla.

Taste: chocolate, vanilla, coffee.

Feel: Medium, smooth and creamy.

Overall: Not a bad beer but a little disappointing as porters go.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 17:56:56 | More by Bierwolf

BeerNutz324

Minnesota

3.39/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Thought I would give these a try cause they were on sale for $7.99/12 pack. 12 oz can into a pint glass.

Ap- pours dark brown in color with a slightly tan head that has decent retention. The beer is slightly see through. Looks a little thin.

Ar- definently has that porter smell...lots of vanilla, sweet roasty malts and even a hint of chocolate.

T- vanilla, sweet and slightly smokey. maybe a hint of caramel with the chocolate.

M- a little thin for a porter but kinda what I was expecting from Leinenkugels. Carbonation was spot on.

O- A damn decent brew. Nothing spectacular but I found it very drinkable with good flavor. Glad I gave these a whirl.

Serving type: can

02-23-2013 03:40:13 | More by BeerNutz324

Beerdrinker123456789

4.91/5  rDev +45.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Best beer I have had in a long time as good as yingling black and tan but with a vanilla hint and great price 7.99 to 8.99 I first tried it on tap and was very pleased from BWW bufflo wild wings after that I looked all over town to find it in the stores but only one place had it left end of season and man was it good on ice for one hour outside in the snow and went down nice and quick

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 01:02:22 | More by Beerdrinker123456789

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

"A perfect beer to celebrate the winter season. Complex malt character reveals layers of coffee and cocoa. Brewed with pride by the Leinenkugel Family since 1867." Brewed in the style of an American Porter brewed with Vanilla.

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to my Leinenkugel pint glass. Served north of 54º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a tannish brown crisp frothy head with average at best staying power. Body color is a deep brown with cherry red accents, mild spritely carbonation and high clarity despite the depth of the beer. Appearance isn't a real winner in this beer, it's a bit light and poor on head quality. 3

(Smell) Clean, crisp roasted grains, toasted caramel candy, mild hints of vanilla extract. Overall the sweetness and potency is relatively minute, although balance is slightly sweet, the overall flavor profile is mild. Not all that interesting, honestly, but it has a high accessibility going for it. 3.25

(Taste) Vanilla bean, roasted biscuity caramel malt, hints of toffee, some mild grain alcohol. Hop presence is mild, earthy and the yeast character is clean. At warmer temperatures this has actually quite the enjoyable flavor, a bit simple but drinkable and pronounced flavors, nothing concealed, everything to offer is out in the open. Mildly moist finish with a mild creamy caramel candy sweetness and a warm puff of smoke. A bit sweet in flavor but enjoyable overall. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) Creamy with a bit of mild airy carbonation in the back. Body is a little shy of medium for the style, light/medium overall. Alcohol presence is low, very well hidden despite some mild grain alcohol peeking through. Carbonation is nearly perfect, just a touch too busy in the wrong direction, substituting that airiness for a touch more cream would have perfected the texture and complimented the flavors better. 3.5

(Overall) Compared to last year's Leinenkugel abysmally bad winter seasonal (which shall forever remain nameless), Snowdrift Vanilla Porter is a step in the right direction. The vanilla is very forward in warmer temperatures and the flavors are sweet but not cloying for the style. Enjoyable but nothing groundbreaking. 3.25

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company's
Snowdrift Vanilla Porter
3.38/5.00

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 04:06:59 | More by Jadjunk

arizcards

Arizona

3.45/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Picked up as part of a mixed sixer from Fry's in late January for $8.99.

Beer poured cola brown with a nice tan head that has some great hang time.

Nose is pretty non descript even after an hour of sitting at room temperature. Hints of roasted malts and a bit of sweetness.

Taste is on the sweet side, some roasted malts with hints of chocolate and a whole lot of vanila. More hopping could have helped counter the sweetness.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and pretty smooth.

Overall this is not a bad beer, just a bit too sweet for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 23:12:13 | More by arizcards

maximum12

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Big pint glass full of this new Leine's brew with my dinner at the Apple Valley Tap House, because the world can always use another good vanilla porter, amiright?

The beer shows up & maybe it's the lighting, but this baby leans very close to being a deep, dark red rather than a livid brown. But whatever. Nose is gently sweet, vanilla, malts.

Snowdrift is one of those beers that just shows up. Solid vanilla that avoids the cloying or medicinal, backed up by a porter with some malt sweetness & bare roast. It's weakest point is that it's thin, closing in on watery. Low ABV doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the full monty in my mouth.

Pretty good beer, but one that is utterly forgettable. One & done for me.

Serving type: on-tap

02-17-2013 04:02:58 | More by maximum12

wingman14

Ohio

2.85/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Pours black with a mocha head that faded fast. Lots of bubbles around the glass, looks almost like a coke after the head fades. Smell is very faint, sweet, vanilla and roasted malt. Taste seems like it is trying to be a russian imperial stout, the alcohol comes through, but it isn't a very high ABV. Starts with almost an aluminum flavor (even though this was from a bottle), and kicks into an artificial vanilla, with some roasted malt, but middle and end are dominated by the alcohol flavor. The aftertaste has some roasted notes but the alcohol is still king of the palette. Mouthfeel is too harsh, with a medium light body. Overall the beer could have had a few minor changes to come out a decent porter. I would pass on this one, many other great porters out there.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 02:21:35 | More by wingman14

Durge

Connecticut

3.74/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Found on tap at the Embassy Suites hotel bar at Logan Airport in Boston this porter is dark black with mahogany edges and a very solid, uniform tan head with good lacing. The nose hit offers a distinctive charcoal malt with a delicate vanilla carmel sweetness. Not very strong but pleasant for sure. The flavor brings out a fizzy vanilla malt with a grassy edge that hints of charcoal and root beer. This seasonal offering is medium-light bodied with somewhat overactive carbonation while finishing with a somewhat chalky feel. A little weak in feel for the style but enjoyable as a sweet taste treat.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2013 05:59:07 | More by Durge

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into an Elysian snifter. Pours a very dark chestnut brown with a thin light brown head that dissipates slowly to a ring around the glass and light lacing. Pleasant aroma of chocolate, toasted malt and vanilla. Flavor follows, with sweet toasted malt, vanilla, nuts and a hint of chocolate. Similar to a nut brown ale. Light to medium bodied. Expecting a bit more body from a porter, but the flavors are nice, well integrated and pleasant tasting. A decent light bodied porter.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:59:22 | More by LiquidAmber

brewdude1982

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This wasa 12 oz bottle poured into a snifter.

This pours a dark brown/black with a slight head with tiny bubbles and low retention and almost no lacing. It smells a metallic with a little hint of vanilla and booze. It has a very pleasant taste that is well balanced. The body is a little thin but then again it is a porter and not a stout so with that said it is pretty good with good carbonation. I prefer breckinridge vanilla porter over this but it is still a good beer. I found it at $12.99 a 12 pack and I feel that it is a great deal for the quality of beer that it is.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 22:30:14 | More by brewdude1982

ronniebruner

Arizona

3.61/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

First things first, you will receive an aroma of sweet and earthy grains. This may be due to the vanilla flavoring or something else that I could not infer. The beer is a lighter than expected coloring, has minimal lacing, a nice taste, and a smooth finish. This is a great beer you will enjoy during a barbeque of outdoors gathering. A very worthy effort from Leinenkugel's.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 04:13:18 | More by ronniebruner

palma

New York

4.28/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

This beer is underrated. Reviewers will bash it because it is from Leinenkugel (owned by miller) and because it has the word vanilla in the name.

This beer has a great roasted taste with just enough vanilla. Extremely smooth and easy to drink. Light to medium bodied which is what I really enjoy. There is no reason for this beer to be a charcoal dry, high gravity bomb. But thats what people want to see in order to give a good review. Shouldnt review like that. You should be reviewing it for what it is - a mild american porter with vanilla added. In that case, this is an excellent example.

Nice job miller

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2013 21:46:56 | More by palma

civilizedpsycho

Michigan

3.66/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured bottle into pint glass.

Appearance: I love how this beer looks. It's black with a fluffy tan-colored head. Looks very appetizing.

Smell: A bit of a vanilla smell, but not overwhelming. The classic roasted malt aroma tends to dominate.

Taste: Has a nice vanilla flavor to compliment to coffee flavors of the porter. Very smooth.

Mouthfeel: Has a really nice full body with hints of the carbonation on the tongue.

Overall: By the time I reached the second one, the vanilla was getting to me a little bit. For me, this is one of those beers where you drink one, then move onto something different. In other words, good in moderation.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 21:50:25 | More by civilizedpsycho

scaliasux

Wisconsin

2.48/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Appearance - Dark cola brown. Appears clear. Medium tall tan head with good retention.

Smell - Dark malt. Only moderately strong chocolate, coffee, raisin. Maybe a hint of vanilla, but maybe I'm just being suggestible.

Taste - Seems pretty light for style. A burnt chocolate dominates. Some pretty prominent sweet vanilla.

Mouthfeel - Light-medium. Dry.

Overall - Sounds like a better idea than it tastes.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 05:19:07 | More by scaliasux

cyclonece09

Virginia

3.23/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 14 oz "pint" glass. Pours a nice black with a finger and a half of light brown head that dissipates quickly but leaves a little lacing. Smell is dominated by coffee but it masks pretty much everything else. Tastes of coffee and vanilla, but very watery. Beer is light bodied and heavily carbonated, but quite drinkable. Overall, an average beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 18:56:49 | More by cyclonece09

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.48/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from can into a pint glass

Appearance – Pours a deep brown color with a ruby red hue seen shinning through when held up to the light. Upon pouring there is a two finger cream colored head. Over a moderate amount of time the head fades to leave a great amount of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is heaviest of sweet caramel and vanilla. Mixed with these smells are some lighter aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, and some nut.

Taste – The flavor begins with roasted malt and some caramel sweetness. Upfront there is a rather strong vanilla flavor which lasts throughout much of the taste. Flavors of cocoa soon some to the tongue creating a semi-sweet chocolate flavor when combined with the sweet caramel and vanilla flavors. The sweet caramel fades some however toward the end with a coffee flavor becoming more pronounced. In the end a lightly sweetened chocolate vanilla flavored coffee taste is left to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is a little on the thinner side with respects to creaminess with the carbonation being on the slightly lower side as well. While the lower carbonation level was very fitting for the porter style and matched the chocolate, coffee and vanilla flavors well, a thicker body would have given the beer a better mouth-coating feel.

Overall – A fairly easier drinking porter. While possibly a bit heavy on the vanilla, the beer has a pretty nice sweet, but not too sweet flavor.

Serving type: can

02-02-2013 01:40:47 | More by Darkmagus82

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

3.1/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

The first impression I get from this beer is that it is a little thin and watery for a porter.
It pours a nice brown color, it has some ruby red high lights when held up to a bright light.

It smells like instant hot chocloate mix.

It is not overly sweet, Mild chocolate, vanilla and wood flavors come through.

It sure is an easy drinking beer, but it is lacking something and left me unsatisfied craving a better crafted porter or stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 04:58:07 | More by JohnFatAss

mralphabet

Virginia

2.9/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Poured a brown with reddish highlights with a finger worth of head that dissipates very quickly down to nothing with no lacing to speak of.

S: I'm getting hints of vanilla, coffee and a little chocolate.

T: Little more watered down than the smell would suggest... Pretty light up front with vanilla and chocolate malt coming in mid-palette. Finish is a little bitter and warm with a hint of vanilla floating around.

M: Lighter than I was expecting from the style.... pretty wet with very light carbonation. Not impressed.

O: Sadly a pretty weak porter, I was expecting a little more here. Not quite up to the Leine's I'm used too.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 22:03:40 | More by mralphabet

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.29/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

A: Burgundy-cola pour is a steady black in the vessel with a low profile tawny skim head that dissipates almost immediately. Aside from the color there was little to be impressed here.

S: The nose brought forth some vanilla laced chocolate of low to medium intentions, sweet with a touch of dark cherry fruitiness. not bad and definitely getting better.

T: The flavor was sweet chocolate, with a bit of cherry fruitiness. Vanilla is nicely represented but not in your face, subtle but charming providing a nice compliment to the chocolate base. Smooth dark malt bitterness is played and balanced well against the sweet chocolate nature of the drink.

M: Decent chocolate malting in the mouthful, the carbonation is slight, smooth bitterness on the tongue.

O: Overall im not usually a fan of this brewery, this is certainly one of the better experiences ive had from them. Very smooth and easy drinking vanilla porter that feels highly sessionable despite its reported 6.9% alcohol. An easy one to throw back.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 01:51:09 | More by beerthulhu

wac9

Pennsylvania

2.28/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

nothing good to say here as i was told its a water down version of ___ just because it it has vanilla doesnt make it drinkable everybody yearns for winter bourbon cask ale and no beer can ever compare to that so grab this beer if you like vanilla it packs no punch and lacks the color of porter

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 02:03:51 | More by wac9

Redrover

Illinois

3.54/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

I have had this on tap and in bottles. Poured into a pint, the beer is a very dark brown with a decent beige head.

Nose of roasted grains and vanilla. Note that at least for me, the vanillas is not over powering and actually smells inviting.

Vanilla is evident but restrained. The base beer adds some nice roasted malt and a bit of dark fruit. I would like everything turned up one more notch, but this is an approachable beer. It is a good beer to use for introducing folks to more complex beer.

I wish the mouth was a bit thicker. This is a big improvement over their old winter seasonal and I will have no problem reaching for one on the occasional basis.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 21:31:55 | More by Redrover

Naters333

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

A-Pours almost a dark brown color with a nice 1 1/2 inch off white/khaki head that recedes quickly. I usually picture my porters much darker that this is. Looks to have not bad carbonation.

S- sweet, vanilla.

T- Vanilla, sweet, coke a cola

M-Thin, underwhelming for a porter.

O- I'm not a huge fan of vanilla beers, but this vanilla is not too terrible. For a porter this misses the mark. If you were to say thick vanilla lager, that's almost what I think of with this beer. Not the greatest in the world, but not the worst. Probably will not try again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 07:30:43 | More by Naters333

Artz

4.66/5  rDev +37.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

No head, deep, clear amber in color, very inviting. A flavored coffee with cream (which I love) aroma.
It has a rich, savory taste and strong coffee sort of hickory-vanilla smokey after taste. Has a slightly carbonated feeling in the mouth, smokey, smooth, with lots of body. Well bodied, taste keeps improving as the beer warms in the glass.

Tastes best from a rounded beer 'glass'.

I hope this beer is not going to be seasonal. It will be very missed if that is the case!

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 01:53:13 | More by Artz

DragonzBreath

Michigan

3.96/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Leinenkugel Snowdrift vanilla porter,A beer from Leinenkugel Brewery. Seasonal.. This pours great, nice thick tan head. Carmela fills your mouth, then the vanilla sets in with a rich sweet finish of creamy goodness 6.0 abv (LIKE) This is our winter go to brew..buy the case.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 16:34:54 | More by DragonzBreath