Bear Republic - Big Bear Black Stout

Next up is Bear Republic Big Bear Black Stout out of Cloverdale, California, purchased at Vintage Estates.

"Big Bear, as the name implies, is a hefty black stout. This stout boasts a rich, caramel sweetness lavished by a robust deep roasted heartiness you can really sink your teeth into..." The label also includes the following Brewmaster notes: "Drink responsibly. Don't get mauled. Be on the lookout for other rare species of the specialty ales from the Bear Republic. Cheers!" This brew has won a number of gold medals, has 55 IBUs, and is 8.1% ABV.

Overall average rating: 5.2/10

This beer pours an opaque, black color with a caramel colored head. The aroma gives off a citrus hop as well as another kind (the website says they use Centennial and Cascade hops). There is also a slight malt essence and a thick sweetness, perhaps molasses. We taste the molasses and citrus hop flavors, and there is a lot of all over tongue bite. Although it is hoppy, this beer is a more rich stout with the hoppy richness lingering.

Shawn: Why does California like hops so much?

Chirs: Because they have the room to grown 'em!

Shawn- This is a very average stout, and a little too hoppy for me, 5/10.
Angela- It isn't a bad beer, but it's hoppy for me. It's not something I personally would seek out, 5/10.
Chris- This beer is not very memorable except that it has a richer flavor. I feel it has more ptential that actualy flavor, however, 5.5/10.

Rogue - Mocha Porter

The next leg of our journey takes us to the Western United States beginning with Rogue Mocha Porter, a good transition from porter week, purchased at Vintage Estates.

This Oregon beer is a brewmaster signature brew and is "100% rogue". It is 13° P and has 54 IBUs.

Overall average rating: 5.6/10

It is black and completely opaque with a light mocha carbonated head. The aromas are malty hops, coffee, and citrusy hops as well as chocolate. The taste is thin with a very slight bitter chocolate finish. The hops overpower the chocolate flavor with side tongue bite that lingers on the back of the tongue.

Shawn- The flavors don't develop enough for me. There is a lot of potential in the name, but I am disapointed with the taste, 5.5/10.
Angela- I don't get a lot of the mocha aroma or flavor. Also, I find it to be drinkable because the flavors are not very strong at all, 5.25/10.
Chris- It has all the right flavors, but it is not strong, although I wish it was. It's not a bad beer and I would drink it again, 6/10.

Happy birthday, Shawn! (Beer #2: Flying Dog - Gonzo Imperial Porter)

Our final porter, and coincidentally one of Shawn's favorite beers, is Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter purchased at Vintage Estates.

Before we even drank this, Shawn exclaimed, "Gonzo Imperial Porter, I love you!" This has won a number of awards and is part of the brewery's Canis Major collection: "Doesn't the name say it all? High gravity, limited releases that send seekers miles to find them." The bottle has Hunter S. Thompson inspired artwork, along with the Thompson quote: "Good people drink good beer." The label boasts this beer to be "dark, malty and mysterious. This porter is as complex as the man it celebrates. Brewed to honor the life of Hunter S. Thompson, Gonzo Imperial Porter is an assault on your taste buds with just the right amount of irreverance thrown in." It has 85 IBUs and is 9.2% ABV.

Overall average rating: 9.4/10

This pours black and completely opaque with a thick mocha head. We smell dark roasted and smoked malt, some hops, caramel, and a coffee finish. The taste gives a side and back tongue bite. It is a delightful dark, smooth, creamy, rich beer with an espresso flavor finish.

Shawn- I am completely biased because I already know how much I love this beer. It is dark and leathery, and one of the best beers in the world in my opinion. It is amazing from start to finish, and the only real drawback is that my glass was eventually empty, 9.75/10.
Angela- It is dark and malty and soooo delicious. It is an excellent porter and very drinkable, 9.5/10.
Chris- It is smooth, creamy, dark, and drinkable without being filling, 9/10.

Happy birthday, Shawn! (Beer #1: Dogfish Head Bitches Brew)

We rang in Shawn's birthday after midnight by opening our year aged Dogfish Head Bitches Brew.

In hind sight, listening to the album while we drank probably would have made the experience that much better, but we were so excited to pop open the bottle and ring in Shawn's birthday that we didn't think of it. This ale is brewed with honey and gesho, has 38 IBUs and started out as 9% ABV.

Overall average rating: 9.25/10

This beer pours opaque and tar black with a mocha head. The aroma gives off scents of chocolate, malt, coffee, a little smoke, honey, and molasses. The taste is thick, clean, and smooth. The flavor is mainly a roasty chocolate with coffee undertones which are not predominant but spread throughout the beer. The honey pleasantly offsets the bitterness of the hops and coffee.

Shawn- It is extremely well-balanced; the flavor points are spot on. It's reminds me of coffee honey ice cream. The only problem is that I may never have this vintage again, 9.5/10.

Angela- First off, yum! This is a rich, delicious beer with an awesome balance of coffee, chocolate, and malt flavors. It is definitely one of my favorite beers, 9.25/10.

Chris- The coffee flavor is perfect because it stays throughout the beer without feeling like I'm drinking a cup of coffee. I would give it a better rating if the other flavors were as perfect, 9/10.

Stone - Smoked Porter

Our second to last beer of porter week is Stone Smoked Porter purchased at Vintage Estates.

This beer was first released in December 1996, and the ingredients are nothing but barley, hops, water, and yeast. There is a different and amazing gargoyle on each label as well as a long description of each beer on every bottle from this brewery. The label also says: "We also feel that it's okay to brew styles of beer that not everyone appreciates - yet that some people also LOVE." This has 53 IBUs and is 5.9% ABV.

Overall average rating: 5.8/10

This pours a dark read amber and is nearly opaque. The thick mocha head even holds up a bottle cap! The aroma is a sharp citrus hop with light malt and a touch of smoke. The taste is bitter, thin, and hoppy with a mid tongue bite. There is an extremely light smoke flavor upon exhaling that goes away quickly as opposed to Weyerbacher's Fireside Ale where the smoke flavor climbs up your throat.

Shawn- It's named a porter but I feel it isn't because it's too thin. I am not a fan of the hoppy finish; I expected a dark, rich, leathery beer, 6/10.
Angela- I don't normally like hoppy beers, but I find this to be drinkable albeit thin. It's my fallback beer when we go to the Draught House, 6/10.
Chris- Initially, I'm like a kid eating cereal with Stone beers except I'm reading a bottle instead of the box. I disagree with the style classification - it's more of a smoked black IPA than a smoked porter, but it is drinkable, 5.5/10.

Arcadia Ales - London-Style Porter

Our next porter is Arcadia Ales London-Style Porter purchased at Vintage Estates.

I had a hard time finding a direct link to this beer. All I could find was this article from examiner.com. We really like the label, particularly the Union Jack bar sign that says Churchill's. It is 7% ABV.

Overall average rating: 6.0/10

It pours opaque with an off-white carbonated head that leaves good lacing on the glass. The aroma is  rich, with dark roasted malt and coffee essences with an additional sweet scent, maybe molasses and black cherry. The taste is thin, with a light cherry flavor. It has a front tongue bite with a linger on the side and a touch of bite on the back of the tongue.

Shawn- This reminds me more of a black IPA* than a porter. I would have liked it better had there been less hop and it had followed the fruit flavor, 5.5/10.
Angela- This is interesting with the cherry/hoppy flavors together. I expected a lot more of the rich coffee/chocolate flavors because of how it smelled, but I was pleasantly surprised, 6.5/10.
Chris- This is hoppy for a porter, although the flavor fades fast; I'd say it's a black pale ale at best. It is traditional for an American-style porter, being fruit forward, while London-style porters are generally maltier, 6/10.

*According to beeradvocate.com, American black ale, also referred to as a Black IPA (India Pale Ale) or Cascadian Dark Ale, range from dark brown to pitch black and showcase malty and light to moderate roasty notes and are often quite hoppy generally with the use of American hops.

Darwin Brewery - Original Flag Porter

Next up in our porter lineup is Darwin Brewery Original Flag Porter purchased at Vintage Estates.

This beer is imported from England and brewed with 1825 yeast salvaged from a sunken vessel (perhaps like the one on the label) in the English channel using an original 19th century recipe and does not have any artificial additives. (For the full history, read this.) This beer has won a gold medal, and it has been named as one of the 300 Beers to Try Before You Die. It is 5% ABV.

Overall average rating: 7.8/10

The appearance is almost opaque with a dark, rich brownish red color. It has a creamy off white head with lots of lacing. We find the aroma to be Mad Elf-ish, with a cheery scent, and the guys also smell banana. The taste is malty and smooth with a chocolate cherry finish as well as a coffee/chocolate flavor when you exhale. It is a little thin and reminds us more of a black IPA.

Shawn- The nose isn't that great, but the flavor is remarkable. You really have to sniff for the aroma, but it might be the most interesting, unexpected beer I've ever had in my life. It's like 3 beers in 1 as it develops in your mouth, 8/10.
Angela- It is extremely drinkable but not very thick. I like the way the flavor continues to change as you drink it. I also like that not all of the porters have a predominant coffee/chocolate flavor, 7.5/10.
Chris- The nose is subtle, and it doesn't smell like beer. It is a flavorful porter with a definite cherry and banana taste in the middle, 8/10.

Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter

Next on our porter journey is Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter purchased at Vintage Estates.

"Brimming with dark roasted malts and a generous amount of American hops, Stovepipe Porter features a rich and complex flavor profile. It is well-hopped with a rich palate, deep color, and slightly herbal aroma." It can be paired with barbecue, beef, smoked and grilled meats, stews, blackened fish, chocolate, smoked Gouda and Gruyere cheeses. It has 28 IBUs and is 4.4% ABV.

Overall average rating: 6.9/10

This is almost opaque and pours a dark, rich brownish red color. It has a creamy off white head with a lot of lacing. The aroma reminds the guys of Troegs Mad Elf because of the cherry scent they get along with banana. The taste gives off malt and a chocolate/cherry finish. It is thin and smooth, like a black IPA. There is also a coffee/chocolate taste when you exhale.

Shawn- This might be the most interesting, unexpected beer I've ever had in my life. The nose isn't great (you really have to sniff for it), but the flavor is remarkable. As it develops in your outh it becomes more like 3 beers in 1, 8/10.
Angela- This is drinkable, though not very thick. I still enjoy that we are having porters that aren't predominantly coffee and chocolate in flavor, 7.5/10.
Chris- The nose is subtle and not really a beer smell. It is a flavorful porter with a cherry/banana taste in the middle, 8/10.