Porter - Russian River Brewing Company

bulletrain76

California

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

Draught at the brewpub. Dark brown with a beige head. Creamy chocolate and roasted malt aroma. Lots of chocolatey and toasty malt flavors with a hoppy, bitter finish. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. A really tastey, hoppy take on porter, though it might be even better with a beefier malt profile.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2009 08:11:50 | More by bulletrain76

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

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

kojevergas

California

3.7/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on-draught into a nonic pint glass at Russian River in Santa Rosa. Reviewed from notes.

A: Pours a half finger head of nice cream, decent thickness, and okay retention. Colour is a solid black.

Sm: Milk, coffee, roast, chocolate, toffee, and light nuts. A moderate strength aroma. Maybe there's some cream in there.

T: Nicely chocolatey (though not particularly rich), with depth in terms of caramelized malts and light nuts. Light cream notes are also present, joined by the other notes from the nose to form a very well balanced brew. Built nicely, but without anything special or unique.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with nice cream. Complements the flavours and style well.

Dr: Very drinkable. Slides right down. I'd have it again, but Russian River has better beers. Give her a spin if you're lucky enough to find her. Fans of the style rejoice.

Serving type: on-tap

12-24-2011 21:00:11 | More by kojevergas

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

elNopalero

Texas

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

This pours a coca-colored dark brown color with a lot of foam sitting atop. It has a big roasty aroma—very roast-forward—and the flavor follows suit with a defining roast and some unexpected chalk. I found this rough around the edges, surprisingly, and it didn’t work for me. A rare disappointment from Russian River.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2012 17:55:33 | More by elNopalero

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

inlimbo77

Delaware

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

A: This pours almost black. It's a dirty, dark brown with reddish hues. There is a very light tan head. Leaves some sticky lacing. The head sticks around.

S: I am pulling those traditional porter notes: light roast coffee, some chocolate, some nuttiness, etc. Smells pretty middle of the road.

T: The taste is more brown ale than porter. It's actually very nutty. I do get that light roast coffee. Leads to a little bitterness on the tongue. Then you get some dusting of cocoa in the mid-palate. The finish is fairly dry.

M: This is a medium body

Serving type: on-tap

09-13-2012 19:56:20 | More by inlimbo77