Deliciousness in a bottle

Amount of brew in bottle: 22 fluid ounces
ABV: 8.7%
Type of brew: Porter (Baltic)
Price: ~$6

My fiance is interviewing for her residency throughout the U.S. and I have been going with her on some of these trips. While in New Hampshire I decided to pick-up this local beer. For some reason porters go hand and hand with cold-ass winter nights. This brewer must have thought the same because this beer kicks-ass. This porter pours fairly thick and bubbly with a nice head, there is a slight amount of carbonation and it smells of chocolate. Not surprisingly the beer has a hint of chocolate but it is also slightly bitter but in a refreshing way. The beer is super easy to drink and gives you a nice warmth as you drink it, granted the beer weighs in at 8.7 ABV which is pretty strong but since this beer is part of the “big beer series” it is not surprising . I am really surprised at how good this beer is. I have not heard many good things about east coast breweries but so far this one has been decent.

The good: A really good porter
The bad: You can only get it in New Hampshire and local areas

Overall taste: ★★★★☆ 

Bitterness: ★★☆☆☆ 

Smoothness: ★★☆☆☆ 

Overall rating: ★★★½☆ 

Related posts:

1. Beer Review: Pugsley’s Signature Series Imperial Porter by Shipyard Brewing
2. Rogue – Mocha Porter
3. Beer Review: Nogne-o – Porter

With the rolling in of fall darker and more bodied drinks seems a little bit easier to drink. Call me crazy but drinking a heavy beer in 90+ degree heat is just not my thing. On my weekly grocery shopping trip I noticed this beer, not because of the flashy gold foil wrapper (which you could see if my camera didn’t die on me at the time I drank this beer) on the top but rather the fact that I have not seen this brewer yet. Shipyard Brewing is from Portland, Maine which is interesting only because I have never had a beer that was brewed in Maine. I have been feening for some porters and stouts so I grabbed this one before my conscious could yell at me to put it back. Enough babbling on to the review!

This beer pours a little bit lighter than what I was expecting, don’t get me wrong it is still dark but it doesn’t pour like syrup. The smell of the beer is a bit sweet and reminds me of chocolate. However, the taste of the beer is not that sweet on first taste it has a touch of sweetness to it followed by a dry bitterness, it is quite good and refreshing. It has a touch of carbonation but nothing crazy just enough to give a little buzz on your tongue. The beer is a great sipper and very easy to go down. As the beer gets a bit warmer the taste starts to get sweeter but still it is nothing crazy and the backend of the taste is quite refreshing.

The good: easy to drink and great for a rainy and windy fall night
The bad: probably not the easiest beer to find

Overall taste: ★★★½☆ 

Bitterness: ★★½☆☆ 

Smoothness: ★★½☆☆ 

Overall rating: ★★★½☆ 

Related posts:

1. Beer Review: 2009 Oak Aged Imperial Stout – Left Hand Brewing Co
2. Beer Review : Smuttynose – Baltic Porter
3. Beer Review: Southern Star Brewing Company – Buried Hatchet Stout

Today, I will be reviewing Rogue’s Mocha Porter. You can find this beer in most decent grocery stores in the Washington area and is good if you want a smoother porter. There is a hint of bitterness which comes from the toasted malts but overall it goes down very smoothly and has a slightly sweet smell.

Because this is a porter it doesn’t have much alcohol in it which makes it great to drink during the week. I ate some chili with this beer and the two items were a great pairing as the beer counter-acted the spiciness in the chili. This beer is a great beer and I would probably bring it to a BBQ or some other social function, however, it is not something that I would save for a special occasion.

The Good: Smooth finish, easy to drink, the beer is abundant
The Bad: The beer is pretty common (yes that is all I can come up with, that tells you something!)

Overall taste: ★★★½☆ 

Bitterness: ★½☆☆☆ 

Smoothness: ★★★★☆ 

Related posts:

1. Beer Review: MoM Hefeweizen – Rogue
2. Beer Review : Smuttynose – Baltic Porter
3. Beer Review: Rogue – Dirtoir Black Lager