Black Earth Porter - Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company (Downtown)

Benish

Wisconsin

4.31/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Had this at the Grumpy Troll in Fitchburg today. A friend recommended this. It was jet black and was served at almost room temperature (they know what they're doing). It had a white head that retained for 5 minutes or so. My spouse reported that I had a "mustache."

I smelled both coffee and some dark chocolate. I believe no coffee is added to this but this almost surprises me considering that I think the coffee overpowers the chocolate.

Taste wise, it's excellent. It had that rich creamy mouthfeel. Very smooth and easy to drink. Tasted roasted malt plus more dark chocolate. In a way, it's a relaxing beer to drink, not overwhelming.
Be sure to order this!

Serving type: on-tap

05-12-2013 03:27:12 | More by Benish

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.65/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed on tap at the downtown brewpub. One of the better beers here, coffee grounds and coffee more than chocolate, 35 IBu and 6.25% abv. Black with some head. a little acidic. Coffee in the nose. Above average mouthfeel.Good for its style. Decent drinkability if you overlook the bias to coffee.

Serving type: on-tap

09-09-2011 03:00:17 | More by northyorksammy

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

had on draft yesterday while eating lunch at the great dane brewpub in downtown Madison, WI. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance: medium black bodied beer with reddish highlight. medium tan head that is about 1 fingers of head and it sticks everywhere on the glass. Fantastic looking porter!

Smell: Chocolate and coffee.

Taste: Nice chocolatey notes and a mildly bitter coffee bite. The chocolate is neverending and I can get lost in this beer its an awesome porter. Just a small hinting of smokiness that lends good complexity to the porter.

Mouthfeel: Like a thin milkshake! Medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation.

Overall: This is my favorite beer at the Great Dane! Way better than the Emerald Island Stout. I think that next visit I am bring 3 growlers to fill with this beer to take home. I wish all porters were this awesome!

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2011 06:00:43 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

CuriousMonk

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on draught at the downtown Madison, Wisconsin brewpub. Pours an opaque dark brown brew with a light tan head that slowly dissipates to a tan ring. Aroma of toasted and smoked black malt, some light chocolate, coffee and a hint of roasted nuts. Taste is medium bodied, lightly carbonated with flavors of toasted/smoked dark malt, some chocolate, coffee and some floral hops. Finish has a mild toasted dark malt and chocolate aftertaste that slowly disappears. One of the better Porters I've had especially on tap!

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2011 21:07:46 | More by CuriousMonk

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a shaker pint glass at the Madison brewpub.

Another entry in my pre-interview extravaganza. It pours a dark ruby-tinted onyx topped by a finger of tan froth. The nose comprises coffee, maple syrup, molasses, and roasted malts. The taste runs along similar lines, with more coffee and roasted malt flavors and the addition of some sweet chocolate and some light vanilla. The body is a light medium, with a light carbonation and a velvety smooth feel. Overall, a very nice porter; great-tasting, but a bit on the light side to me.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2010 18:53:32 | More by TMoney2591

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap @ the Great Dane (Madison, WI) on 8/8/09. Served in a pint glass.

Pours a pitch black, with a finger of rich dark mocha colored head. Retains with a rigid half finger of smooth and creamy foam, that leaves some thick patchy lace back. Rich look to this. The aroma is just loaded with robust coffee and roast, and much sweeter notes of chocolate and toffee. Fresh, green floral tones punch up the back of this. Wow, this is a nice smelling Porter!

The taste is hugely rich, with coffee being even stronger this time around, mixing in with roast and hops to form a strong bitter backbone. Assertive notes of sweet chocolate and caramel malts add some good balance to this. There is also a well done earthy and citrus component to the hops, that ends this dry and spicy. I love it! The mouthfeel is medium bodied in the mouth, but man, this is smooth and easy in the mouth! Very drinkable, but still emits a good bit of presence in the mouth.

A beer that truly earns it's name, packing some dark & crunchy American Porter character, while still retaining that earthy hop profile from the English style. Full and robust, with a hugely quaffable nature to it, I could drink this all night long. Great stuff!

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2009 16:55:30 | More by Kegatron

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.47/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Brown-black with a tan head, not much retention, but leaves a nice lace.

S: This is a roasty, robust porter, with plenty of chocolate, mocha & coffee aroma's. Slightly bready with some subtle ale esters.

T: Awesome roasted flavour, without any unpleasant burntness. Mocha, dark chocolate and dark caramel with a good bitterness to back it up.

M: Moderate to full body is very smooth.

D: Very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2008 02:34:14 | More by Derek

Deuane

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Black with deep brown highlights. Medium tan head that reduced t leave heavy lace. Mighty fine looking brew.

S-Nice, full roasty malt nose. A bit of smoke aroma comes through in the background.

T-Full frontal attack of roasted malt. Almost a burnt quality leading to a bit of smokiness. Whoa...this is a big boy porter, nice!

M-Medium-heavy body with a pleasant dry finish.

D-A solid roasty, robust porter. Full of body and assertiveness. A winner from TGD, best brew of the night!

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2008 05:55:17 | More by Deuane

DaPeculierDane

Wisconsin

4.7/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

My standby brew at the Dane when none of the specials attract me. Often served on nitro, and sometimes on cask, this is a fine porter. Appearance is a very dark brown mahogany, very close to black with a thick and lasting dark khaki head. Rich and full aroma of intense roasted malt, dark chocolate cocoa, whole milk, espresso, and dark fruit. Taste is large. Tons of well roasted coffee and chocolate milk flavors. Bakers chocolate. Caramel, raison, and blackberry too but it all comes back to a huge roastiness. Smooth, easy drinking, medium bodied beer with faint lactic qualities. Sessionable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-13-2008 14:47:07 | More by DaPeculierDane

BeerBelcher

Ohio

3.65/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at the Great Dane on Doty. I thought this beer had an impressive array of flavors in it for a porter - it was roasty, buttery, and a bit sour. More complexity than I've become accustomed to from a porter.

This beer poured a thin opaque black. Aroma was pleasantly malty and roasted, with some fairly subtle burned notes. Flavors were roasty at first, with a full-mouth butteriness I usually associate with some red wines. Later, as it warmed, I got a bit of sourness also. Mouthfeel was a bit flat and thin. All-in-all, I would recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2007 12:29:56 | More by BeerBelcher

Erdinger2003

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I got this with a salad with grilled chicken and it was fantastic! I got the beer and there was a good head, but it dissapated right away. It had a great black color to it. The smell was smooth light coffee and a few chocolate tones. The taste was a lighter black porter, and was great!! I loved it and it got even better the more I had my salad. The mouthfeel was smooth and nice, a little more towads smoother water. Overall if I lived in Madison I would drink that porter with every meal at the Great Dane, awsome!!

Serving type: on-tap

02-12-2007 11:33:17 | More by Erdinger2003

terrabyte

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

At first I thought this was poured from a nitrous pump. It look and tasted just like it. After asking the barkeeper about it, he explained that it was actually a hand pump for carbonation.

Very dark black pour with a tall nitrous looking head.

Smells just like roasted chocolate. There is no mistaking or missing the aroma, it's huge.

Flavor was thick on chocolate and roasted coffee. There was a hint of black licorice. Aftertaste was creamy with chocolate milk, a slightly harsh astringency. It was sweet, but nothing I'd complain as too sweet. If someone told me this was an oatmeal or milk stout I would have believed them. Naming this beer "Black Earth" was a great idea. There are many earthy flavors complexing the flavor of this beer.

Mouthful was nice and thick. I know I'm in the minority here when I say I had those nitrous widgets in Guiness cans. I hate Guinness poured from a nitrous tap. So, I found this carbonation a little distracting.

This was my favorite beer at The Great Dane. The aroma and flavor was big and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-23-2006 18:59:42 | More by terrabyte

beerphilosopher

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sampled last time I was in Madison on business. I always try to stop in the Great Dane when I'm there ... nice place. Anyway ... poured an opaque black with a nice, thick brown head that lasts. Tons of sticky lacing in the pint. Nose is of dark chocolate, carameled malts, espresso, and nice fragrant hops. Palate is definitely strong of mocha coffee, baker's chocolate, and a good hop presence to offset what could be a cloying palate. Finishes dry with a great hop bitterness in the mouth. Body is medium. A really good porter in every respect. Truly enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2006 17:37:06 | More by beerphilosopher

rhoadsrage

Illinois

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

(Served in an American pint glass)

A- This beer has a jet black body with a thick tan head that last and last.

S- The smell of dark roasted malt has notes of earthiness and coffee beans that give it a nice depth and good complexity.

T- This beer has a great dark malt flavor with notes of earth and coffee and a light cream flavor at the dry finish. The taste is crisp and clean with more notes of tobacco and crystal malt as it warms.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with an almost slippery texture. No alcohol warmth or astringency.

D- This beer has big complex flavors of malt and they all work together but it is still a wonderful session beer as the palate doesn't get exhausted from the flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2006 22:56:34 | More by rhoadsrage

granger10

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pure black color with a cocoa colored head that did not hold up too long. Solid lacing around the glass. Aroma is strong of roasted coffee and smoke. Some bittersweet chocolate underneath. Taste begins with that intense roasted espresso. Charcoal is in there too. Cocoa powder is in there. Slight bourbony kick towards the middle. Nice earthiness in there. Slight vanilla and cherry liquer in the finish. I liked this a lot but maybe it could have had more hops to lend a counterbalance to the other flavors. I'm a sucker for that burnt, smoky flavor though and this has a lot of it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2005 14:10:02 | More by granger10

battlekow

Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Came up to Madison to have a going away party for my girlfriend, who is going to the UK for three weeks. I'm going to miss her, but I might miss this beer even more when I go back to Milwaukee. It's a thick, dark brown, as you'd expect from a porter, with a nice tan head and great lacing. Smells roasted and chocolatey and delicious. The taste--wow, this is right up there with the Edmund Fitzgerald. Given that this was on-tap and the Fitz was bottled, I have to think the Fitz gets the edge, but this is close. It's creamy, chocolatey, roasty, and just a hint of a bitter finish. Could be a little more bitter, I suppose, but that's nitpicking. This is a truly great porter, and a great beer period.

Serving type: on-tap

07-16-2005 03:19:13 | More by battlekow

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

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

My first review here and why not start out on top. Had the privelage of enjoying this great beer at the Great Dane Pub this evening with a good 1/2 lb bacon cheeseburger and fries celebrating a 3-month anniversary with the Mrs. (as good an excuse as any to try some good beer I thought). My first trip to the Great Dane was certainly not a disappointment.

As a self-proclaimed new-commer to the world of fine beers, this was also my first porter. It wont be my last...

Appearance: Served in a big nonic pint glass, this porter was jet black with a beautiful 3/4 inch or so tan, creamy head. Looks delicious...

Smell: Chocolate! Roasted coffee. Sweet malts. I'm in heaven. My mouth is watering. Also detected some roasted bitter hoppiness. I wanted to dunk my nose in it it smelled so good. Smells delicious...

Taste: Creamy dark chocolate and coffee. Sweet but not too sweet. Just a hint of bitter to give it bite. Truly amazing. Best truly dark beer I've ever had. Joins brown ales as my favorite genres. As the beer warmed through the course of the meal, the alcohol taste was more pronounced, but nothing overwhelming or off-putting, just more noticeable. Tastes DELICIOUS.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, velvety, smooth. Heavy-bodied, but still went down easy. Carbonation was light, but just right for the style. Felt delicious.

Drinkabilty: Certainly could have gone for a few more if I hadn't have been so full from the 1/2 lb burger. Saw on the menu that they had a "Mocha Milkshake" that was actually flavored with the beer. Man did I wish I had room for that. Sounded amazing. Overall, I was blown away by this impressive porter and will certainly be back for more. I wish I would have brought a growler of it back home with me....next time for sure. Just an amazing brew. HIGHLY recommended to anyone in the Madtown area who enjoys a good, dark, chocolatey and just downright delicious beer. Wow.

Serving type: on-tap

07-06-2005 06:35:08 | More by Golden2wenty1

orbitalr0x

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled 4-30-05. Arrives in a Great Dane nonic pint a dark black with a big two finger creamy head on top. Awesome lacing sticks all over the side of the glass...wow. A work of art in a glass. Roasty chocolate nose with a hint of lactic milk and just a slight background of coffee. The burnt roastiness and the cholocate here are lush and mouthwaterng. Makes me want to dive right in.

A smooth milk chocolate roasty flavor leads the way with big maltiness and a hint of milkiness and some coffee. The chocolate flavor is rich and tasty without being overpowering. Wow...just an awesome porter here.

Smooth, creamy mouthfeel with mellow carbonation that goes down like silk. A damn good porter that is phenomenally drinkable. A great session brew hands down..I would have been content drinking these all night. A must try if you stop at the Great Dane.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2005 03:28:27 | More by orbitalr0x

kmpitz2

Tennessee

4.7/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Sampled while at the source over the weekend. It came off the hand-pump a nice flat black color with a one finger tan head that stuck around quite a while. The nose was what struck me the most. Lots of creamy chocolate, a hint of lacto, roasted malts. I could easily have sat and smelled this brew all day long. The flavor was just as great. A sweet and creamy lacto blast hit me first, followed by intense dark roasted malts, giving it a very minimal harshness like coffee, but this moved almost like magic to a sweet chocolate finish that lingered and lingered. This may be the best porter I have ever had. What a divine treat. The feel was velvety smooth and thick, letting me know I was drinking a nice brew. This could easily have been an all day beer, but with so many others sitting there waiting to be tasted, I had to move on. This will definately be a staple next time I am in Madison.

Serving type: on-tap

05-02-2005 14:42:11 | More by kmpitz2

CRJMellor

Arkansas

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a depp black with abosolutely no light penetration at all. Deep sort of tan and auburn head develops and leads all kinds of spots of lace on the pint.
Aroma has a deep roasted nut noe as well as chocolate and caramel with dextrose and lactic qualities also present.
Flavor has some bitter chocolate and definite roasted nuttiness. Light coffee appears as it warms a bit.
Mouthfeel is sweet, roasted and bitter in that order. Solid transition to each and none dominates the other. Would call it medium-bodied. Not powerful but pleasantly seductive.
Drinkability is very solid. Very mellow for style but smooth and easy drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2005 01:21:24 | More by CRJMellor

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Opaque. A semi-circle of bubbly brown head. It fades to a collar quickly. Lacing is minimal. Aromas of cocoa, coffee bean, chocolate and black barley bless my nose. The taste is more of the same. And some lactic sweetness thrown in for a kicker. Nice lingering roasted malt bitterness. And some West Coast hop bitterness as well. The mouthfeel is smooth. Easy drinking. Medium body. I could drink more than one growler of this tasty beverage. But a growler will do.

Thanks for keeping me grounded cokes. Nice porter.

Serving type: on-tap

04-05-2004 04:10:50 | More by Bighuge

bditty187

Nebraska

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Very dark brown, blackish at spots, ruby highlights around the edges. Long lasting creamy, pocked, brunette head, loads of lace too. Gentle nose yet aromatic… mild coffee/espresso upfront with hints of toasty malt for support. Lovely palate, softly bitter like sweetened coffee mixed with a light espresso; then add in some toasty notes for complexity. Awfully enjoyable. Light body for the style, somewhat thin. With more bulk in the body this brew would be a knockout but, as is, I’d gladly recommended it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2003 15:58:50 | More by bditty187

cokes

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Very dark mahogany brown, about two shades away from black. Milky beige foam clings all the way to the bottom.
Roasty malty aroma with strong notes of both chocolate and coffee. Sweetness lurks below.
Taste starts strongly and bitterly roasted. Big expresso and baker's chocolate. Then some dark fruit sweetness begins to squeeze through the cracks. Raisin, faint carmel, and some vinous qualities. Sort of like a Baltic Porter light. Stays heavily roasted throughout, hops are barely a factor, but anchor the finish appropriately.
Smooth and velvety in the mouth, but definately on the thin side. On the thin side of medium -bodied. A little more heft and this would be classic.
Hugely drinkable as it is. A nice session, with plenty of interesting nuances to keep one's attention.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2002 23:26:08 | More by cokes

brakspear

Wisconsin

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Wow! Does this porter live up to its name. Its body is pitch black topped by an extremely creamy tan head that absolutely clings to the sides of glass. It looks almost like a glass of Guinness and I wonder if it is nitro-poured or from a real ale beer engine. It is served at cellar temperature so both the aroma and taste are not overwhelmed by the cold. The malt aroma dominates with slight chocolate and roast barley scents. The taste is sweet and full, black patent malt bitterness with chocolate malt faintly in background. Hop bitterness is subdued but balances the malt well. The mouth feel is a bit too light, but overall this is a great session beer and immensely drinkable...pint after pint...after pint.....

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2002 08:37:15 | More by brakspear

dhannes

Wisconsin

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought a growler from a nitro-tap at the new location and poured into a stemmed parfait glass (that was, apparently, washed last with soap versus detergent).

A=Nice rich brown...very little head, however, probably due to the glass.

S=Light, but sweet.

T=Sweeter than other porters that I have tried...perhaps a bit lighter than others, i.e. not very thick.

M=Good...again, a bit watery compared to other porters.

D=The lightness and sweetness make this very drinkable.

Serving type: growler

11-21-2010 17:53:23 | More by dhannes