Porter - Russian River Brewing Company

DovaliHops

California

4.47/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was so disappointed I didn't try this beer the first time I visited this first-class brewery, so it's only natural I try it my second time I'm in Santa Rosa. This beer pours a dark brown, almost black with a nice tan head. The scent is so wonderfully sweet with hints of burnt almonds and peanuts. I also get some nice espresso and chocolate notes. Very aromatic porter. The taste is just what I was hoping for. Very full-flavored and complex. Nice nuttiness with sweet chocolate and espresso. A bit of bitterness as well which adds to the well-roundedness of this brew. Mouthfeel is not too watery (like the OVL Stout...want to give that beer one more chance before I review it...wasn't too impressed). The mouthfeel is almost perfect with a creamy finish. Great drinkability. Possibly the best Porter I've had...along with Founders Porter.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2010 07:27:49 | More by DovaliHops

littlesgtpepper

Washington

4.05/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Had on tap at the Russian River Brewery in a 10oz glass.

Black as the hell gates of doom, this beer has no head and I couldn't see through the beer when I held it to the light.

The smell is intense, with strong espresso, bitter chocolate, and heavy roasty malt. A tiny hoppy smell but faint.

This beer actually matches pretty close to the aroma, which is strange, but with a heavy dose of nuts, like cashews and walnuts. I've never tasted this strong of a nut flavor, not even in any browns I've had. A wonderful flavor!

This porter will shoot up near the top of my list as a near-perfect porter. The only problems with this beer is the mouthfeel, which is so heavy it's like drinking milkshake and the drinkability. One 10oz glass of this is more than enough.

Serving type: on-tap

09-25-2010 05:09:04 | More by littlesgtpepper

berkey

California

4.35/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

64 oz Russian River growler filled 09/19/10 consumed and reviewed 09/20/10. Poured into an RR branded glass of course.

Aroma is roasty with an unexpected slight floral character. Sweet underpinnings of chocolate do a much better job keeping the roast from dominating than I remember from previous tastings.

Flavor is very consistent with the aroma. Chocolate is still subtle and relegated to the background allowing the roasty but not necessarily coffee-like characteristics shine without dominating. Aftertaste on this beer is fairly astringent but less so than many familiar American Porters.

I've had this numerous times at the pub but this is much better than I remember. Always thought this was a solid porter but not as great as some other versions I had tried. Possibly because this is the first time I've had this as my only beer of the night and not after one of my favorite Russian River palate destroyers. Whatever the reason, this was among the most enjoyable porters I've had. Nearly finished the growler myself in one day.

Serving type: growler

09-24-2010 19:42:17 | More by berkey

Sean9689

Illinois

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

Thanks to Alex for shipping this and Hopfather to me to open up on a random Sunday with some friends. Cool RR growler into various tasting glasses.

A - Pours black, off-white head, good retention on top as the cap and some slight lacing here and there along the sides.

S - Roasted malts, woody notes, some coffee, some smoke in there as well.

T - Basically what is smells like. Roasted malts character, some smoke, oak, very slight coffee. Not hoppy at all, which is awesome but then again, not too malty. Pretty much, right down the middle of awesome.

M - Light to medium, yet rich and smooth with light carbonation, perfect for the style.

D - Very solid and I just kept drinking glass after glass. I have always wanted to try this one and I think I liked it better then I thought I would. RR is basically the best brewery out there. The make awesome sours, hoppy IPA/DIPAs, and this masterpiece. Excellent.

Serving type: growler

08-23-2010 23:34:41 | More by Sean9689

jrallen34

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Huge thanks to Alex for shipping this from RR and Sean sharing it with us yesterday.

The perfect porter session beer, makes me think this is what a good small pub English beer tastes like.

A dark brown pour, tons of carbonation in a light tan head, good retention and lacing...Aroma and taste are similar and awesome. Light coffee, nice roastyness, super tastey and super easy to drink. Kept coming back to this growler throughout the night.

Get some of this right away.

Serving type: growler

08-23-2010 22:19:05 | More by jrallen34

hooliganlife

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

On tap at RR

Pour was a dark cola with a nice creamy head that lingered, even leaving some lacing. Great retention.

Lots of roasted malts and dark fruit with a light coffee.

Very dry, lots of roasted flavor with a very light smokiness. No real hop flavors stood out. This was all roasted flavors. Light coffee hidden through out.

Light body, a bit thin, very porter like. Nice mild carbonation.

This struck me more as a stout and not a porter. I was expecting a sweetness but this lacked that. It was ok, I doubt I try it any time soon.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2010 04:42:48 | More by hooliganlife

Ineedabeerhere

Connecticut

4.63/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Review #250, thanks to Chris for the growler! From notes during a double brewday.

Great appearance, nice pop when we opened the growler, great sign for heat this was shipped in. Pours black into tulip with huge beige head composed of tiny bubbles, great retention and impeccable lacing.

This beer is really kind of interesting. It's not particularly dominant in any one way that you might find a porter- it has a subtle hop character in the nose, delicate roasted note with chocolate and malty base in the taste. Low level of bitterness, but just enough to balance. Somewhat creamy in mouthfeel, but still somehow remains light on the palate. Supremely drinkable, I think we killed this growler in less than a half hour while eating some steaks. Nearly textbook porter in my book, though not necessarily striking or overly assertive in any certain way. But how can I fault it for that? Another amazing brew by Russian River.

Serving type: growler

08-07-2010 15:38:31 | More by Ineedabeerhere

djmichaelk

Florida

4.45/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewery, served in a pint glass.

A - Very dark brown, nearly black. Small one-finger head, the color of mocha. Doesn't stick around too long. Some bits of patchy lacing on the glass.

S - Roasty toastiness. Lots of sweet milk chocolate and dark roasted coffee, with hints of earthiness in the back. It's a little muted but otherwise smells great.

T - More bitter than sweet, but I love the way that the sweetness of the chocolate flavor contrasts with the bitterness of the roasted coffee flavor, with vanilla somewhere in between. The earthy notes contribute to the dryness. This is maybe the best non-BA porter I've had to date.

M - Thick and creamy at first, then it dries up in the finish. Although it makes it almost chalky at times, for some reason it's not unpleasant.

D - Just about off the charts. With the low abv and big flavor, I could sit and drink this all day. The only thing preventing me from doing that is it being tap-only at the brewpub, and there's just too many other quality choices to work my way through.

O - A great porter. I'd love to bring a growler of this home with me next time I'm here. I hope they decide to bottle this soon.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2010 09:48:07 | More by djmichaelk

augustgarage

California

3.88/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap @ the brewpub - served in a 10oz nonic.

Clear dark auburn body suffused with ruby highlights. Small beige head dissipates to a creamy uniform collar. Nice pasty lacing.

Roast malt, peach pits, and faint tobacco in the nose.

A touch of coffee, black bread, and hazlenuts on the palate. Faint cocoa in the finish. Fruity, malty, and straight-forward with a medium-dry finish.

Very slightly astringent, moderately carbonated, and medium-bodied.

Better paired with food, but still a decent example of the style on its own. I prefer a bit more roast and depth of malt complexity, but others might find this less drinkable if the flavor profile were to move more in that direction.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2010 19:36:43 | More by augustgarage

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz tap pour into a nonic. 5.70% ABV, 41 IBUs, On-tap at Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa, CA.

A - RR Porter arrives at my table with a totally black body and a thick tan head. It left fantastic lace all over the glass! Sexy.

S - The overarching toastyness keeps it's presence even through the chocolate roasted malts and low dry cocoa dustiness. Minute hops appear on the finish.

T - This porter tastes delicious with a deeply roasted coffee and chocolate malt with a dry cocoa finish that fades to an earthly hoppy flavor.

M - Porter is medium-bodied with a smooth texture leading into a dry hop/roasted bitter finish. Great feel to compliment the flavor.

D - I think the hops come out a bit more than I'd like in this beer but it's a fantastic porter with good drinkability nonetheless.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2010 00:59:01 | More by BeerFMAndy

glid02

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Toronado San Diego.

Pours one shade from black with a one-finger tan head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of rich roasted malts with good amounts of dark and milk chocolate aromas backing things up. As it warms very mild amounts of vanilla make an appearance.

Tastes similar to how it smells. Smooth roasted malt flavors with almost no char kick things off. Joining in shortly thereafter are good amounts of dark chocolate with sweeter and smoother milk chocolate flavors not far behind. Midway through the sip hints of earthy hops and vanilla flavors make an appearance, carrying through to a solidly bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is very good. It's got a smooth thickness with soft carbonation.

Drinkability is also very good. I finished my glass quickly and could easily have a few more.

Overall this proves that RR isn't all hop bombs and wild ales. A very well done and very drinkable porter, well worth a shot if you can get your hands on it.

Serving type: on-tap

05-14-2010 19:01:11 | More by glid02

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Growler courtesy of wavers1. Opened and shared at Dark Lord Day 2010.

A: Pours a very dark brown with a nice tan head.

S: Plenty of roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate. Nothing too complex, but very well done.

T: Similar to the nose in characteristics. Nice depth of the present flavors. Nothing earth-shattering, but at the same time very nice for the style.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

D: Quite drinkable, especially for the style. Thanks again to wavers1 for getting this out to me, as this is one I had been waiting to try for a long time.

Serving type: growler

05-03-2010 15:38:09 | More by Thorpe429

kkipple

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Swank Russian River swingtop growler thanks to WesPatrick down here in Cola-town. Split two ways - hmm!

A. Big head (for a porter) rises up then falls fast to just cover the surface of this clear, deep tobacco brown ale. Pretty, nothing special.

S. Cool, clean, roasty. Well balanced and full of cocoa, roasted grain and earthy notes. Reminds me of Foothills Peoples Porter. Grows as it warms. Quite solid - no flaws.

T. Flirts with being English, lightly hopped, very harmonious flavors intertwine in this softly delicious porter - you have medium amounts of cocoa, a bit of licorice, a dash of sourness (interesting), some char-roast, brown nutty malt, extremely flavorful. Reserved, avoids being too roasty or hoppy like many US porters are wont to do. Very nice example of a US brewer flexing his muscles.

M / D. Very smooth and easy to drink, low to middling carbonation. No surprises, classic Porter stuff here.

Russian River has made a very good porter here, but to be honest it's not worth making a big effort to obtain. This isn't any better than say, Founder's offering, but that itself is high praise. If I lived out in Vinne's territory I'd drink this often.

Serving type: growler

05-02-2010 06:46:53 | More by kkipple

popery

California

4.47/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tap, City Beer Store. Very good porter. This beer pours dark brown, black in the shade, with a nice tan head. The aroma is mostly chocolate, roast and coffee. It's a nearly ideal balance for a standard porter. The flavor is balanced, not too sweet, not too dry. The hops are relatively light, allowing the malt to take center stage. It's just an easy drinking, well-made beer, the kind of porter that every brewpub tries to make but rarely gets just right. This is a good beer and I'd love to have it again sometime.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2010 03:09:34 | More by popery

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

3.9/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a growler at Dyan's the other night.

The beer pours a very dark brown color with very good head retention and decent lacing. The nose is attractive in this beer, though I thought it a bit light. I got some noticeable coffee, coupled with some light, peppery bitterness, but not much else. The beer has a bit more flavor on the palate, and there is a roasty quality to it that I like. The flavor profile otherwise replicates the nose, and the beer is on the dry side as porters go. Mouthfeel is light, though still pretty full, with a good finish. I am assuming the alcohol is pretty low in this beer (now confirmed) and drinkability is pretty good.

A nice enough beer, but one easy to overlook, I think, in the impressive stable of beers from Russian River. Judging from other reviews, I have to wonder if the beer had deteriorated just a bit when I sampled it the other night.

Serving type: growler

03-02-2010 15:00:35 | More by johnmichaelsen

DefenCorps

Oregon

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

This beer was on tap at RRBC the last time I was there. However, they also had Sanctification and Consecration at the time (right after they debuted Consecration), and so, I wasn't interested in anything else, not even Pliny the Elder. Watching the reviews slowly come in, I realized I'd made quite the blunder by passing on it. And then, a growler shows up on my doorstep, quite unexpectedly from the ever generous largadeer who tossed this in as an extra in a recent trade. Thanks, Chris!

The pour is quite gorgeous, dark brown with reddish highlights and a dense light brown head capping it. Retention is excellent, as is the lacing.

This is everything I want a porter to be. Rich with a blend of coffee grounds, dark chocolate bitterness, a delicate creamy character, there's also a light, minty hop character in the back along with a little vanilla. Top notch stuff.
The palate opens with a fabulous blend of smooth coffee, a nice cocoa bitterness, both countered by a mellow caramel-like sweetness. Creamy with a mellow earthy character mid-palate, this beer finishes dry with a lasting chocolate-like bitterness. While just a touch sweeter than most porters out there, this is beautifully executed. Medium in body with a moderate level of carbonation, despite being poured 18 days back, this is a top notch porter, probably my favorite along with the Edmund Fitzgerald. Outstanding drinkability, I could quaff this entire growler with no issues.

Serving type: growler

02-24-2010 01:50:50 | More by DefenCorps

barleywinefiend

Washington

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

On tap at RR for PtY Release 2010
Poured a dark brown with good carbonation and a nice tannish head. Nose is chcololate and roasted malt. Taste is lots of chocolate, some coffee, roasted malts well balanced. It is medium bodied, creamy, dry finish. Drinkability is good, very good. Just a good balance of booze, malts and flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2010 15:10:27 | More by barleywinefiend

womencantsail

California

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

On-tap 2/5/10 at the brewpub.

A: The pour is a deep, dark brown color with a finger's worth of tan foam.

S: Great notes of coffee, roasted malt, and chocolate. There is a slight smokiness and even a touch of vanilla.

T: The flavor is a bit more heavy on the coffee and roasted malt with less of a chocolate presence. The smokiness is there as well, but once again just provides a bit of complexity. There's also a slight bitterness on the finish.

M: The body is on the full side of medium with a moderate level of creamy carbonation.

D: Quite a complex and delicious porter. I have been looking forward to trying this one for some time and it did not disappoint.

Serving type: on-tap

02-08-2010 06:46:24 | More by womencantsail

jeffjeff1

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this today at Russian River Brewery. It was part of the sampler.

Appearance- black color, nice head

Smell- roasted malt, coffee

Taste- roasted malt, coffee

Mouthfeel- full bodied

Drinkability- Excellent, I loved this porter. It was awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2010 00:42:03 | More by jeffjeff1

Chambic

California

3.53/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

01.28.10 at Pi Bar

A: deep, deep black; head dissipates quickly, with heavy lace

S: rich cocoa

T: less cocoa, more coffee, like a bitter dark roast that stays on the back of the mouth

M: fizz hangs out along the roof of the mouth

D: pretty damn good

I didn't even know this beer existed! It's not my favorite RR, but only because there are too many RRs I love.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2010 21:18:54 | More by Chambic

HopHead84

California

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

1/29/2010

Two pints consumed on tap at O'Brien's Russian River night. It's black with a creamy light brown head. The nose is roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee with a subtle astringency. The flavor is equally impressive, displaying a perfect balance between roasted mal, chocolate, and coffee, with a light bitterness. The finish is roasted, earthy, and bitter chocolate with a dash of coffee. The mouthfeel is full and creamy. Excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2010 07:10:12 | More by HopHead84

WeisGuy

New York

4.72/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Have had this a few times at the brewpub, the most recent being last Saturday. From notes:

a - pours a deep brown only a few shades short of black with a creamy, one-inch tan head, nice retention and excellent lacing

s - big notes of deeply roasted malt, dark chocolate and cream/vanilla, hints of smokiness and earth, really jumps out of the glass

t - much like the aroma, big roasted malt and dark chocolate and cream up front with a bit of bittersweet chocolate on the mid-palate, some bitter coffee notes mixed with a vanilla creaminess trail into the finish, very complex and well-integrated flavors all the way through, alcohol not that noticeable

m - medium-to-full bodied, moderate carbonation, pretty smooth on the palate though, not a whole lot of alcohol warming

d - very drinkable porter, pretty easy and well-balanced on the palate, flavors are very complex and interesting without tiring out the palate

Easily one of the best porters I've ever tasted. Really incredible stuff that I hope more people get the chance to try.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2010 05:07:31 | More by WeisGuy

photomike

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours a very deep clear ruby color with an incredible creamy head. Crazy thick head which never seems to dissipate. Tons of lacing. The perfect porter appearance.

Smell is really roasty with some woody smoke and stale coffee grounds. Biscuity and satisfying.

Taste is nice as well. Roasty, milky, and slightly smoky with a distinct but well-integrated hop presence, particularly in the finish.

Medium bodied, I expected a slightly richer experience based on reviews. Nice bright carbonation is a touch much, especially considering that I've had the growler for 4 days prior to opening, but overall, not bad at all; for the style, this is right on.

Insanely drinkable. I'm halfway through the growler by myself, and the last couple pints will be no sweat. Delicious and easy-drinking.

Serving type: growler

01-10-2010 05:57:17 | More by photomike

corby112

Pennsylvania

4.65/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark chestnut brown with deep mahogany edges when held to a light source. Completely opaque with a two finger frothy, soapy light beige head with excellent retention, only slowly fading into a lasting cap that streaks the glass with sheets of soapy lacing.

This beer has a wonderful nose. The perfect amount of roasted malt balanced out by lots of chocolate, caramel, toffee, hazelnut and slightly burnt bread. Smokey enough without dominating the aroma.

Slightly smokey medium body with the perfect balance of sweet chocolate, caramel and toffee and slightly bitter roastiness, bitter hops and lactic creaminess. Very complex, extremely well balanced and insanely quaffable. One of the best examples of the style I've ever had. Not to extreme yet not to light bodied. I could session this beer all night. Highly recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

01-09-2010 07:25:14 | More by corby112

Arbitrator

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the RR brewpub on Dec. 18th. From notes.

A: Pours a dark, but ultimately clear, burnt brown color that leans toward black in the center of the glass where it is thickest. The server brings it with a finger of tan head that retains excellently while I work on something else. In all, probably about 10 minutes of retention, and it leaves suds down the glass to boot. Wow.

S: Roasted grain is very strong in the nose; it's chocolatey second, with a bitter earthiness that follows behind. Very pungent and bold.

T: Like the nose, it begins with a rich, roasted flavor that transitions beautifully into bittersweet cocoa and a not-insubstantial coffee element. The hops are well chosen here, and they close out the flavor with a dry bitterness that pulls into the finish to couple with more roast. Despite this, the overall impression is one of sweetness, and even the girlfriend enjoyed this very much.

M: Smooth and creamy. Fuller-bodied than medium, and a tad thicker than I was expecting. It finishes nicely and is easy on the aftertaste.

D: Very high. It's really damn tasty for a 6% porter. I always talk about the RR sours and IPAs; where the hell has this one been and why didn't anyone tell me about it?

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2009 21:03:02 | More by Arbitrator