Dirty Old Man Imperial Rye Porter - Tyranena Brewing Company

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to nflmvp for busting this one out!

A-Dark brown with a medium tan head that leaves nice lace.

S-Roasted malt and those "typical" bourbon notes (vanilla/oak/brown sugar). Also hints of chocolate and black coffee.

T-Plenty of malt with muted flavours of coffee and chocolate. Bourbon levels are spot on....not too much, not too little. Very well done.

M-Medium-heavy body with a rich, smooth and creamy feel. Very enjoyable.

D-An excellent sipper. This is a very nicely done BBA brew. Well done Tyranena!

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2008 08:56:34 | More by Deuane

malcontent

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Deepest garnet body with just touches of transparency around the edges. A bit of tan head around the top but not much else.

Rye is quite subtly blended with the charcoal/chocolaty nose. Hints of vanilla and dark fruit on the finish.

Sharp rye dryness melts instantly into a rich coffee/vanilla body finishing with a great interplay of charcoal with a rye reprise. This is what makes barrel aging worthwhile.

Rich, smooth texture with a long, dry finish. It's a big beer with a ton going on so I couldn't see drinking more than two in a sitting. Still, this is by far the best beer I've tried from Tyrenena.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2008 07:10:14 | More by malcontent

largadeer

California

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Nearly black with a small tan head that dissipates pretty quickly, leaving little lace.

Smell: Subtle but full of depth. Coconut macaroons, chocolate, rye, butterscotch. Very nice.

Taste & mouthfeel: Sweet and malty with a good deal of barrel character despite being a 60/40 blend of fresh and aged ale. Flavors of coconut rum, earthy rye, milk chocolate and charred grain make for an interesting sweet/bitter dynamic. Carbonation is medium-low, which I find fairly ideal for a beer like this. A bit of whiskey heat leads to a coffee-flavored finish. Impressive stuff; Tyranena seem to have an excellent grasp on how to make barrel-aged beers that aren't overwhelmed by character of the oak or the spirit.

Notes: Got this one from maximum12 - thanks!

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2008 01:25:20 | More by largadeer

MNHazmat

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first review so please be kind...

A gentle pour into a goblet produced very little head. What head there was gripped the sides well leaving a nice ring after each sip. Despite the lack of head it is well carbonated with a very fine bubble.

Dark, very dark. Absolutely NO light transmission though the glass even when using a bright LED flashlight and an aiming laser!

Dark grains, well roasted and plenty of alchohol on the tongue. Bourbon hits the back of my throat but fades quickly under pressure from the dark grains and chocolate.

A first rate brew that I'll be sharing with friends, and an excellent value for the price. I'll be buying out the supply at my local shop.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2008 05:00:44 | More by MNHazmat

jasonjlewis

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Nice 1 1/2 finger head with good retention and a dark brown color.

Smell is of coffee beans and a hint of malt. I'm guessing Perle hops were used. The smell is heavenly with a hint of bourbon.

The taste is of slight minty undertones with a bit of coffee bitterness. The body is a bit thin at first, but is a bit better as the beer warms.

I wish the body on this one was a bit bigger and the carbonation was a bit lower.

This is a very awesome coffee beer. The only bad thing is that the body is a bit thing.

VERY MUCH THANKS to Deuane for such an awesome sample.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 02:49:44 | More by jasonjlewis

paco1029384756

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Lordsloth for the bottle.

Pours a thick dark maple brown color with very little head and a sharp ring of lacing.

Scent of rye, oak, chocolate, dark fruits, and coffee. This has a nice balance and complexity, but it isn't too intense.

Taste of chocolate, coffee, rye, anise, and oak. Finishes with oak and vanilla flavors, damn good stuff.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied and pretty heavy, carbonation is pretty light.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2009 03:25:17 | More by paco1029384756

jwinship83

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle with no freshness dating or ABV information drank from a standard pint glass. a blend of 40% barrel aged beer/60% non aged.

A- this one pours a black colored body with a small beige colored head. the head fades to little more than a crown after a minute or two and leaves behind small spotty lacing after every sip.

S- dark roasted malts. spicy rye. chocolate and coffee in small doses. faint whiskey and vanilla from the barrel. the smell opens up as the beer warms.

T- the chocolate and coffee work well with the rye and all come through stronger than in the nose. the barrel makes itself known as well adding an oaky/vanilla aspect to this one. the whiskey still comes off as faint but its nice that its not too overdone.

M- medium to full bodied. mouth coating. moderate warming from the alcohol. well carbonated.

D- easy to polish off this bottle and i look forward to the others. check this out if you get the chance. its a little different but well thought out and well executed.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2009 04:11:07 | More by jwinship83

bamadog

Kentucky

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Special thanks go out to MPLS for trading this wonderful beer to me. Pour is from the bottle to a snifter. Review is from notes taken on 1/28/2010.

Appearance: Pours the darkest brown/near black; no head to speak of, just a thin ring around the surface and a very thin whisp in the center; body is entirely opaque and shows some light mahogany highlights near the surface; spotty and loose lacing is left on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Nice deep dark burnt roasty malts with a slight hint of chocolate; an earthy and bitter hoppiness is lingering in the back as well; a nice caramel scent starts to creep in as it warms; scents are quite robust.

Taste: Quite wonderful -- the dark roasty and burnt coffee-like malts and a bittersweet chocolate flavor; slightly earthy/dirty hoppiness is blended lightly in with the maltiness; there is a very faint flavor of bourbon and a sweet woody vanilla presence that rounds out the mouth; much like the smell, as it warms a bit there is a definite caramel presence that starts to sneak out.

Mouthfeel: Body is quite smooth and moderately thick; carbonation is quite present, but soft to keep the body lively but still creamy; a nice coating is left on the roof of the mouth; chest and belly are left warm.

Drinkability: This beer is outstanding - I love the smell, flavors, balance and mouthfeel -- just great all around. It sits a little heavy and the ABV, while unknown, packs a slight punch, but those are the only downfalls (if they could really be considered downfalls).

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2010 03:58:52 | More by bamadog

indiapaleale

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pour - almost jet black in appearance but when the light hits it there is some nice auburn hues. The thin white head goes quickly and leaves a halo of off-white film around the liquid level.

Aroma - lots of chocolate and fudge up front with vanilla and bourbon in the back. The chocolate aroma is quite formidable which was a bit of surprise really. This does however smell incredible with some nice alcoholic heat tickling the nose.

Taste - oh man is that good. Big chocolate malt sweetness on the tongue is followed by some slightly acidic bourbon flavors, vanilla extract and cocoa powder. The finish is very much like red wine, its dry and vinous. There is some nice spiciness to this as well that comes out more as it warms. Absolutely delicious beer with multiple layers of awesomeness.

Overall - this really impressed me. So much flavor and velvety smooth on the tongue. The bourbon barrel aging was just right for the style, not too overpowering and it let the sweet maltiness of this porter shine as well as the subtle rye spice. Outstanding work from the folks at Tyranena. What I wouldn't do to try their most recent offering from their "Brewers Gone Wild" line which is a "Chipotle Smoked Imperial Porter". Wow!

Would I buy more of it? - again, I wish I could. I'd love to have a few more bottles of this in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 03:30:34 | More by indiapaleale

thetomG

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Nice deep brown color with a layer of tan head that leaves lots of spotty lacing around the glass. Vanilla, chocolate and rye come through on the nose with a gentle hint of booze.

Flavor follows the nose nicely, but with more boldness all around. The whiskey flavors are nice and smooth - a sentiment I can relate to all aspects of this beer.

Mouthfeel is great as well - smooth, smooth, smooth!

Easy to drink and very enjoyable, this is a beer I'd highly recommend to anyone.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2011 01:55:59 | More by thetomG

champ103

Texas

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another thanks to tjmodica for sharing the bottle.

A: Pours a near opaque black color. A small tan head forms that recedes to nothing. Not much lace either.
S: Toasted malt, chocolate, coffee are all there like a good porter. Then some wood comes in from the barrel, and once this warms a bit plenty of bready rye. Lots of depth in the nose.
T: Follows the nose with more of a roasted malt character. Chocolate, sweet toffee, and some coffee. Light wood flavors, and bread. biscuit and rye. Really nice.
M/D: A medium to full body. Low on the carbonation. Cream and smooth. Easy to drink. A great beer to sip on.

An excellent barrel aged porter. Both the wood and rye are there, but very subtle. Which complements the porter perfectly. Very nice, and highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2011 23:49:17 | More by champ103

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Brown pour, slight tan head, about 1/2" deep. Nice mild bourbon and chocolate aroma. Nothing too heavy or boozy. Well put together.

The taste is even better, chocolate is even bigger, still the bourbon remains noticeable, yet nowhere near dominating. Smooth, bitterness stays down. A great beer for introducing people to barrel aged stuff, but also plenty decadent for experienced drinkers to have at the same time. The rye is a great experience, seems to bring out a little more sweetness with whiskey flavors, as opposed to a dry peppery when used in non barrel aged beers.

There is a reason why I trade so much rarity andwhatnot between the Bruery and the Eclipse beers out to my Wisconsin/Marquette peeps, I get a ton of great beer quantity wise. Seriously, Tyranena could put this in a 22 or 750 bottle and people would pay $15 bucks for it anyday. At like $10 for a 4 pack, this is just a phenomenal beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2011 02:22:59 | More by Beerandraiderfan

soughtbygod

California

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I recieved this beer as an extra in a trade and i a glad i did it was great.

This beer poured a dark black with a whole hand tan head overflowed my glass haha.

tasted like coffee, and liquorice

smells were of toffee, roasted caramel

overall decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2011 22:09:07 | More by soughtbygod

chanokokoro

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass. No bottle date.

Pours the darkest brown possible with a one finger head that lingers for several minutes. An aroma of chocolate, espresso, with undertones of whiskey. Taste is chocolate up front transitioning into bold roasted malts and coffee finishing dry with mild whiskey alcohol. The mouthfeel is exceptional. Pleasant carbonation and nearly perfect medium body that is like velvet in your mouth. Overall, this is one of the better American Porters I've had recently. Although barrel-aged, the barrel doesn't dominate, but the accents of rye whiskey are clearly discernable. This brew is highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 03:22:27 | More by chanokokoro

dejrrma

Georgia

4.28/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dated 20FEB12 on neck in dark ink. 12 oz bottled poured into Dogfish Head signature snifter. Thanks to Mark for this one.

a- a dark, dark, chocolate color bordering on black, with a velvety head resembling that of moccacino foam, and a thin film for lacing. great looking beer.

s- coffee, vanilla, very slight whiskey, roasted malts.

t- oaky malts and chocolate sweetness, noticeable amount of coffee but not nearly like in FIS/FBS, the whiskey is there, but it's very subtle, contributing the nice spiciness in the beer rather than booziness.

m- velvety. it's viscous and thick on the surface, but ends up being thinner and lighter, almost mousse like. low carbonation. Very drinkable.

o- I would love to have this again. I haven't had very many BA porter. The whiskey barrel aging isn't as prominent as in other BA beers I've had. I expected a more aggressive whiskey character, but I'm not disappointed. This is a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 05:46:33 | More by dejrrma

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Pours an extremely dark brown (pretty much black) with a finger of darkish tan head. Nice full ½ finger of retention that flares up immediately when swirled, leaving a nice smattering of lace down the sides of the glass. The aroma is dominated by the Bourbon character (with a good bit of vanilla and oak making itself known) but I'm also picking up some of the Porter notes as well, including chocolate, caramel, coffee, and even a little rye and spice in the back.

The taste starts out with the Rye Porter character that is much more up front than the nose was, with spicy rye that imparts a light bitterness and dryness which balances out some of the sweeter chocolate, caramel, and vanilla notes. It also helps bring in some of the bourbon in the finish which isn't quite as pungent as it was in the aroma. The mouthfeel is full bodied with a viscous and slick feel at times. The ABV definitely feels a little on the high side but stills drinks very well.

A really nice take on the Baltic Porter style with an extra bit of warmth and flavor added in from the Bourbon aging for good measure. Another unique and well balanced brew from the "Brewers Gone Wild" series.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2008 19:38:47 | More by Kegatron

tmoneyba

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared with shigadeyo.

Pours clear dark brown color with a moderater frothy brown head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Heavy toasted dark chocolate, woody and bourbon aroma. Medium to full body with a thick smooth texture. Heavy bourbon & wood bittersweet flavor with a medium to heavy bittersweet finish of long duration.

This is a standout porter.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2009 01:26:34 | More by tmoneyba

tempest

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Picked up a single at Princeton Liquors. Poured into a short tumbler, the beer is black with a big light brown head.

It made a great dessert beer. With delicious, smooth, and subtle flavors. The aroma is a mix of rich chocolate with mellow rye whiskey. The flavor is similar, but with a touch of barrel oak, licorice, toffee, and a coffee finish. Yum, this is a great late-night sipper. Check this beer out is you get a chance. It does a great job of balancing the barrel and porter character.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2010 04:29:08 | More by tempest

TheFightfan1

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks again to shir0045 for this one.
Pours a deep brown lighter ruby highlight's around the edge. Hard pour created a huge two inch light brown heading. Some tremendous globs of lacing everywhere.

Smell at first has very big lactic chocolate notes. A nice warming liquor aroma is a quick second followed with a beautiful blend of rye bread and some decent bourbon characters. Amazing aroma's.

Taste start's out with the heavy hitter big dark malts with a chocolate liqour taste that lingers throughout the tasting. Nice spicey finish. Somewhat a letdown from the big aromas I was getting in the nose.

Mouth is mid-full bodied almost there to the big boy range but not yet.Extremely smooth with a perfect watery to chew ratio. Very good carbonation for this type of beer (whiskey barrel aged)

This one was a dousy I liked it very much.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 21:36:08 | More by TheFightfan1

raznug

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dirty Old Man pours a nice shade of black with a finger of tanish head that dissipates quickly.4.5
Smell: I can smell roasted malt, coffee, and maybe a hint of toffee. I love how this smells.4.5
Taste: Wow this tastes great it has nowhere near the coffee flavor that was in the nose. I get a lot of a toffee almost a roasted crème brule flavor. The aging kicks in after it warms and the whisky and some alcohol flavors blend in nicely.4.5
Mouthfeel: This beer flows excellent around the mouth but like good beers do it is thick enough to stick on the taste buds.4

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 18:05:03 | More by raznug

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a snifter, the color was black with streak of auburn streaking through the beer. A slight mocha head topped the beer leaving lacing in the glass as the beer disappeared from the glass. A whiff of rye is most noticeable, though vanilla and a certain woodiness follow. Initially, one taste a limited level of rye, raisins, burned malts, and a hint of caramel. The rye aging becomes a little more apparent in the aftertaste as the dark fruits fade. Only a mild taste of alcohol is detectable, with little warming sensation to be noticed. Mouthfeel is impressive in the Dirty Old Man. It is thick enough to linger in the mouth for several minutes, as the rye notes mellow. I let this bottle mellow for about a year and a half. I think the taste and smell were a little more potent then, but this is still an enjoyable beer. In my experience, this beer did not age as well as I would have anticipated. Even though my current sampling is not fresh, I still love this beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 03:38:10 | More by JohnnyHopps

Atron67

Wisconsin

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- came to the table a dead black at the bar today, tannish brown head and clear for a dark beer.

S- roasted flavors were pretty strong, malty and a light scent of rye, balanced with hops.

T- first off a very strong malty dark flavor with a chocolate scents and the rye undertone. The rye is surprizingly light for how much they say they put into it, however it is clearly there and blends in spectacularly with the rest of the porter style. very smooth and delicious flavor

M- pretty thick as an imperial porter with rye in it, lingers on the tongue pretty well, and leaves a nice aftertaste. medium carbonation

D- very smooth and i think a great heavy beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2008 03:00:24 | More by Atron67

seaoflament

California

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Jay23 for giving me the opportunity to try this beer.

Pours dark with about an inch of light chocolate colored foam.

Very interesting aroma, rye and chocolate right away with hints of cocoa, citrus, roasted and slightly charred malts, and a subtle whiskey overtone. Nicely done. After the beer settles it has a dry chocolate aroma and it reminds me of chocolate corn flakes cereal. There's also some cherries, vanilla, and malted milk.

Taste is very similar to the aroma, chocolate, dry rye, coffee, hints of whiskey, and also some citrus and tangy flavors in the finish.

Seems a tad thin on the palate but still pretty good.

Really tasty porter!

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2008 02:25:26 | More by seaoflament

dfried

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very dark in color with just a little brown at the edges, thin coco-y head that forms mainly a ring after a couple of minutes. Chocolate fills the aroma, some milk chocolatiness but more like a bitter dark chocolate, some caramel like whiskey notes, dark roasted grains and some coffee hints. The taste is quite roasty and dark chocolatey, the rye stands out quite a bit. There is quite a bit of balancing sweeter notes as well, caramelly, brown sugar, some boozy whiskey. A big beer, but not quite a motor oil, throat coating consistancy to it, though it gets a little stickier as it warms.

Overall: not one I will rant and rave about but make no mistake, this is a top notch brew. I love barrel aging, and the whiskey doesn't show up quite as much as I would like, but that also makes it much more drinkable than sip-able. I like the hyrid niche that is forming, and these guys do it well, beers with some of the characteristics of big extreme beers, but are toned back enough to still be drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2008 19:28:29 | More by dfried

tedpeer

Iowa

4.22/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce poured into a chalice.

A - Pours a dark reddish brown. Minimal head, disappears quickly. No lacing.

S - Chocolate & rye & oak.

T - Coffee and Rye. Slight alcohol warmth.

M - Smooth, mild carbonation.

D - It's a sipper, but two to three of these would be no problem.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2008 23:25:38 | More by tedpeer