So I'm trying to find some porters and/or stouts here in the PNW that don't have a strong coffee flavor. I'm fine with roast flavors but to much coffee and I'm turned off. I just don't like coffee. I'm guessing porters will be easier to find and I figured I would post this in the NW Forum to narrow the options down to brews I can easily obtain. So, any ideas? I'm open to any suggestions and will gladly report back results. You're help is greatly appreciated. Thanks
Give me some examples of PNW porters/stouts you've had that DO have a strong coffee flavor. I for one can't think of many if any at all. Maybe we aren't tasting the same things.
M Well, that's the thing. I really haven't tried any since moving up here. The few I had back in Texas seemed to be overly roasty and coffee heavy. I guess I like more of a chocolate taste. I can handle mild to moderate roast but really heavy roast flavors are not my bag. Maybe I'm confusing heavy rust flavors with coffee? I guess I want to find some milder (less roast/coffee) porters or stouts. I'm really a newbie in these two styles.
Thanks, I'll have to give those a try. Black Butte was actually on my buy list for today and I will definitely add Anchor as well. Looking like I'll just build a six pack or two.
Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin is the top of my list for stouts that aren't impy stouts. I also like Deschutes Black Butte (previously mentioned) and Hale's Troll Porter (though some of the reviews say it has a coffee flavor, I've never gotten that --- though it does have a strong roasted malt flavor). I'll add more as I think of them.
I had Flyers' Pacemaker Porter this past weekend and really enjoyed it. Roasty & hoppy without much, if any, coffee-ness. I'm not sure what the availability is like or if they bottle. I had it on tap at Hawthorne Hophouse in PDX, FWIW.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/859/3361 it's all subjective, but personally I get coffee when the beer is cold, but it transitions to dark chocolate as it warms up.
I agree with this one^^^^^ I'm also a fan of Georgetown's Porter and it shouldn't be to hard to find on tap in Seattle.
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I tried out Anchor's Porter and it was pretty good. The only nagative was a I got a bit of a metalic taste. Not sure if this is typical. Been a busy weekend so haven't been able to do some shopping. Will try more this weekend.
Doh, misread. Sorry, 17 hour day yesterday with a quick turnaround leads to (even more) dumbness on my part.
Ha, no worries. Figured as much. Think I'll stay away from the espresso stouts for now! I was able to try out a Meantime London Porter last night. I really liked this one. Nice moderate roasty flavor and some nice caramel and chocolate as well. Kind of a lighter porter I guess. Really drinkable and smooth. Thanks again for the suggestions.
+1 to this. Also, assuming they still make it (haven't seen it at any of the McM's in some time now), you might give the McMenamins black rabbit porter a try as well. I think it's one of the better beers they make, and I don't think you pick up too much coffee flavor from it (at least I don't).
Sierra Nevada Porter and Stout are solid, as is Alaskan Stout. I think you may get more roasted malt/caramel/dark chocolate flavors in those.
Ah, thanks for the suggestions. I'll add SN Porter and Alaskan Stout to my list. Just haven't been able to do any beer shopping yet. Planning on going tomorrow or Tuesday. I was able to try Cascade Brewing's Fresh Hop Porter on tap last night. This was a really great brew. A lighter porter w/o a lot of coffee if any at all according to my taste buds. I see some reviews note coffee but I didn't taste it. It did have a nice light roast flavor and the hops were a nice touch and added some nice bitterness. I actually had to double up on this one. Really nice. BTW, had the Cascade Fresh Hop Porter at Bitteroot BBQ in Ballard. Being from Texas, BBQ is a sore subject for me up here in the NW but Bitteroot really does some good BBQ and has a small but decent tap list. Just thought I would throw that out there for any Seattle locals.
