Benji's Chipotle Smoked Imperial Porter - Tyranena Brewing Company

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

dark brown porter emerged from the bottle with a huge billowing four inch head of foam in its wake. Enormous retention left this one hanging back for what seemed like forever, and even after it started to settle,

Started out very sweet, with nice notes of chocolate and sugar running through it. Not at all what I was expecting. Some touches of vanilla and a bit of coffee as well coming through. There was a slight bit of pepper way in the back but it was not dominating by any means.Sweet milk chocolate and sugar a tingle on the tongue, a warming in the throat and a fire in the belly. Subtly the chili comes through, warming you as it goes, but by no means is this too big. This is perfectly blended in the flavor, rising subtly to a crescendo that then backs down as easy as it came up

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 21:30:44 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Craig for sending me yet another in the Brewers Gone Wild series.

A: The pour is quite standard for a porter with a dark brown color and reddish highlights. A mild tan foam sits on top.

S: The chipotles don't necessarily announce their presence, but there is a very pleasant smokiness from the malt and the peppers. There is a nice mix of sweetness and a faint heat, along with roasted malt.

T: A really great mix of roasted malt, smoke, sweetness, coffee, and just a touch of chili heat. This is one of the more restrained chili beers, and I'm thankful for that.

M: A medium bodied beer with a smooth, low level of carbonation.

D: All these BGW releases have been really great--especially the porters. And luckily, this is no exception. I'm usually not the biggest fan of the chili beers, but this one was good.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2010 21:42:28 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a near-black with a nice tan head and a good amount of lacing as it goes down.

S: Smell is faint; hints of chilies and a bit of roasted malt, but it's really hard to detect all that much.

T: Wow, what an improvement from the nose. Plenty of chocolate and roasted malt and a beautiful touch from the chilies. The heat from the chilies comes on a bit more as it warms up.

M: Medium body with some nice heat. Low carbonation really lets some of the flavors shine.

D: Very nice, as new flavors seem to keep coming out. A nice sipper.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2010 02:46:21 | More by Thorpe429

brentk56

North Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Black as a stout, with a creamy tan head that, while not massive, leaves great lacial webbing

Smell: Campfire smoke, with distinct chipotle elements; between the smoke and the peppers, it is hard to smell much else

Taste: Smokey at the outset, with charcoal, dark chocolate and prune flavors, all joined by the chipotle heat after a few seconds; after the swallow, the dark fruit, chocolate and smoky chipotle blend together and the heat leaves a memorable finish

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and creamy, with moderate carbonation and a tingle on the tongue from the chile

Drinkability: Most memorable beer of 2010; just a great one all around that takes some tricky elements (smoke and heat) and works with them in a way that avoids the crash and burn of some other breweries

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2010 02:34:59 | More by brentk56

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a shaker pint glass.

Great to see a pack o' this left on my Binny's shelf. It pours a dark black-brown, highlighted in ruby, topped by a finger of light tan foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, molasses, brown sugar, and cinnamon. The taste follows this line of reasoning, adding some dark chocolate and a slight pepper heat in the back, adding an additional layer of complexity without overwhelming the tongue. The body is a heavy-ish medium, with a light carbonation and a feel that yearns to be chunky and chewy. Overall, a very nice and tasty pepper-infused porter that doesn't overplay its hand and goes down very easily.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 17:39:46 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thoroughly black, this, with a good-sized, roasty brown head.

Toasty malt nose, char, tobacco, a bit of smoke...not much pepper, though. Oh wait, there's a little bit in there, it's shy at first, but it's coming out.

Taste: Full and rich on the palate at first, a real mouthful, dark and deep, big, fat malt. How about that pepper? Again, not prominent, not dominant, but wait...there's a little. Getting bigger. And the alcohol is calling out, too, though it not "that" strong, at 7.5%.

Chocolate rises up and demands attention, with the pepper's fire behind it. Espresso tinges round the edges, with char and smoke after, nice and roasty, and surprisingly smooth.
Some have found the pepper missing and been disappointed by this brew. I feel that an understated flavor may just be the way to go sometimes. I've had over the top, hit you in the head chile beers, and could not handle much more than a few ounces.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2009 07:28:50 | More by feloniousmonk

drabmuh

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

At the time of this review, this is the #44 top beer in the category "American Porter". Served in a New Belgium globe glass.

Beer is black and hazy with a lazy thin brown head, no lacing, low carbonation, looks fine.

Aroma is sweet and spicy, nice mixture of malt, chocolate, milk, chiles, very nice aroma. Minimal smoke.

Beer is mildly smokey, a little sweet, a little dry on the finish, chocolate, chili, mild spice, good but not great. I won't have another.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2012 03:27:53 | More by drabmuh

MasterSki

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a single while I was in Wisconsin - buying a 4-pack of a chili beer without tasting it first seemed dangerous. Served in a FoBAB pint-shaped taster glass.

A - Pours with a late rising quarter-finger of dark tan foam that settles to a thin ring and a partial filmy cap. Body is very dark brown, with a faint hint of transparency at the fringes.

S - Dark roast malts, dark fruits, chocolate, smoke. If you stick your nose right up to it, there's a hint of chipotle, but I probably wouldn't have noticed if it weren't in the name of the beer. Pretty nice porter though.

T - Taste as more over chipotle flavor, and isn't nearly as sweet as the nose. Dark chocolate, burnt malts, and an bitter espresso finish that lingers into the aftertaste. The combination of the nose and taste gets me thinking mole sauce.

M - This is a weak spot for the beer, as it has a medium-light watery texture and somewhat harsh carbonation burn. While I appreciate that porters and stouts should retain some differentiation in texture, this is a little wussy. There's some residual stickiness which is pleasant. Maybe a bit of faint peppery warmth lingers.

D - Went through my 6oz pour pretty quickly - other than the annoying feel this is another solid porter from Tyranena. If you like a little peppery kick this is a solid choice.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2010 00:25:25 | More by MasterSki

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Acquired from HogWildLiquor courtesy of Secret Santa 2010, so a big “Thank You” goes out to him. Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color, with a thin off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains rich coffee, roasted malts, touches of fruit and hops but I did not detect much smokiness or any chipotle pepper.

T: The taste starts out with a very hearty roasted malt character followed by some smokiness and sweet flavors of coffee and chocolate. The hops presence is very mild but is right where it should be for this beer. As for the chipotle, it seems to only peek its way through into the slightly smoky and slightly sweet after-taste. However the heat gradually builds as you drink the beer.

M: Crisp and smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, rather than add a seemingly odd flavor to the beer, the chipotle seems like it enhances the smokiness. Overall it’s a good beer to drink for a while.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 04:35:17 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.4/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Got this one from Beertracker, cheers Jeff!

Pours Mahogany with a finger of creamy mocha head. Above average head retention & lacing

S: Rich chocolate, roasty maly & smokeyness

T: Follows the nose, some coffee & then peppery smokeyness up front, along with charred grain & cocoa sweetness. Dryness, dark chocolate, faint pepper burn as this warms, some herbal & woody hops too. Finishes with mocha, slight pepper warmth & faint oakyness

MF: Chewy, creamy, & smooth, a touch of warming sensation as well

Drinks sooo easy, seems less spicy than the growler I sampled, on a another occasion, but I was drinking other chile beers & my tasted buds were wasted after awhile... This one really worked for me...

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2010 04:21:45 | More by russpowell

tempest

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked up a single from Princeton Liquors. This is another hit from the Brewer's Gone Wild series. At first there's a crisp hot chocolate aroma but as the beer warms the smoky pepper comes forward over the tasty cocoa and mellow roasted grains. The body is a touch thick, it's it's right on for the style. My only critique is that the chipotle dominates the beer enough to simplify the overall character.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2010 04:31:59 | More by tempest

Wasatch

Utah

4.33/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks goes out to beerwolf77 for this brew.

Pours a nice black color, nice carbonation, nice little fizzy tan head, with some nice sticky lacing left behind. The nose is malty, with some slight roast/smoke note, a touch of chocolate/toffee. The taste is malty, nice smoky/roasted note, a nice chocolate/toffee note, some vanilla, slightly peppered. Medium body, a nice silky smoothness to this brew. Drinkable, a very tasty brew, recommended. Always love a Tyranena brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2010 00:34:02 | More by Wasatch

mdfb79

New York

4.15/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From 7/9/10 notes. Had at a local DC tasting.

a - brown no head

s - Smells of coffee, smoke, and roasted malts.

t - Tstes of chile peppers, chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts.

m - Medium body and no carbonation. Very easy to drink.

d - I thought this was a great porter. Not only was it a great smoked beer, but it used chile peppers very effectively. Would love to try again.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2010 02:46:23 | More by mdfb79

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours black, with a ½ finger of smooth dark mocha head. This retains with a thin layer of creamy foam, leaving back a light smattering of lace that sticks to the sides. Dark roast, chocolate, and earthy green citric character hit the nose first in the aroma, which is quickly followed by a warming tinge of peppers. As this warms up this, the peppers actually control things to a surprising degree. And that's not necessarily a bad thing here.

The taste is thick and tangy up front with chocolate, caramel, and citric fruit. This gives way to bitter hops and a flush of burnt roast across the back. The spiciness of the peppers is much lighter feeling feel, with some gentle warmth in a mostly dry roasted finish, and an overall more subtle presence than what the nose had. The mouthfeel is medium to fuller bodied, with a creamy thickness to the carbonation that fills out the back but then works itself into a sharper feel the longer it hangs around in the mouth. I was pleased to find that this maintained a certain amount of smoothness to it considering the flavors involved.

While I would have liked to have had a touch more warmth from the peppers in the taste, I did like the route that they took with them here, putting them out there a little more in the nose and then integrating them a little better in the flavor profile. There's a very smooth body on this as well for the more assertive flavors and higher ABV that was involved, helping keep this nicely approachable during the duration of the glass. A very well done BGW entry here from Tyranena.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2011 15:48:18 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.08/5  rDev -24%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle, thanks to grub for sharing.

Pours a clear dark orange, brown away from the light, thin light tan head forms and quickly settles to a very thin ring around the glass, retention isn't so great, few lace spots stick to the glass.

Smell is neat, rich and malty, raisins, caramel, grapes, brown sugar, some biscuit, a touch of chocolate milk and light roast, lots of sweet fruit, a bit herbal, pretty intense chile/pepper aroma, pretty spicy.

Taste is similar, very dry and roasty, nutty, wafers, caramel and brown sugar, some fruity sweetness, cocoa powder, very peppery, spicy and lightly vegetal in the finish, very dry and almost puckering, powdery and not too enjoyable.

Mouthfeel is light bodied with low carbonation, way too dry and weird character from the peppers. Thanks Russ.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 19:08:13 | More by Viggo

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.6/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Black bodied beer with a nice tight cap of light brown froth. Lacing is quite full. Very nice aroma of cocoa and roasted malts and chocolate. And a little smoke and a little pepper. This is really a flavorful beer with subtly chipotle. Perfect. The ratio of roast to smoke to chipotle is perfect. Smoke subtle. Chipotle subtle. Roast and chocolate, the base. Very agreeable mouthfeel with a silky smooth feel. This is very drinkable. And very good.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2010 03:10:48 | More by Bighuge

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12oz stubby brown bottle gifted to me by CaptinRedBeard, thanks Corey! No indication of bottle date (not that it matters all that much with this particular style/offering) but curiosity does strike home here with the special ingredients in relation to freshness.

Poured into a pint glass, this brew appears a very dark brown to black color with a finger of smooth dark brown head that slowly recedes and hangs close to the edge of the glass. Only after holding the brew up to the light do I acknowledge the clarity this brew displays and the deep brown and ruby coloration. Swirls and sips produce and interesting formation of lacework which ranges from spotty patches to thin leggings.

The aroma of this brew is deep and roasty with a smoked almost pete'd quality that is quite enjoyable upfront. Dark charred scents give way to a depth of sweet chocolate character and a slight sting of both alcohol and peppers in the back of the nose. The more sniffs I take, the more the chipotle character comes forward and has a very light citrus aspect before returning to the smoked and roasty chocolate character. This brew has me salivating before I have even taken a sip.

I tip my hat to brewer(s) of Tyranena after taking a sip of this offering. The aroma of this brew come full tilt into the flavor profile. This brew tastes roasted with dark chocolate malt indications and a light smoked aspect on the backend. A flavor of burnt grains resides predominantly throughout this brew with a subtle indication of citrus that is somewhat imparted by the hops and somewhat imparted by the peppers. The spice of the peppers is perfectly incorporated in this brew, it imparts a pleasant nuance in the finish that perks this brew and takes it to the next level. Instead of providing and in-your-face blast of pepper heat, it is a creeper that is warming and only readily noticeable as I enter the second half of my glass.

This brew we have here is absolutely fantastic stuff. It is medium bodied with a level of carbonation that is perfect. It is carbonated enough to let the flavors sit along the palate yet bubbly enough to keep it light and lively. This is only my second offering from Tyranena and seriously, color me impressed. I need to get my hands on some more of their offerings to see if they can pull it off with a style other than porter/stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2011 00:50:56 | More by stakem

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into rare vos glass.

Head develops slowly but turns into 1.5 fingers of creamy tan head. Color is near black. Decent retention with some solid lace rings/walls left. 4.5

Aroma: Rich chocolate and roasted malts. Some vanilla notes. Light chipotle pepper notes. Some smoked flavors. Not too bad.

Taste: More chipotle peppers here and they actually add a layer to this beer. Sweet vanilla and caramel flavors. Lots of chocolate and roasted/smoked malt flavors. This beer is pretty tasty. A very solid porter.

Mouthfeel: Roasted, smoky, and smooth. Medium to full bodied with a nice amount of carbonation. Ends a little dry, very malty with some peppers.

Overall, a very solid beer from Tyranena. I will be getting another 4 pk of this for sure. It is a solid porter and the peppers just add another layer to this beer. I am glad this one is available around here. Well done. Decently drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2010 20:37:11 | More by mothman

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Dark brown pour to become quite black and thick with no light getting thru. Small but dense cap of dark tan foam stays put. Big spotty lacing is placed all over the glass.

Dark creamy coffee aroma thats clean, crisp, toasty, black, and rounded. Nicely blackened grainyness, partial chocolate is there along with a bold touch to chipotle spices.

Taste is moslty resonated within a blackened earthy malty crispness with some puffs of smoke behind it. Edged in is just a tad of chocolatey sweetness that arrives late as does black coffee and a light bell peppery spice that does have a pull to a chipotle creamy dressing. More black residuals perculate around the finish late. Subtle in most ways, but boldly forward where needed with a nice black smokey tang balanced well with chocolate and bell pepper sweetness. Solid.

Feel is an almost light medium, but it gathers a crescendo of earthy darkness and weight as it piles on all sorts of burntush character and roasty flavors as it grows into a heavier finish and a blackened smokey dryish finish. Carbonation is lean and mean, snappy, crisp, yet yeilding with just enough creamyness underneath to keep a soothing roastified smoothness.

Crazy drinkability. Gone in no time flat as it really offers alot to an easy drinking porter yet also says alot within its subtle complexity and tone. Each sip brings something anew to darkly discover. Especially in the back end. One fantastically solid porter from Tyranena!

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 18:55:58 | More by tavernjef

gford217

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle from Frankenbrew.

Pours completely black with a small but thick tan head that recedes very slowly to a thin cap leaving some solid lacing.

The aroma has a lot going on with mildly smoked black malts and cocoa powder. There is a hint of spiciness and burn from the peppers but it's subtle.

The taste is a little smokier than the aroma though it's not overpowering. The chocolate is present and more of the bitter chocolate variety which fades into a semi-spicy peppery finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and somewhere between porter and imperial porter. The carbonation is moderate.

This is an interesting beer to say the least. A spicy smoked porter that has numerous flavors, none of which takes over in the end.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 01:23:31 | More by gford217

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Opaque black and dark brown color. Two finger light brown head that recedes to a thin film of foam that eventually fades away. A little tan lacing sticks to my glass after each sip.

Great roasted mlat aroma of black bread crust chocolate, cocoa, coffee with just a hint of smokiness. Wouldn't think there were any chipotle peppers in this beer from the smell.

Roasty, bitter roasted malt. Coffee and dark chocolate play around nicely. The start has some chipotle smokiness. The middle is void of any smoke, but the finish is roasty. Add to that peppery, smokey chipotle and chocolate. Palate is dry and a little grainy. Good porter worth trying for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 01:13:18 | More by scruffwhor

ZAP

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A-Dark brown

S-Roasted malts...some mild char/smokiness...some dark chocolate...not much for peppers on the aroma...a little tobacco ash maybe....

T-Nice roasted maltiness....very subtle pepper flavor on the long finish...it is there but very soft....more smoky on the taste than the aroma...Really blends together into a fantastic flavorful beer.

M-Medium to full bodied....creamy texture...mild heat from the peppers on the finish...

D-I'm impressed with this...from the sounds of it I did not think this would be one I would like as I am not big on pepper beers but this has a perfect touch of peppers and is a splendid multidimensional brew....well done....again...

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2010 05:16:02 | More by ZAP

jrallen34

Illinois

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I had this on tap at the Map Room into a tulip...The beer is black with good medium tan head that is full and good lacing...The aroma is really nice lots of smoke but its nice because you can really pull out the chipotles. They don't overpower you but you give a enough to know they are there... The taste is really good, its mostly a lot of smoke but easy to drink with some coffee and chipotle. Its probably the best chipotle beer I've head.

Serving type: on-tap

05-21-2010 21:54:00 | More by jrallen34

dirtylou

Washington

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on draft at alchemy prior to a fishfry

cellphone notes

appearance: very dark brown, bordering on black body...creamy chocolate cap and strong retention. nice appearance for this one

smell: hard to pick up much pepper on the nose but there is a nice whiff of smoke, roasty, a touch of chocolate

taste: i didnt get the chipotle/pepper i was looking for as the presence was rather subtle. as a smoked porter this did quite well (though i didnt really feel the "imperial" aspect either). smoky, roasty, dry chocolate. interesting beer

mouthfeel: creamy and rich

drinkability: good, quaffed

Serving type: on-tap

04-04-2009 13:48:44 | More by dirtylou

cokes

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep, dark, opaque, chocolate brown with a tight trimming of beige.
Fudgey aroma, deepened with smoke, roasted grain. Not much chipotle to be found, but the imagination seems to pick up a hint of it in tow with the smoke. Like all of 'Nena's big porters, chocolate is king.
Doughy, wet brownie batter is the domination taste component. Smoke seems amped-up here compared to their previous porter incantations, though not in a chipotle sense. Roasted grain and coffee notes rear up and add burnt note and traces of acridity. Fudge stay dripping all over this. At the very end of the sip, a tracer of spice pokes up and provides a grainy snapshot of pepper.
Beefy, medium-full bodied with a struggling, but steady carbonation.
I've said it before, but I like the "base" porter in these Tyranena experiments an awful lot. But similar to their recent BGW Cherry porter, the namesake element may be too slight for its own good. Neither the pepper nor the smoke make a loud statement here. It's still quite good, but I expected something a bit wilder.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2009 06:43:46 | More by cokes