Who's Your Daddy? Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Porter - Tyranena Brewing Company

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.08/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Darkest mahogany with a glimmer of crimson along the bottom edge of the glass. The double fudge mocha cap was three fingers after the pour and doesn't look interested in giving any digits back. It's heavily creamy and is sticky enough to sink in the middle before sinking at the edges. No letdown when it comes to lace either. Who's Your Daddy belongs in the Who's Who of porter appearances.

Fantastic aroma that is some kind of complex and is different enough to impress to an even greater degree. I don't drink coffee, but I've often considered starting when I smell some of those flavored ground beans in the supermarket. That's what this beer smells like. I can appreciate chocolate fudge, java, vanilla, hazelnuts and coconut oil. I love it.

WYDBBAIP is surprisingly sweet. The big blast of rich flavor was expected, but the candyish sweetness wasn't. Since I have a soft spot for well-brewed sweet beer, I don't mind a bit. One at a time will be plenty though. After multiple mouthfuls, I'm not sure if it works quite as well on the palate; it tastes like the brewers were trying too hard and included too much instead of focusing on a few key flavors.

The same flavors are present of the palate as were present in the nose, with hazelnut syrup chief among them. I can't get over the impression that artificial flavorings were used in the brewing of this beer. Maybe not, but it's hard to believe that what greets my taste buds with each sip could be attained with malt, hops and yeast... bourbon barrels or no bourbon barrels.

Speaking of bourbon, whatever benefit might have been gained by aging the beer in charred oak casks was lost by adding whatever the hell they added to get this constellation of flavors. I'm feeling less good about things as the ounces disappear. It's still good beer and I'm glad I bought a 4-pack, but the whacked out flavors and the sweetness are beginning to wear on me. Vanilla extract? Coconut extract? Hazelnut extract?

The mouthfeel is lush and plush and all the things that I look for in big beer. It won't put a scare into a good stout, but for the style, there's nothing not to like. The heavily silky creaminess is accentuated by a welcome lack of bubbles. A definite highlight.

Who's Your Daddy is certainly wild beer and was a good choice to kick off the 'Brewers Gone Wild!' series. As noted above, however, it tries too hard and would be better served by concentrating on just a few flavors rather than by throwing everything but the kitchen sink against the wall and seeing what sticks. Age might help this little bastard grow up, although it's hard to see how age would really help. It'd be nice if he could find his daddy someday.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2006 15:50:34 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

hick black as night opaque oil color with a nice two inch head that ever so slowly faded and stayed at about a half inch until the bottom. Very nice thick lace down the sides, gooey and creamy, very nice look to it. Smell took a while to warm up, at first was strong alcohol and caramel sweetness. As it warmed some more subtle smells started to come through, hints at chocolate and coffee started to overtake, and the alcohol quickly faded, leaving a very nice overall aroma. The taste followed the smell with the caramel hitting first. Nice flavors of coffee followed, maybe even a hazelnut hint in there, well rounded. Some warming due to the alcohol, but it was welcomed and did not impact negatively at all. Very good fell on this one, not too thick, went down very smoothly. Great consistency on this, and good carbonation. This was an excellent porter, and I would not turn this down if it was offered.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 02:00:26 | More by mikesgroove

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a nearly opaque, near-black body with a thin, khaki-colored head.

Smell: An unmistakably bourbon-esque aroma, with full notes of vanilla, burnt toffee, brown sugar, and smoke.

Taste: Rich, velvety chocolate taste combined with vanilla beans and the smooth, subtle taste of bourbon. Lesser hints of coffee and anise. Finishes with a bit more bourbon and a light roastiness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, with a perfectly smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Low carbonation.

Drinkability: Its a treat to finally come across a beer that didn't allow the bourbon barrel-aging to totally crush the load-bearing malt flavors underneath.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2007 22:56:31 | More by ChainGangGuy

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Impentrable, iunky black, creamy, tossled tan head on top. Very nice.

Bourbon hits the nose at first. That mix of charcoal and molasses, sweet elixir mixed with heady booze. Some candyish qualities meld with woodiness, but little porteresque characteristics remain. Not complaining, though...

Let's taste, shall we...Bam, bam, bam! Thick chocolate meets blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, tar, anise, tree bark, ...what else? leather, maple sap...much deeper than the "caramel, toffee, vanilla, toasted oak, hazelnut" listed on the label...maybe I'm just tired of those words.

wow, this is a wicked mix on the tonque...these brewers really did go wild, didn't they?

Quite a treat this guy. Loved it, and highly reccomend it.

much thanks to the WankerWeasel.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2006 09:48:47 | More by feloniousmonk

Wasatch

Utah

4.38/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks BuckEyeNation for this brew.

Pours black in color like motor oil, not much carbonation, not much of a head either, nice islands and sticky lacing around the edge of the glass is left. The nose is of sweet malts, slight hops, vanilla, caramel, roasted nuts, and toffee. The taste is sweet, malty, nice touch of vanilla, some nice tones of caramel and toffee. There is a nice warming effect going on with a touch of bourbon, nice clean finish. Medium body. Very drinkable, at first sip the bourbon just took over, but that has gone away and a very tasty/sweet brew comes out. Highly recommend if you can get your hands on some.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2006 00:34:16 | More by Wasatch

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle obtained via trade with kmpitz2. Thanks for the opportunity...

Ok, so tipping the bottle onto my desk and keyboard wasn' the best start I've ever had, but anyways.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" dark brown head over the opaque dark brown/black brew. Head fades at a moderate pace, with average lacing, both of which are still impressive for a barrel-aged brew. Aroma is malt sweetness and vanilla and bourbon, very nice. Flavor is similar to the nose, dark grains upfront, with some vanilla in the middle, and bourbon coming on in the close, warming all the way down. For the style, and being barreled, mouthfeel and drinkability are excellent. To visit this one again? If could, would.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2006 03:10:51 | More by ppoitras

Zorro

California

3.75/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12 Oz bottle sampled through the efforts of dirtylou and The No BS BIF.

Pours an opaque black colored beer with a tan near light brown colored head.

Smell is slightly sweet and malty with a strong chocolate aroma and a lesser coffee scent. Not really fruity but lots of sugar scents and coconut.

Taste is Coconut, strong too from the first sip. VERY interesting strong coconut and vanilla flavors here that pretty much dominate everything else. Coconut flavored Kahlua sums up the taste of this beer perfectly, and I love coconuts. Fairly sweet beer too.

Mouthfeel is OK.

After a while the coconut flavor wears you down on this one. One glass is enough.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2006 03:43:59 | More by Zorro

kojevergas

California

4.14/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with stylish appealing orange label and branded pressure cap* served into a taster glass in me gaff in Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired from the very gracious Duff27 in a trade. Expectations are through the roof; a trusted friend told me this was amazing stuff. This is my first beer from Tyranena. "Imperial Porter aged in Bourbon Barrels." No ABV listed.

*Looking at the neck after I opened it, this might have been a screw-top. Whoops.

Served straight from the fridge. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Paired with Swiss chocolate.

A: Pours a lovely 1.5 finger rich tan colour head of great cream and thickness and very good retention (5+ minutes) for what I assume is a high ABV. Body colour is a dark solid cola-black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Opaque. I love the soft cream of the head. It's quite an appealing appearance all around. I can't wait to try it.

Sm: Vanilla forward - it comes off as actual vanilla bean, not some vanillicin flavour extract added or anything artificial like that. Chocolate. Oak. Bourbon. Caramel. The notes are subtle and evocative; there's a richness here. It's everything I look for in a bourbon barrel aged beer, yet a bit muted. Cream. Balanced and very appealing. No yeast character or alcohol comes through. Maybe light spice; anise perhaps? Some lovely buried roast. I don't get any coffee off the aroma per se. Hazelnut when I look for it (suggested on the label). Dark malts. I wish it were a bit stronger; it's a light to mild aroma. But it's near perfect for the style.

T: Wow. Lots of vanilla, but authentic vanilla as if from a bean. I like the vanilla notes here even better than those of Ballast Point's Victory At Sea. Milk chocolate, marshmallow. Rich and perfectly balanced. No alcohol or heat here. Any roast is well buried. I don't get any coffee. Light hazelnut. The oak isn't quite as prominent or toasty as I'd like, but it's there lending a guiding woody tone to the whole beer and giving it a clear focus. Caramel. Cocoa. Maybe a hint of fudge. Light light subtle fig - that's incredibly well done. Dark malts are seamlessly integrated here. It's subtly executed and well put together; maybe it's not as complex as other imperial porters and stouts, but damn is it well done. Bourbon barrel aging is masterfully done here; these guys know what they're doing.

I do get some warmth in the stomach as I drink, but I'd call it pleasant. There's zero alcohol or heat in the flavour profile itself.

Constructively, the sweetness is just a touch too high; this one flirts with dessert beer territory. I'd like to see them tone down the sweetness just a biteen.

Mf: Silky smooth. Wet. Not at all too heavy or burdening on the palate; it's surprisingly light. Feels custom-tailored to the flavour profile. Really impressive. Carbonation is perfect. Soft. It's got a good feel to it that encourages me to come back. Plenty of body too. Wow.

Dr: Insanely drinkable for what I assert is a high ABV. It executes the idea of a bourbon barrel aged imperial porter almost perfectly. I really love this stuff. I'd definitely have it again. Hides its alcohol content very well. A surprisingly solid brew from Tyranena. I'll have to look out for more beers from this brewery; they clearly know what they're doing. I'd buy lots of this for personal consumption if I had the opportunity (and the cash). So glad I got to try this one; I owe it all to Duff27. I'd highly recommend trying this beer. I'll be recommending it to friends. This one gives Victory At Sea a serious run for its money; off memory I'd say this is better. A side by side would be a great idea for a tasting.

A-

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:33:07 | More by kojevergas

thagr81us

South Carolina

4.33/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to StayWhatYouAre2 for sending me this one in a recent box! Served from bottle into a COAST Willi. Poured a massively dark brown with a one finger dark tan head that subsided to a minimal amount slowly. Maintained excellent lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, cream, sugar, milk chocolate, wood, vanilla, and subtle sweet alcohol. The flavor was of sweet malt, vanilla, wood, milk chocolate, subtle dark chocolate, cream, and very subtle sweet alcohol. It had a light feel on the palate with medium carbonation. Overall this was a pretty good brew. This brew gave me high hopes going into it as I have thoroughly enjoyed some of these offerings from them in the past. This one did not disappoint. What I found was a really well rounded porter with an added touch of a bourbon barrel that was integrated beautifully. I just wish this one had a little more of a thick mouthfeel to take it to a whole new level. Really well done guys and I can’t wait to try more things form this series in the future!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 20:09:32 | More by thagr81us

dirtylou

Washington

4.72/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle, picked up a 4-pack at Star Liquor for $6.99 i believe

apperance: interesting labels for the new series of big beers from tyranena (which i am extraordinarily excited for)...pours a rich dark brown colour with a glorious fluffy chocolate brown head into my snifter, lacing is pretty nice as well

smell: upon first smell, i knew this was a winner...smooth and sweet chocolate, glorious aroma only produced by the effects of bourbon barrel aging, light vanilla, maple, slight licorice, delicate woodyness, cocoa powder, coffee

taste: delicious! i absolutely love bourbon barrel aged brews and this one knocks the standard tyranena bourbon brown out of the ballpark. the balance is great...sweet milky chocolate, bold licorice flavours, oak woodiness, smooth caramel, hazelnut coffee blend, toffee, defined malt roastiness. A great effort from tyranena! Thank goodness this should be readily available in my area, because it is certainly worthy of re-purchase

mouthfeel: very smooth, great balance, slight cocoa bitterness

drinkability: mmmm, so fucking good, its a joy to drink

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2006 03:07:44 | More by dirtylou

cokes

Wisconsin

4.6/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours to a black-aping darkest brown-orange topped with a thin but sticky beige lid.
Full bore chocolate bourbon nasal assault. Enormous vapors of vanilla, hazelnut, toasted oak, caramel nougat and fudge.
Enters the mouth, and proves true all those things that the nose promised. Huge Bourbon-induced vanillins, charred wood, toasted coconuts, and hazelnuts...especially hazelnuts. At this point, every knows what to expect out of a Bourbon barrel aged beer. This sets itself apart with a fat Tootsie Roll maltiness that provides the perfect canvas for the barrel's strokes. There are minor espresso notes late, but this is all about the sweet, and as such, it is perfectly harmonized.
Rotund in the mouth, portly sweet, but never sticky. Carbonation is appropriately low. This is the type of dessert beer that will make you want to skip you meal.

Hopefully this one gets revisited in the BGW series.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2007 06:12:02 | More by cokes

blackie

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

appearance: The pour gives a low, dark khaki head that steadily turns to just a ring around the glass and a thin layer of bubbles on the surface. The beer is a very dark brown in color.

smell: Though I would have usually given this beer a 4 for smell, I had to go up given the pure strangeness/ingenuity of it. A big blend of hazelnut, cocoa, hardwood, vanilla, and an alcoholic aroma that is obviously bourbon.

mouthfeel: The carbonation is around the high side of the medium range, and the body a lighter heavy.

taste: Upfront flavors of milk chocolate, cocoa powder, roasted barley, and fresh hazelnut. Not too sweet...actually, the sweetness is in just about perfect balance with the moderate bitterness, which creeps up towards the finish, lingering with some roasted flavors. Not much hop flavor detectable. After the swallow, I get some considerable flavors of bourbon fumes in the mouth, which could be tempered a little more...maybe with some more malt.

drinkability: A great beer, but drinkability is limited by the abrasive ethanol presence and rich quality.

Shipped to me from WI by dirtylou

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2006 01:06:03 | More by blackie

maximum12

Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Blessings upon the house of jverdo1 for picking this up & dropping it into my clutching hands at Darkness Day. I've been waiting a long, long time for a new Brewers Gone Wild! beer I haven't had, & I'm jazzed to have this one. 12 oz. stubby twist-top.

Poured into a generic, heavy tulip, this looks like a porter. The beer, not the footman. Black all the way through. The smell, oh, the bloody smell. Vanilla & fresh coffee, with a root-ball of sweet malts lays down a gorgeous track. I smell it for a good fifteen minutes. That is close to perfection.

Who's Your Daddy? makes me weep for the loss of the great Devil Over a Barrel, because I miss that beer like I miss my first black lab. First, this is a gulping beer. For those who've never had the pleasure to consume a gulping barrel-aged brew, well, here's your chance. The relatively low ABV & slightly thinner body of the porter work in its favor. The flavor? Glad you asked. Nothing stands out, the integration is outstanding. Lovely coffee, dried caramel, vanilla, a spoonful of real maple syrup, chocolate. Oh, & the bourbon. The bourbon in this beer is an absolute work of art that should be hanging on the wall; it only sneaks into the very finish, but builds into an almost burn in the back of the throat before subsiding. Oak ends it all.

This. Beer. Rocks. Certainly in the top 10, maybe the top 5 of new beers I've sampled this year. Just a splendidly crafted beer where everything works. More. Please.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 03:41:27 | More by maximum12

kmpitz2

Tennessee

3.45/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz stubbie. Pours a deep brown to black color with a finger of light tan hread , There are a few bubbles cascading up the side of the glass that help maintain the head around a quarter inch tall. Aroma is chocolate, oaky vanilla, a kiss of bourbon, and a moderate dark fruity sweetness. Not too shabby. Flavor is incredibly sweet and bourboney, with notes of cocoa, and an incredible vanilla note that really dominates the brew. This one is definately a bourbon beer. Its almost a little overwhelming, and defintaly dominates the porter aspect of the beer. Mouthfeel is moderate to thick, with a light syrupy slickness. Carbonation is light to moderate. Overall, I think the bourbon aging really affected this one. Its got a lot of vanilla . I like the cocoa notes, but would like to see the vanilla and oak to be more subdued and playing a supporting role. Its okay, but I don't know if I'd make this a regular in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2006 00:10:43 | More by kmpitz2

atsprings

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a nice deep black with a thin off-white head. The aroma was strong of both oak and dark malts with just a hint of bourbon. The taste was just a little too strong on the oak. I think what was missing was the roasted barley I'm used to in a barrel aged stout. The taste was all-right, but I have always preferred Imperial Stouts. The beer was rather light and the alcohol was well hidden. This is a very enjoyable beer, just not a stout.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2007 01:51:19 | More by atsprings

cpetrone84

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pour is opaque dark brown with a tight creamy brown head. Nose is heavy roast coffee, notes of bourbon and chocolate. Taste is bourbon up front, light wood, notes of dry chocolate and a touch of coffee rind, a bit charred in back. Body is thick and rich up front but thins a little and back, soft carbonation, becomes a touch sweet in finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 18:40:03 | More by cpetrone84

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Robbie for this bottle! Poured in to tulip.

A - Black with a 1/4" of light brown head.

S - Roast, bourbon, vanilla, oak and chocolate.

T - Barrel up front with bourbon, oak and sweet vanilla notes coming through. The base beer adds chocolate fudge and hint of coffee. Really good balance of the base beer and the barrel.

S - Medium body. Creamy. Light to moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 15:36:38 | More by TheSevenDuffs

mcallister

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to nflmvp for trading me this at Dark Lord Day.

Mean and dark. Nearly black with a 2 inch tan head that fades into very sticky consuming lace.

Aromas of coffee, choclate, vanilla, bourbon, toffee, roasted malt hints and some nice hop smells also.

Lovely job of integrating the bourbon barrel aging. Added another point of depth to this very complex porter. Big caramel roasted malt flavor, with toasty oak, hazlenut, bitter dark choclate. Velvety smooth mouthfeel. Slight alcohol burn in the chest on the finish.

A very complex porter done right with the bourbon barrel aging. Delicious.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2006 20:26:51 | More by mcallister

Bierguy5

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Very thick pour. Appears to be pitch black, no highlights at all. Thick frothy tan head. Very stout-like in appearance. Smells include vanilla, oak, bourbon and a hint of chocolate. There is a lot of sweetness in this beer. Oaky flavors, dark caramel and chocolate, and coconut. Finish is a bit like toasted coconut. Full body, low carbonation. Very well done, and not overwhelming. A real gem. Thanks to BA macallister for this brew!

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2006 22:02:15 | More by Bierguy5

orbitalr0x

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The Who's Your Daddy Imperial Porter pours from the bottle a deep onyx with creamy cap of tan head on top. Sticky lacing, the brew shows dark brown highlights when held to the light. Aromas begin with big dark roasty malts engulfed in a mix of chocolate, roasted coffee beans, vanilla, oak and light bourbon notes. A nice melding of flavors, though a bit mellow overall.

First sip brings a rush of rich roasted dark malts colliding with a heavy helping of vanilla, subtle notes of chocolate, caramel and coffee work their way in. The bourbon/oak flavors move in on the way down and add a really nice element to the brew. Finishes slightly slick with a subtle nuttiness. A tasty brew to be had here!

Mouthfeel is big and bold, fills the mouth quite nicely, while still going down smoothly. Good steady carbonation adds to the experience. One of the easier drinking bourbon barrel brews I've tried...still it's not something I'd have more than two of in any one sitting. Overall, a tasty brew that I'm glad I had the chance to try. I look forward to more in the Brewers Gone Wild series from Tyranena!

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2006 03:16:47 | More by orbitalr0x

IntriqKen

California

4.88/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours a definate black with a half finger tan head that melts to rim hugging lacing.
Aromas are vanilla, caramel, lightly alcohol.
Taste is vanilla, caramel, sweet chocolate (very prominately), just a hint of dark candied fruits and then alcohol.
Mouthfeel is unbelievably rich, thick, and creamy...VERY creamy.
Aftertaste of vanilla and milk chocolate with a little alcohol.
...
Man, this is heaven...absolutely the best desert beer I have ever had.
Thanks so much nflmvp for this wonderful experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2006 07:05:12 | More by IntriqKen

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

4.72/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Pours an oily black with deep ruby highlights. Thin brown head. Actually has legs in the glass like bourbon.

S - Vanilla, bourbon, hint of chocolate and hazelnut. The porter and bourbon aspects blend wonderfully for an excellent aroma.

T - Bourbon, vanilla, oak, hints of caramel and toffee. Slightly sweet but works well with the bourbon flavor dominance. The alcohol is warming but is very well hidden.

M - Creamy, maybe just a tad thin. Not much carbonation which works very well.

D - I love bourbon aged beers and this is one of the best I have tasted. The bourbon aspects might be just a tad too dominant but I am extremely disappointed I was only able to obtain a 4 pack. If this one let just a bit more of the porter characteristics shine through the bourbon it could be straight 5's.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2006 00:55:43 | More by brewcrew76

Frozensoul327

Michigan

4.5/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Holy Crap, Man! This is what a good porter should be!!! Thanks goes out to grynder33 for the sample. That man knows good beers. Pours out to a coffee black color with a short lived head of foam. Lots of lace, and a lower lever of carbonation. Aromas of smokey roasted malts and grain, wood, dark chocolate and earth. Nice. Taste was full bodied and totally embracing; chocolate, coffee, malt, earth, mild woody notes, sour sweetness, with a bourbon backbone that isn't to prevailant. Perfectly done. Bravo. Mouthfeel was good; some more thickness wouldn't hurt, but I guess if we went that route, we'd be at "stoutville". Good drinkability. This is one of the top 5 porters i've ever had. Highly Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2006 01:24:29 | More by Frozensoul327

brdc

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to stousnipas for this one.
It is a nice-looking, pitch black brew with a crimson hue, but little tan head which was probably my fault for serving this one a bit too cold.
The aroma, also initially faint likely given the low temperature, improves as it warms up, with an alcoholic bourbon-like smell, followed by chocolate, coffee, oak, vanilla and multiple nut-like nuances.
Taste also improved as it warmed up, my first sip was a bit "too alcoholic", but it evolved nicely. It is firm, even rich, and at times sweetish, candy-like, at times warmingly alcoholic, and then choclate sweet, coffe-like bittersweet, and then some hazelnut, vanilla, and oak. Little carbonation.
Very close to the description in the bottle.

It went well with spicy food, and it would probably go well with chocolate.
Well done.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2007 02:16:28 | More by brdc

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.55/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Wonder’s Pub in Madison’s wonderful Atwood neighborhood at a Madison Homebrewers and Tasters Guild meeting.

Holy stinking Mouthfeel Batman! This is so wonderfully silky. It just coats the tongue and mouth. Superbly drinkable, did someone say this was an imperial, and barrel aged none the less…no way.

I am incredibly impressed here. This is the best beer I’ve had from this brewery bar none. I was hesitant at first because generally I find bourbon barrel to mean Jim Beam like sludge. Now, I don’t care for Jim Beam and I really don’t like sludge so usually I don’t like Bourbon Barrel stuff. This is different.

The Bourbon is very subtle and more oaky than Bourbonish. The chocolates are huge and plentiful. This is very clearly a porter. The bourbon comes second.

This was my first try and I was frankly too blown away by the MF, Drinkability, and Chocolate in the nose and taste too notice much else. I will try this one several times more and rereview soon.

Oh, the Appearance…nearly perfect. Dark, thick, beautiful and with a nice cream lacing crown.

A very fine beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2006 05:37:27 | More by DaPeculierDane