Beer 324/365 – Southampton Imperial Porter

Style: American Porter

ABV: 7.2%

Purchased at: Vintage Estate – Boardman, OH

What makes this beer different: Had a bit of a cereal kick to it.

Will I be drinking this again: Probably not.

Grade: B

9/28/2010: This is another beer that I picked up on a whim. Basically if you throw the word “Imperial” onto a beer, I am legally bound to buy it.

Not a ton of smell going on with this beer, but it does smell a little bit like one of my favorite cereals; Cocoa Puffs. The flavor is a lot of chocolate (similar to cocoa puffs), some coffee, and a little bit of earthiness. The flavor is nice, but where this beer fails is all in the mouthfeel. Its thin, oily, and gives you that weird sugary coating on your mouth similar the film you are left with after finishing a very sugary bowl of cereal. Not terrible but not great.

Picture of the day: This is actually a video. British teen imitates 24 different American Accents.

Beer 304/365 – Red Brick Porter

Style: American Porter

ABV: 7.7%

Purchased at: Sent as an extra in a trade.

What makes this beer different: Wasn’t expecting much, but there was a really nice balance of coffee/chocolate flavors.

Will I be drinking this again: Very limited distribution and limited release says no.

Grade: B+

9/8/2010: Red Brick Porter is brewed by a small brewery in Atlanta, Georgia. I have never heard of Red Brick brewing until I received this beer, so I am going into this review blind. But I am always open to try any porter/stout. Besides in my book I just consider porters “Lite Stouts.” I always opt for a Porter when I don’t feel like drinking something heavy, but want that dark chocolate/coffee kick.

The smell is even parts chocolate/coffee, with a little bit of earth to it. The flavor is pretty plain and simple, 50/50 bittersweet chocolate/roasted coffee mix, with a little bit of a tobacco type flavor. Mouthfeel is well carbonated for a porter, which is part of the reason the alcohol is hidden so well. I would have never guessed this to be a 7.7% ABV beer. Overall nothing super special about this beer, but it is very drinkable.

Picture of the day: Laziness at its finest

Beer 267/365 – Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter

Style: American Porter

ABV: 5.4%

Purchased at: Sent as an extra from Jared

What makes this beer different: Very light and drinkable

Will I be drinking this again: If it were sold in the area yes.

Grade: B+

8/2/2010: Thanks to Jared for throwing this in as an extra for our 3rd trade. We actually just recently did our 4th trade, and he sent me a ton of extras again. This new found addiction I have to trading beer is all your fault Jared! Damn you! But seriously it is fun stuff and a lot easier/inexpensive than you would think.

Stovepipe doesn’t really have a strong nose to it, maybe a little bit of chocolate. The flavor is very light but nice, roasty malts, some chocolate, and maybe just a pinch of coffee. Mouthfeel is very light for the style, almost too light. Well carbonated. If there is such thing as a “session” porter, this would be it.

Picture of the day: What the…

Beer 260/365 – Sam Adam’s Holiday Porter

Style: American Porter

ABV: 5.90%

Purchased at: Jesus I don’t even remember, its been sitting in my fridge for a while now.

What makes this beer different: Sweet and almost buttery in a way

Will I be drinking this again: Won’t go out my my way for it, but it was good!

Grade: B+

7/26/2010: Christmas in July? Sure why not. I actually am running out of “non-agable-beer” to drink, so I decided to give this one a shot. I am pretty sure co-worker Tony gave this one back to me in January.

This beer smells like its on the more smooth/sweet end of the Porter spectrum. Too often I think porters can have that bitter coffee characteristics. The flavor is smooth milk chocolate, a little nutty, and a buttery flavor. The flavors are all pretty mellow, but work well together. Mouthfeel is about average. This beer goes down very easy, very solid, but not anything too original going on here.

Picture of the day: Not so much funny but pretty amazing. Cant touch this!

Beer 238/365 – Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Style: American Porter

ABV: 5.2%

Purchased at: Sent as an extra in a trade.

What makes this beer different: Very drinkable, very chocolaty.

Will I be drinking this again: I wish they sold it here, but if they did I certainly would drink more of it.

Grade: A

7/4/2010: Why did I decide to drink this beer on the fourth of July? Well honestly I didn’t have one. Had this sitting on my “non-agable” shelf for about a month now, and just decided it was time to drink it.

Black Butte has a really clean chocolate smell, with a little bit of earthy hops. The taste to me is mostly about sweet chocolate. I really like this flavor because a lot of porters/stouts end up being on the bitter end of chocolate, but this is more on the sweet end for sure. A little bit of coffee in the aftertaste, and a little bit of hops but not much. The mouthfeel is really nice, very creamy and on the heavier side of medium. I would buy a whole case of this if it was available in PA.

Picture of the day: To each their own obsession.

Beer 230/365 – Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter

Style: American Porter

ABV: 5.5%

Purchased at: Sent as an extra in a trade

What makes this beer different: One of the lightest bodied porters I have ever had

Will I be drinking this again: If only it was available in the area.

Grade: A-

6/26/2010: So apparently New Glarus, Tyranena, and Lakefront arent the only places that brew good beer in the great cheese state of Wisconsin. Add Central Waters to that list. Most of their beers on BeerAdvocate rate at a B or better, which is doesn’t happen very often.

Mudpuppy Porter has a pretty strong chocolate smell, and something a little nutty also? The flavor is very good for how light the body is. Chocolate, caramel malt, and hazelnut! Very unique to see that hazelnut flavor in a porter. The body is very very light, but still gets a bunch of flavor to the taste buds. Very drinkable.

Picture of the day: The futuristic world of 2010.

Beer 193/365 – Great Divide Saint Bridget’s Porter

Style: American Porter

ABV: 5.9%

Purchased at: Vintage Estate – Boardman OH

What makes this beer different: Not much, but just a very good Porter.

Will I be drinking this again: Apparently they are retiring this beer?

Grade: B+

5/20/2010: Yet another Great Divide beer. This time My tall ginger friend Kevin was not responsible for me getting this beer. I bought it at Vintage Estate last week. I also ended up finding some 2008 Stone RIS, and 2002 12th Anniversary Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout on his shelves. I couldn’t help myself and ended up buying about a half dozen of each.

Its a shame they are retiring this beer because I think its pretty damn good. It smells like a light roasted coffee, with some caramel splashed in. The taste is a very smooth roast coffee flavor, and hops actually make a little bit of an appearance also. Mouthfeel is medium, but very smooth, and perfectly carbonated. Grab up a couple before they retire it for good!

Picture of the day: 6 eipc wheel of fortune fails.