Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Porter
San Diego, California USA

Bottle (22oz) from Topps in Tempe. The pour was dark brown in color, some mahoganey hues. The head was ok, lacing too. The aroma was chocolate, some coffee, also a berry fruit factor. The flavor was much the same as the aroma, not a bad melding of these things together along with a caramel-ness too. Mouthfeel was of moderate body for the style, some dryness, light to moderate carbonation. A nice little porter, though not something to die for.

Black of color with a nice beige head. an aroma of liqurice, coffee and dark chocolate. A flavor of coffee, raw liqurice, chocolate and sweet hints.

Beautiful pour of blackened chestnut brown; tepid white skin scatters over the surface while a blaze of burgundy glows at the bottom. Medium roasted coffee, caramel and doughy chocolate cookies in the aroma; licorice, and a hint of lactic sourness. Crisp brown sugars and cool mint leaves linger within a basic, but unadulterated, dark berry and toasted malt framework; simple and easy to enjoy. Fat roasted malts and bitter citrus rind rub the palate with mild astringency, but the juicy hazelnuts and water chestnuts imparting an oily sweetness win out. At once firm and soft in the mouth, finishing dryly with rotund cola bitterness. Well done and very amiable.

Darker brown color with a light-med head. Aroma is dry and roasty with dark chocolate, coffee, and some yeastiness. Flavor is of dark, dry chocolate, coffee, piney/earthy hops, and some dark fruits. Not bad at all, but a bit drier than I like in a porter.

Thanks to Santa for the bomber! Poured medium rust-copper tinted brown with a short, brighter cap of tan head. The aroma was just outstanding.. rich, well-roasted dark chocolates, carmel, and molasses and the core with orange, pineapple, and spicy pine hoppage all over.. deep, warm, and dark.. pulled me right in. The flavor was certainly on par, with sticky molasses and burnt dark chocolate supporting a high level of bitterness (primarily pine needles and earth, with lesser citrus fruits).. sticky, sweet finish of caramel, molasses, and chocolate again with a long, lingering bitterness.. tasty! Medium-bodied and a bit heavier where sticky.. bitterness was high and very complimentary.. dry on the finish and a touch grainy. 500mL bottle. Poured hazy, medium reddish-orange with a creamy cap of beige head. The aroma was soft and dusty with well-roasted chocolates, faint fruity sourness, and a bit of herbal/grainy appeal.. really nothing going on for me to enjoy.. not offensive, though. The flavor found more lactose sourness that masked some of the dry chocolatey goodness.. enjoyed the dry-roasted chocolate finish, which picked up some toasty grains.. sourness washes over the palate again after the finish. Medium-bodied, perhaps a tad less.. well-carbonated.. the sourness gets in the way a bit. Overall, Very good stuff!

Bottle courtesy of dirty_martini. Pours dark brown with a thin tan head. Smells of caramel, earth, some molasses, touches of oranges. Tastes of caramel, some molasses, hints of spice, some chocolate and touches of pepper. Mouthfeel is full bodied with a finish that yields some burnt malt.

Bottled. Black, dense beige head. Grapefruity nose. Dryish with clean mouthfeel. A good mix of salty licorice and other flavours associated with roasted malt and grapefruity hops. Fairly clean mouthfeel and straightforward flavour profile. medium bitterness.

Poured black with a super large head. Good roasted malt flavor, but somewhat thin-bodied. It was okay, but I usually expect more from a porter