Pumpkin Porter hits the spot!

Mi Mo and Juan Mas (my awesome in-laws) were in Scottsdale last week and managed to fanagle a growler of Four Peak's Pumpkin Porter for me. From what they said, Four Peaks isn't allowing growler fills of Pumpkin Porter until the day after Thanksgiving. So, thanks to my in-laws' silver tongues, I got to enjoy this amazing beer!

I didn't do a full blown review because we were in the middle of dinner, but here are the highlights:

-An excellent porter in itself, the pumpkin flavor was just enough to add some distinction, but not enough to really be a pumpkin-ey beer.

-The carbonation was just right - enough to add some crisp, but not enough to induce too much beer belching.

-Aroma was dominated by coffee and roasted malt, with a hint of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove

The best thing about this beer is that it was a porter that had a little hint of something else. Similar to Breckenridge's Vanilla Porter, this one took a style I loved and added some flash to it. If you are in the Phoenix area, I'd highly recommend getting a pint of this goodness!

Lobos Helping Lobos with a Fine Porter

Hopefully everyone had a great St. Patty's Day - some friends and I went over to Fat Squirrel and listened a bunch of wannabe Irishmen slur like the best of them while we waited for a table. Guinness and Smithwick's were enjoyed and I has an awesome Irish stew in a bowl the size of my head. Tonight, I'm waiting for the Lobo game to show up and am enjoying a Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter. Had this at the aforementioned Fat Squirrel once, but didn't have a chance to review....soo....here it is:

Appearance - 4.5/5.0 - Toasted almond, foamy head. The beer itself looks thick, black and rich.

Smell - 3.5/5.0 - Lots of malt with some coffee and smoke, but not terribly strong.

Taste - 4.5/5.0 - Rich flavor - the smoky malt is the highlight. There's some sweetness at the end of each taste, which balances out the coffee and smoke. A great example of a porter.

Feel - 4.5/5.0 - Smooth, some creaminess to the feel. The aftertaste is sweet and is only around enough to notice, then off it goes. It's not nearly as thick as it looks, but that's ok - I enjoyed the "lighter" body.

Drinkability - 5.0/5.0 - A great beer, definitely one that can go down quick and smooth. At 5% ABV, wouldn't get you in trouble either.

The Imperial Penn (Porter)

Santa Fe Brewing is a common find at most local grocery stores and liquor shops. Good stuff, my particular favorite is the State Penn Porter. For their 20th anniversary, Santa Fe Brewing created three very interesting potent beers - the State Penn Imperial Porter, the Imperial Yippee IPA and the Sangre de Frambuesa Raspberry Belgian. Tonight, we'll talk about the Imperial Porter and later we'll get to the Yippee IPA. I gotta tell ya, I expected this beer to be good and I was definitely not disappointed. In fact, my lovely bride, Tina, talked me into going out and grabbing another one of these from ol' Quarters. They are on sale at most liquor stores for only $6.99 a bomber.

Appearance - A rich, smooth black brew. A mocha colored, foamy head tops the beer, which also has a really appealing, rich "bubbly" look. The head doesn't dissipate and is just pretty to look at- 5.0/5.0

Smell - Lots of coffee and dark cocoa in the nose. Enough aroma to enjoy, but not too much to overpower. 4.0/5.0

Taste - Wow! Rich, powerful flavor. Coffee, dark chocolate, some alcohol, woody flavors. Some bitterness too, but enjoyable 4.5/5.0

Feel - Thick and coats the mouth. 4.0/5.0

Drinkability - Well, let's put it this way - we went out and bought another one. 5.0/5.0

On the 11th day of Christmas, Santa Beer gave to me...

a smoky porter from Chama River Brewing - El Fumador!

Remember this guy? I don't know if he ever had a name on the X-Files other than "The Smoking Man." Just remember kids that if you smoke, you'll end up looking like him, regardless if you have a Y chromosome or not. Anyway, yesterday I had a choice to make after work: Go to the gym and run 3 miles....or partake in a beer at Chama River, where it was $2.50 pint night. I just wasn't feeling the gym, so figured a beer was in order. So, upon getting there, I found the El Fumador porter to be intriguing, especially since I had stopped off at my favorite local tobacconists (Stag Tobacconists on Juan Tabo and Montgomery) for some Christmas cigars earlier...


The nice bartender brought over this pint, which looked like someone managed to bottle a cloud of black smoke, then topped it off with a creamy tan head. Take a whiff and you'll get aromas of smoke, chocolate, coffee and malt. The beer doesn't have a terribly intense smell, which is ok as the taste definitely makes up for it. You can taste the alcohol, which is mixed in with some caramel, strong coffee and bitter smokiness. That bitterness will stick around in the back of your throat, sorta like a film in your mouth. This was a good beer with a sturdy 7.0% ABV - I think the bitterness threw me off initially, but it ended up being a very enjoyable brew.

Apperance -5.0/5.0 - Perfect pitch black, creamy tan head
Smell - 3.5/5.0 - Smoke, chocolate, coffee, malt - lighter aroma
Taste - 3.5/5.0 - Alcohol, caramel, coffee and bitter smokyness
Feel - 3.0/5.0 - Bitterness with an aftertaste that sticks around the back of your throat
Drinkability - 3.0/5.0 - A good porter, but the bitterness threw me off. This is redeemed by the nice ABV though

On the 6th day of Christmas, Santa Beer gave to me...

a beer that is between a Stone and a Hard Place. I really like Stone beers as they are more often than not robust, flavorful and distinctive. If you have any of the Stone offerings, you're not likely to forget it easily or mistake it for another type of beer. Earlier in the year, I had picked up a bottle of the Russian Imperial Stout which I thought as the Smoked Porter. That beer was robust enough to grow you a full beard and chest o' hair. The Smoked Porter is a "lighter" offering, but still tasty.

Pouring like crude oil (something it shares with the Russian Imperial Stout), the Porter lacked much head and what it did have was kinda spotty as it defoamed. The brew smelled like roasted coffee that was tossed into a enclosure of pure smoke. The roasted malt is blended well enough with the chocolate, coffee and smokey taste to avoid it being too overpowering in any one area. I've seen some reviews of this beer that thought the smoke was a bit much, but I disagree. Good mouth coverage, with a sharp first taste (something I think is pretty common with Stone brews), then it ends with a sour bitterness in the aftertaste. Would have this beer again, but it does not stand out as so unique that this would be my ideal smoked porter.

Appearance - 3.5/5.0 - Really black, very little head that defoams very spotty
Smell - 4.5/5.0 - Coffee, smoke, nice blended malt
Taste - 4.0/5.0 - Bitter coffee, chocolate, roasted malt, some sourness
Feel - 4.0/5.0 - Good mouth coverage, sharp initial taste, slight bitterness in the aftertaste
Drinkability - 3.5/5.0 - Surely would have again, just wish I could it get in something other than a bomber.

On the 1st Day of Christmas, Santa Beer gave to me...

Odell Cutthroat Porter!

I was reading about this term called "Session Beer" and had seen it used a lot on Beer Advocate. Apparently, these are beers that you can multiple ones of without getting so sloppy that you end up making yourself look like a jerk. These beers cannot have ABV of anything over 5%. So, Bud Light would be a session beer. I personally would prefer this little gem, the Odell Cutthroat Porter.

The beer is a pitch black, thick brew. As it poured, it really stuck to the side of the glass, sorta like oil. You'll pick up a lot of coffee, roasted malt, some alcohol and dark chocolate in the nose. The brew has a really tasty, rich malt flavor with a robust coffee taste. I thought it was well blended and smooth, with a strong flavor through the entire taste. Definitely will be picking this one up again, and I'd recommend you give it a try if you happen to see it in the store!

Appearance - 4.5/5.0- pours thick, really dark, sticks to side of glass
Smell - 4.5/5.0 - coffee, alcohol, chocolate, roasted malt
Taste - 5.0/5.0 - rich malt flavor, with robust coffee taste, well blended
Feel - 5.0/5.0 - smooth, well blended, flavors strong throughout each taste
Drinkability - 5.0/5.0 - excellent beer if you just want to have a beer and not get lit after it.

Welcome...to Paradise Porter

The Diamond Bear Paradise Porter came to me via my last Beer of the Month Club membership. As I had avoided darker beers in the past, I was really pleased I ended up with a porter in this shipment. And when I say dark, the Paradise Porter is DARK.

Outside being extraordinarily black, the porter's tan head is there, but then gone pretty quick. The scents are there though - oaty, malty alcohol aromas, with some bitter coffee and chocolate mixed in there. The flavor is interesting, as it starts off pretty mild and builds into a sharper biter taste. Nothing overpowering, but I liked the build up. Any aftertaste is there and gone before you really notice it. A strong showing from Diamond Bear - up there with some great porters I've had.

Appearance - 3.5/5.0 - Really pitch black, but the head is a little wimpy.
Smell - 3.5/5.0 - Some bitter coffee and chocolate scents; interesting, but nothing outside of what you'd expect with this type of beer.
Taste -4.0/5.0 - Very flavorful and gradually builds up to the sharper tastes.
Feel - 4.5/5.0 - I really enjoyed the flavor build up, which allowed the individual flavors to be more pronounced and noticiable.
Drinkability - 3.5/5.0 - While a good beer, nothing was that exceptional that I'd go out of my way to get this beer.

Trabeck, you Rogue...

After having a few Rogue beers in San Francisco and in the Burque, I had gained a real appreciation for this brewery. Now, in ABQ, these six packs ain't cheap (I think this one was $8.99/six pack), but they are tasty.

The beer was pretty dark - perhaps not as pitch black as the Chocolate Stout, but still pretty opaque. The head (as see in el picturo) has some color to it, which was nice. Unfortunately, the head disappeared pretty quick and that gave me a bit of sad face. The smell was great - you can really get the roasted malt and oat aroma, with a hint of coffee in there. I enjoyed the various flavors this beer had, which included malt, coffee and a bit of sharp alcohol. The flavor took a bit to kick in...so don't expect a real burst of flavor immediately. When the taste comes though, it's really smooth and subdued - no punch in the face here. I really enjoyed the flavor profile of the beer - I would definitely get it again and would rank it above the Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, as the coffee seems to blend better with the beer than the vanilla does.

Appearance - 4.0/5.0 - Nice and dark with a great ebony head, which unfortunately disappeared a bit quickly.
Scent -4.5/5.0 - A wonderful blend of coffee, roasted oats and malt.
Taste - 4.0/5.0 - A smooth flavor with a blend of different tastes. The flavor takes a bit to kick in, but not overwhelming when it does.
Feel -4.5/5.0 - Smooth with a good lingering flavor, but no bite.
Drinkability - 4.5/5.0 - Would definitely drink again, put it above a number of other porters/stouts I've had.

Are there enough 9s in the name for ya?

The nines are very enticing - almost hypnotic. Like the Stone Gargoyle Dude is getting into your head and ordering you to buy Stone beer...do it! Anyway, the Vertical Epic series of beers are released annually according to dates when all of the numbers are the same (i.e. 09/09/09, 08/08/08, etc...). Each beer is a different Belgian take on a beer style. There have been some Belgian Witbiers, Pale Ales, IPAs, stouts, etc... The 9/9/09 Vertical Epic is a Belgian style Porter...not two types of beer I would ever think about fusing together.

At first glance, the brew looks pitch black with a big tan head. Good retention on the head, which was nice. The complex aroma had elements of spice, orange and vanilla. So, definitely a suprise on the scent side. The flavor hits it out of the park. You get the spicy, robust kick that is combined with orange, coffee, tanginess and a hint of bitterness. It tastes like a flavorful porter had a love child with a good spicy Belgian beer. Expect an extremely smooth taste that goes down easy and leaves the aftertaste of the variety of flavors for a bit.

Would definitely pick this one up again, presuming I could find it.
This was a remarkably tasty beer - I've had it twice. Once at Papago Brewing in Scottsdale, where I got it on draft. 2nd time was in one of the bombers that I purchased. While the draft was superior, you can expect that in whatever form you get the Vertical Epic, it's good.

Oh, a note - Stone recommends that you cellar this beer until 12/12/12. Fat chance in my house. If you can hold off enjoying this beer for another 3 years, you're a better person than I.

Appearance - 5.0 - big tan head; dark; good retention
Smell - 4.0 - spicy; orange, vanilla
Taste - 5.0 - a unique blend of spicy, fruit, orange, hint of bitterness, definitely a belgian beer but stout like a porter. Weird combo but excellent
Feel - 5.0 - very smooth; goes down easy
Drinkability - 5.0 hells yea - good

I Heart Breckenridge Beer

I think the first Breckenridge beer that I had was a case of the Christmas Ale that I got at Costco...To clarify, I didn't pour the whole case into a bucket and drink it all at once. I just enjoyed them individually. Although, that does give me an idea...

Anyway, I was really pleased when Tina and I ventured over to Costco on the West Side (the one that magically appeared across from Cottonwood Mall one day) and found a Breckenridge variety pack that included 12 Avalanche Ambers and 12 of a mix of beers. One of the cool things about the 12 packs is that they have these Breckenbucks on the inside (don't miss 'em!) that you can take to one of the Breckenridge Breweries and trade them for a free beer, food, hat, shirt, etc... All it takes is 1 (that's ONE) Breckenbuck to get a free beer...and you get TWO in this sampler!

I don't recall every having a vanilla porter before and if this one is an example of other vanilla porters, I think I will really enjoy them. This beer has a really nice stout flavor to it with enough vanilla to taste it, but not enough to make it taste like you've been eating whole vanilla beans. The vanilla flavor really hits in the aftertaste. A smooth and tasty brew with a light scent with a hint of malt. Only 16 IBUs and 4.7% ABV, which was surprising. Tina really enjoyed this one and she's not much of a porter fan.

The Oatmeal Stout has got a real strong oat and malt aroma...real strong. Which is a contrast to the not-as-strong, medium body taste. A sharp taste hits on the back of your tongue with a light lingering aftertaste. The flavor of the beer is crisp and is all over the tongue. More bitter than the vanilla porter (31 IBUs) but about the same alcohol content (4.98% ABV). I still enjoyed the Four Peaks Oatmeal Stout better, but this one was good enough.

The name for this beer is clever. When Pandora opened her bock, she actually released into the world all of the Evils of Beer. Skunky beer, Bud Light Lime, Zima, Smirnoff Ice, Sam Adams Cherry Wheat...The list goes on and on. The only thing left in the Bock was the hope that microbreweries would rise up and provide humanity with alternatives to the crap that emerged from the Bock. This beer has a really spicy scent to it - you can pick up a bit of hop in the aroma, but this is not a bitter beer (only 16 IBUs). The medium body of the beer has a complexity to it, that is so complex I can't adequately describe without my head blowing up. Pandora is a bit of an intense lady anyway - her Bock is too - 7.5% ABV. Sneaky Pandora.

Well, that was a lot of blah-blah. Let's do a quick summary:

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter - Oat, malt taste with a hint of vanilla. Lower ABV and bitterness makes it a beer almost anyone can enjoy. I give this a Beer Score of 87%.

Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout - A strong smell paired with a medium taste and a light aftertaste. Ok beer, but I've had better oatmeal stouts. Beer Score - 64%.

Breckenridge Pandora's Bock - A complex brew with a spicy scent, medium body and mild, but unique taste. Beer Score - 82%.

Kelly's Robust Porter

I haven't really ventured into Kelly's darker beer offerings much. I think the Dunkelweizen was as far as I had gotten, but figured it was time to try something different and expand my horizons. The Kelly's Robust Porter fits that profile of dark beer extremely well - put that up to the light and you're not going to see very much passing through that beer.

With only 40 IBUs, this beer has a medium bitter taste which sticks with you a while after each sip. The hops used in the beer are light enough, though, to reduce the hop aroma from the beer, allowing the really great malt smell work its mojo. You can taste the roasted malt really well and it's really tasty. I was pretty surprised with the quality of this beer and its complexity of not just being a malt brew.