Atwater Vanilla Java Porter

Brewed by Atwater Block Brewery
Style: Porter
Detroit, Michigan USA

12 oz. bottle in English pint glass. Seeing how I 1) Typically dislike Porter-style beers, 2} Dislike vanilla, and 3) Dislike coffee, my hopes were quite low for this beer. Poured deep, rich brown. Almost black. One finger light brown head, aroma was full of sweet coffee. Initial flavor was very sweet, not at all betraying the flavors I feared. Frankly, that was disturbing considering that those flavors were supposed to be there. Subsequent sips, however, got more and more coffee, plus the licorice (also not a favorite) that WeeHeavySD mentions. All in all, the vanilla never happened. I suppose that Atwater hit their mark to a degree, but I don’t know that it was done well or worth hitting in the first place.

12oz bottle via trade a ways back. Shared wtih my GF Cyn. Pours black witha 1 finger tan head. Nose is some what coffee laden. Taste is sweet, and licoricey and way way way too sweet. Somewhat of a putrid taste. Yuk.

12 oz bottle. Almost black with a thin head. Lots of roastiness in the nose. Coffee and chocolate flavors with just a tiny hint of vanilla.

Drauhgt at Hop Devil, NYC. Very dark amber color, offwhite head. Coffee aroma, cocoa, salt, milk chocolate. Bitter coffee flavor, malty, licorice and cocoa notes, and some chocolate. Kinda discreet finish.

Pours a dark brown color with a small, creamy white head. Lots of coffee, butterscotch, and vanilla in the nose. The sweetness was very evident. The taste didn’t surprise. Same coffee-vanilla flavor. Starts really sweet, but the sweetness dissipates quickly in the mouth to reveal a very simple beer. The big flavorings hit you in the beginning, but there is nothing to support those. Also very thin for the look of it. If they put a little more into this tasting like a beer instead of a desert, it would probably be really good. Still drinkable in smaller amounts.

Nice deep dark brown coloured body with soda-like bubbles and a thinnish fast-fading brown head. Aroma of strong metal, blood, vinegar, grapes, roasted malt and a meaty funkiness. Medium-bodied; Very effervescent nuttiness coupled with malt and a bit of interesting grape tastes found. Aftertaste shows a bit more complex taste with mushrooms, toffee and an overriding oaky and vanilla taste. Overall, a strong flavoured interesting tasting beer that doesn’t show enough porter to be good. I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Merchant’s in Dearborn, Michigan on 25-February2008.

Bottle, #358 Black pour with small head. Lightly roasted malt aroma with a bit of vanilla. A little coffee in the flavor, but it’s light. Definitely have had better coffee-ish porters.

Received from Beer of the Month club. Poured from bottle into pint glass, producing a dark brown body with a small fully diminishing head. Overall, the look of this porter reminds me of a cola, as it is not as dark as some porters. Good coffee aroma, though not much else, light nose otherwise. Taste is bittersweet and a little watery. Chocolate and coffee notes throughout tasting, thought I was hard-pressed to find the vanilla, right at the end I guess. Given that there was very little aftertaste, I could drink more than a few of these, as it is a smooth drinking mixture. However, I think that I would pass this porter up for something with a bit more character. Meh.