Shastafarian Porter - Mount Shasta Brewing

MrVonzipper

California

3.08/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours a dark brown to almost black with no head

Nice buttery chocolate, coffee and a hint of caramel on the nose

Chocolate and dark smoky malt flavors

Mouthfeel is pretty flat to slightly fizzy witha dark smoky aftertaste

Overall I almost feel that this beer somehow had air introduced. It was pretty flat on the palate with no head. It was nice on the nose which gave my higher hopes than the label. I just bought it cuz it was kind of funny and it was a porter. It overall was very disjointed.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2011 21:13:43 | More by MrVonzipper

allanpano

4/5  rDev +5.5%

12-10-2012 21:22:38 | More by allanpano

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev +5.5%

11-08-2012 17:07:56 | More by t0rin0

womencantsail

California

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark brown in color with a tan head. Nose is mostly roasted malts. A bit of coffee and earthy hops. Mild cocoa aroma, some mild malt sweetness to it as well. The flavor is also heavy on the roast. A touch bitter, some sweet chocolate and molasses. Coffee and earthy hops on the finish.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 17:56:28 | More by womencantsail

bh123

California

4/5  rDev +5.5%

04-08-2012 05:54:56 | More by bh123

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Review from 7/2011 notes. Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a dark brown appearing black. Half finger tan head which dissipates leaving a ring around the glass, minimal lacing. Aroma of roasted and smoky malt, vanilla, coffee. Starts with smoked malt and nuts, slight coffee, somewhat dry middle and smoky finish with a slight hop component. Not very complex, but pleasant. The roasted/smoky element is nice and saves what would be a somewhat pedestrian porter.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 03:29:43 | More by LiquidAmber

HalfFull

California

3.38/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a large wine glass. The Shastafarian pours a deep brown with clear mahogany highlights. The pour sports half an inch of tan rocky foam and shows good retention.

Neutral yeast aroma with bits of carob and some roast as the foam settles and some earthy hops. Not seductive or complex but quite pleasant and well balanced. Chocolate/carob notes more prominent with a bit of warming/settling.

Flavor is dry and with a bit of smoke and peat. Touch of carob and light dark fruit notes revealed with warming along with a bit of roasted barley.

Smooth feel, slightly drying initially given the dark malts but then revealing a long sweet, perhaps too sweet, finish. A pleasant quaff that lacks a bit as for depth and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2011 05:04:42 | More by HalfFull

victory4me

Pennsylvania

2.73/5  rDev -28%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a tulip.

Pours a dark brown that turns reddish when held to the light. Looks thin and the one and a half finger head dissipates within seconds. Aroma is mild and unimpressive. Nothing stands out.

Taste is better than the smell, but not by much. Very little flavor up front, but has a decently roasty after-taste. Mouthfeel is extremely thin for the style with no chewiness at all.

Overall this is disappointing. So many great inexpensive porters out there and this does not come anywhere near their level.

Avoid, too many better options.

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2011 03:17:10 | More by victory4me

beagle75

Iowa

2.98/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a tulip glass.

A: Hazy, dark brown that is opaque at the center with a sparse residue of small off-white bubbles. Carbonation bubbles can be seen clinging to the sides of the glass, rising occasionally. Scant lacing remains on the glass.

S: Molasses is clearly detected, along with faint coffee grounds and milk chocolate.

T: Begins dry and acidic, marginally tart, with thin roasted malt that yields little flavor structure to support the herbaceous qualities that emerge toward the middle. Sweetness becomes more apparent in the middle as acidity subsides, revealing clear mineral qualities. The finish is most substantial, featuring assertive bitter coffee that lingers.

M: Medium viscosity, wet on the palate, with moderate to brisk carbonation.

D: This porter drinks easily despite some faults that are difficult to ignore. The whole in this case is slightly greater than the sum of its parts.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2011 15:45:10 | More by beagle75

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Black and brown beer, dark brown, minimal head. Slight burnt malt aroma, chocolate malt.

Taste, more of the super roast flavor going on, definitely chewy without wading into massive alcohol territory. Good hopping in here, and above average bitterness that comes across dry, juxtapositioned with that chewiness. The burnt malt flavor really dominates here, some nuttiness can be detected as well.

$9 a 6er hurts its drinkability. Tone down the burntness of it, and even more intracacies come out I suspect.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 23:11:44 | More by Beerandraiderfan

BeerManDan

California

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a very dark brown with a medium amount of tan foam and some lace on the side of the glass.
The smell of roasted malty coffee, with a hint of spice. About the flavor, there was a taste of roasted malts and medium strong coffee with a slight taste of burnt caramel. A slight bitter finish that felt not overpowering on the palate. A fairly balanced porter that was a pleasant surprise.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2011 22:53:44 | More by BeerManDan

HipHop5

California

3.1/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

dark chocolate brown color with no head what so ever. Maybe a soapy one if you dump a heavy poor. A bit to thin in body with almost clean walls on my Stone epic vertical ale flute.
Caramel and sweet licorice are predominant in the aroma.
Pleasing taste but nothing extraordinary. I wish it was a bit heavier on the carbonation and bitterness. I can enjoy this but I can only assume that the tap version stands out a bit more as a memorable porter. I may have to do that trip to Weed CA to confirm the high potential of this beer.TBD

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2011 03:01:05 | More by HipHop5

chumba526

Oregon

2.83/5  rDev -25.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

appears black with a small brown head.

smells sweet like carmel. there are notes of roasted coffee also. smells like a steriotypical porter.

It tastes like a steriotypical porter there is a carmel sweetness and a mild coffee flavor. not much else going on in this beer. this beer could use more body.

the moutfeel is a liitle watery. the carbination is low.

the drinkability of this beer is ok. I could drink more then one but i really dont want to.

overall not that great but it is drinkable. I predict this would be better on tap though.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 02:21:18 | More by chumba526

oberon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Iam gonna say the brewers at Mount Shasta have, and may still indulge in certain things....Poured into a standard pint glass a deep mahogany brown with almost no head to speak of,just a thin half broken layer of soapy-like top.Aromas of roasted nuts,molasses,and bitter chocolate in the nose,pretty well rounded.Quite roasted at the onset flavor-wise,French roast coffee with some raw earthiness,there is a decent molasses,and bitter chocolate element that brings "enough" sweetness to bring balance.A little flat in the mouth but it has nice flavors,pretty roasted with just enough sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 21:53:54 | More by oberon

joepais

Maine

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Flexabull apologized for sending this one, thinking it was under carbonated. I think It was ok for me considering it was a Porter. I did get a short lived brown head when pored in to a tulip glass. The brew was a typical black color for a Porter.

I got some good toasted or roasted notes from the aromas' as well as the flavors LOL. Chocolate and coffee come to mind which is what I expect from a Porter. I think the mouthfeel was spot on for me leaning toward the full side of medium, and yes lightly carbonated .

The drinkability is good and I could have enjoyed a second or third. A good local brew check it out

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2010 15:21:43 | More by joepais

mikereaser

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -26.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A - pours a dark black with ruby highlights when held up to the light, no foam whatsoever

S - burnt roasted malts, not much else to me

T - burnt roasted malts, a bit of orange and some hints of caramel

M/D - medium bodied, more carbonation than I expected for a porter, burnt taste is just too much for me to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2010 20:10:12 | More by mikereaser

Arithmeticus

Maryland

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This beer was not exceptional. The light, sweet smell was promising, but the caramel flavor was not as pervasive as I might have expected. But that made for a drinkable beer. The carbonation was not strong, producing less than a finger of head. I didn't find it as impressive as other reviewers, but I would certainly take another if offered.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2010 22:29:02 | More by Arithmeticus

Schmaltzy

California

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

A- Dark brown color black toward the middle, basically no head on a heavy pour spotty foam on the top with slight spotty lacing.

S- Like a nice chocolate caramel coffee with a nice almond scent. I get lots of roasted malt with almost a caramel scent throughout and a slight warming alcohol.

T- A nice caramel coffee flavor with some light earthy hops with a nice smoky chocolate finish. A little light in the flavor department but decent.

M- Light/Medium body with active carbonation, however no head, decent flavor just lighter than I hoped.

D- Easy to drink because it is so light, decent flavors and scents make it a good session porter, the more I drink this the more smoky the finish gets which is good and bad IMO. Given to me as a sample, don't think I will actively search for this one.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2010 18:26:29 | More by Schmaltzy

Seanibus

California

3/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is a perfectly fine porter, but too slight and inconsequential to be memorable.

Pours black with a slight head. Smells light and broad and woody. The flavor is broad and cool, with chocolate and cherry. The mouthfeel is milky, creamy and smooth. The effect is pleasing but rather slight.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2010 15:04:14 | More by Seanibus

matty

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black colored beer with a rapidly fading head.Aroma is chocolate and coffee.Taste is black coffee and cocoa.A good brew that is smooth and tasty and goes down like water.I would recommend to try at least once and as for me I can see myself buying again in the near furture.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2010 21:23:56 | More by matty

WesWes

New York

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown/black color with a 1/2" tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a nice roasted malt scent with some black malt earthiness. There appears to be some yeast fruitiness as well. The taste is good also. It has a stiff black malt flavor with excellent roasted notes and a bit of chocolate in the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a terrific porter. It's not as earthy and bitter as some, but it's well brewed and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2010 00:44:23 | More by WesWes

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz. bottle into Sam Adams specialty glass on 2/1/10.

A - Poured a clear yet dark burgundy body with burgundy and deep ruby hues and about half a finger of bubbly tan foam that quickly diminisned into a patchy veil, leaving just a spattering of lace here and there.

S - Aroma is quite roasty with hints of coffee and chocolate, as well as a definite nutty character. There's also plenty of earthy, woody hops in the background that emerge more prominently as the liquid warmed up a bit.

T - Like the aroma, the flavor begins with a very roasty presence suggesting coffee beans. Leafy, clingy green hops appear in the backend with a subtle chocolate sweetness. Finishes with a slight dankness and mild nutty astringency. Actually, it gets a bit sour as it warms up, which is a little off-putting.

M - Medium body with a somewhat oily texture and moderate to lively carbonation for the style. Perhaps a little too much carbonation overall. Slightly sour in the finish with mild astringency on the palate.

D - Overall, I'm a little indifferent to this porter. It's got some nice qualities, of course, but there is also a slight sourness that imparts a medicinal character in the finish that I'm not digging. Perhaps it's a bit too nutty, which allows the astringency to push through a bit too much, leaving the chocolate and coffee qualities relegated to the background.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2010 01:10:58 | More by ffejherb

Magpie14

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: the body is a walnut brown with gleaming candied orange and deep ruby red hues. Some cappuccino colored froth gathered on top with moderate retention. The slow melting that followed led to bubbles floating and a minimal display of speckled lacing. A bit on the light side

S: robust and portery in the nose. Plenty of burly malts, dark sweet chocolate, coffee grounds, and maybe even some doughy brownie whiffs. All in all, the malts stand tall and make the mark for a good American Porter in the nose

T: the flavors hold up very nicely. Much like the nose the malts are the structure of the beer. A nice addition of stronger coffee notes with a heavy dusting of cocoa powder is present. With half the glass gone the malts play even stronger on the tongue and meld nice flavors of roasted, to nearly charred in profile. I think some of the bitterness popping through is more than just chocolate, how about chocolate covered hops...as a slight grassiness permeates. This is a tasty porter!

M: although it is not as thick as most porters, the mouthfeel is very delicate and more or less glassy. This baby would benefit a bunch with a bit more chunk. Also to note, I get a soft lingering hop presence in the finish that is just a touch on the dry side

D: a hard working and bitchin porter, definitely worth experiencing again

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2009 16:36:24 | More by Magpie14

ckeegan04

Texas

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Dark nut brown color. Thin, light brown head. Lot sof small bubbles. Light ruby highlights peek through when held up to light.

S - Somewhat acrid espresso aroma. Somewhere between roasted and burnt coffee. Light citrus notes comes through as the beer warms.

T - Light roasted coffee notes up front. A somewhat bitter taste from a mix of espresso and citrus. Finishes with a strong roast malt profile.

M/D - Medium bodied and leaning toward the creamy side of things. Very easy drinking with the bitterness and sweetness playing off each other very well.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2009 19:16:16 | More by ckeegan04

largadeer

California

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark chestnut brown, almost opaque in the glass. Pours with a small off-white head that retains poorly.

Smell: Coffee-like roastiness, baker's chocolate and a hint of carob. Smells quite dry and clean with very little noticeable hop presence. I tend to prefer dry porters, and this one delivers.

Taste & mouthfeel: Espresso-like bitterness up front. Very roasty without being acrid, well attenuated though slightly thin. I get chocolate and carob again mid-palate, with a bitter coffee and carob finish. Pleasantly dry and clean, this is a nicely done American porter.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2009 05:27:05 | More by largadeer