Porter - Russian River Brewing Company

jrallen34

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +6.3%
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

willjschmidt

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap in a pint glass at the Toronado in SF.

A: Black as night with an excellent head.

S: Burnt coffee with a hint of chocolate.

T: A very, very good porter. Roasted coffee, smokiness, a bit of chocolate with a bitter finish.

M: Creamy, smooth, medium-bodied.

D: A great porter, I'd like to see this around more often.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2009 01:40:33 | More by willjschmidt

largadeer

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Notes from a couple weekends back, enjoyed on tap at the brewpub.

Appearance: Dark brown/black, no transparency I could see. 1/2 inch of creamy white head that left wisps of lace.

Smell: Roasted grain and cacao, dry and bitter, earthy. Bold for a porter.

Taste & mouthfeel: Rich, earthy and dry. Roasted barley meets coffee and baker's chocolate. Not terribly sweet, and full on the palate for the style. Bittersweet earthy finish with lingering roastiness. Very good stuff, one of the best American porters I've tried.

Serving type: on-tap

02-04-2009 05:26:33 | More by largadeer

HopHead84

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
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

womencantsail

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
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

DefenCorps

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
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

Sean9689

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
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

scottfrie

California

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Growler purchased at the brewery. Poured into 25oz snifter.

A: Pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a creamy chocolate-brown head that slowly faded into a wispy film. Great spots of bubbly lacing were left down the whole glass.
S: I get light smoky and roasted notes with a hint of coffee and dark chocolate. Once this beer hit room temperature I got a few notes of herbal hops.
T: Follows the nose with very creamy yet roasted flavors of chocolate a just a hint of coffee. There is a sweetness to this brew as well, and I also get a hint of vanilla. The finish has a very nice hoppy bitterness to it, and the aftertaste is roasted and lingers long after the swallow.
M: Exceptionally smooth and creamy mouthfeel, low soft carbonation, and a good chewy viscosity to the body that makes this a pleasure to drink.
O: A very smoky, creamy, smooth and roasted porter, and definitely in my top 3 for the style. It’s a shame this is not regularly bottled as one could drink this all day.

Serving type: growler

10-22-2011 01:12:33 | More by scottfrie

popery

California

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
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

glid02

Georgia

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
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

DovaliHops

California

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
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

bkrueger

California

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed at the brewery on 11/15, poured into a pint glass. Notes written on a coaster.

Appearance - Dark black, quarter of an inch of creamy espresso colored head which dissipated quickly.

Smell - Espresso roast, burnt malts, chocolate.

Taste - Espresso, carbonated bubbles of burnt malts, lots of slightly hoppy espresso with a bite. Finishes creamy but with a ton of hoppy bite.

Mouthfeel - More carbonation and less of a chalky feel that many porters have. It has a very full mouthfeel that is almost creamy lactic but still has the slightly hoppy mouthfeel which is coming through from the taste.

Overall - Very good. I love getting something here that never makes it into bottles for distribution, especially when it is delicious. If you see this beer give it a try because it is a very good porter.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2011 03:43:28 | More by bkrueger

HuskyinPDX

Washington

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Russian River.

A - Served a dark brown with lighter edges. Dark tan head.

S - Strong coffee and chocolate. Nice aromas.

T - Spot on same as the smell, which a good thing.

D - Average body and carbonatin for a porter. Slight hint of bitterness.

O - Maybe the surprise of the day for me.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2011 02:57:48 | More by HuskyinPDX

nataku00

California

4.47/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed from notes.

On tap poured into a pint glass. Beer poured dark brown, almost black, with half a finger of tan colored creamy head. Nice lacing as you drink from the glass. A few bubbles visible at the edge of the glass.

Nose is pungent, nicely roasty, with roasted coffee, malts, but not very darkly roasted as there is no astringency. Light bittersweet chocolate and grassy hops helps to balance the roast.

Taste like the aroma, roasted coffee and malt, creating some slight dark fruit flavors. Light grassy hop bittering as well before the sweeter roasted malt brings some bittersweet chocolate flavors. Finishes dry with lingering light roasted and grassy hop bitterness.

Light to medium body with good fine carbonation creating a creamy mouthfeel. Very nice porter.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2012 22:27:17 | More by nataku00

xhcadamx

Maine

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

A - As black as they get for a robust porter. slight brown at the edges only if held up to light. Nice tan head with EXTREME lacing.

S - Coffee, Chocolate, and a little burnt malt. Smells delicious

T - Lots of coffee upfront with some chocolate. Very bitter at the end.

M - Surprisingly thin for the flavor but very welcomed as thick chewy beers get tiresome to drink

D - I had three at the brewpub and it was time to go. I wish I could have had three more

I love porters and stouts but I end up getting tired of the sweetness. This beer had the perfect amount of bitterness.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2008 02:05:19 | More by xhcadamx

djmichaelk

Florida

4.45/5  rDev +4%
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

nickd717

California

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

Review dated 1/13/2009.

On tap at Toronado in SF. Nicely done porter, one I could drink all night. Dark brown, nearly black in color with tan head. Coffee, bitter cocoa, and roastiness on the aroma. Same on the flavor, lots of coffee and some licorice. Smooth mouthfeel.

Serving type: on-tap

08-25-2011 16:02:38 | More by nickd717

abfraser

California

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Currently on tap at Toronado in SF. Glad I stumbled on to this one. Perhaps one of the most well-made "regular" porters I've had.

A: Basically black, with a big thick frothy white head.

S: Classic porter aromas of chocolate and coffee.

T/M: Rich and robust coffee and chocolate flavors. Has the perfect amount of carbonation so it never becomes too intense on the palate. Good creamy mouthfeel.

D: The definition of drinkable for a porter.

This is just classic. I didn't know Russian River made this but I'm now glad to know they do.

Serving type: on-tap

01-23-2009 03:31:30 | More by abfraser

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Served a dark brown black with a bit of red coming through around the edges and a finger of frothy chocolate head atop. Head fades at a normal pace leaving some nice lacing behind.

S - Aroma is full of roasted caramel malts and coffee. Touch of chocolate as well with a bit of earthy hop.

T - Starts off with a mix of some roasted sweet caramel malt and a touch of coffee flavor. Through the middle some chocolate malt and a touch of earthy hop comes through. Finish is a mix of lots of roasted malts with a bit of chocolate and coffee lingering.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Very smooth with a toasty and dry mouthfeel.

D - Very drinkable. Really nicely balanced and smooth porter. The flavors are a good mix of rich and very sessionable.

Serving type: on-tap

04-19-2012 19:37:11 | More by ngeunit1

MisterClean

California

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Vinny's place.

A - Pours a dark mahogany, four fingers, and takes forever to dissipate. Leaves some nice lacing too.

S - Coriander, clove, light roast coffee, and toffee.

T - Chocolate, coffee, grassy hops, just really good.

M - Very filling, full mouthfeel.

D - So good for a porter. Not overly hoppy either.

Serving type: on-tap

01-19-2009 17:49:57 | More by MisterClean

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Slightly clear dark black with a ruby tint. One finger ecru head with moderate head retention and moderate lacing.

S - Faint nose of dark chocolate, malt.

T - Amazingly deep and complex stout with heavy dark chocolate, coffee, malt, roasted espresso with a nice bitter finish. Just a touch of booze. Don't let the nose fool you this is a monster of flavor.

M - Full body, moderate carbonation.

O - Amazing, one of the best porters and quite a surprise when you smell it. Tastes so fricken good and looks like the belle of the ball.

Serving type: on-tap

03-12-2012 17:54:06 | More by williamjbauer

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on-tap at the brew pub. What a great porter! Just a near perfect blend of roastiness, hoppy bite, solid malts, and smoothness. Not over the top, not extreme, just very well balanced with nice depth. Dry, but not hollow. No grainy sourness at all, and the grain is not over roasted and bitter, but deep in flavor while still imparting a mellowness. Judicious use of hops ensure a nice bitter backbone that isn't overdone, and a slightly piney juiciness that is quite appetizing. I've always resisted ordering this when at the pub, just because there are so many other "more interesting" options, but this is another great beer from probably my favorite brewery, and I'm glad I ordered it.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2012 21:15:51 | More by Georgiabeer

Gusler

Arizona

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Draught @ O’Brien’s San Diego
The beer in its comforting pint glass appears black as midnight, the head a soft chocolate crown, the lace a concealing curtain to drape the glass. Nose is sweetly malt, nicely toasted grain, fresh and inviting with the start sweet and malty, top is moderate in feel. Finnish is benign in its acidity, the hops delectable, dry and somewhat sweet aftertaste, a damn good porter in my book, and had to have three or four pints as it’s just too good to pass up.

Serving type: on-tap

06-14-2004 19:55:59 | More by Gusler

paytoplay

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap and on Cask obriens 15th annv, cask was a step above the keg version. Dark coco malt coffee. Richness to it. Top porter I've ever had. Great complex mid palate and nice finish. Texture was of course amazing as the cask conditioning really made this stand out. Keg version missed some of that but had all the complex aroma and mouth filling joyness. Really enjoyed this beer.

Serving type: cask

02-01-2009 00:41:46 | More by paytoplay

mjl21

California

4.38/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewpub. Poured into a pint glass. Comes in at 42 IBUs and 6.30%.

A-When presented, it is very dark. Due to the dim lighting in the brewpub, I could not tell if it was dark brown or black. Has a really nice fluffy one finger tan head that sticks around. Lacing covers a huge portion of the glass.

S-Lots of roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate are to be found. Being as it is from RR I also get some pine and citrus hops.

T-The hops present in the nose are upfront, but quickly give way to the malt. The sweet and roasted malt play very well off of each other. It is quite reminiscent of a good cup of coffee cut with some cream, sugar, and a tad bit of chocolate.

M-Full bodied and smooth from the nice amount of head that sticks around.

D-I put into my iPhone notes under this category that it is a damn good porter. I think that about sums it up.

I really dug this beer. You don't think of porters and stouts when you think of RR, but this one delivered. A growler of this will be picked up in the near future.

Serving type: on-tap

06-25-2009 00:19:26 | More by mjl21