Ballast Point Black Marlin Porter

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

Deep dark brown coloured body, almost black, with a very thin off-white head. Aroma of roasted malt, cherries, coffee, chocolate and some light cereal. Medium-bodied; Strong roasty flavours tucked in with chocolate and coffee along with a good malty backbone and tons of smooth sugars. Aftertaste shows more roasted flavours along with a good dose of caramel. Definitely a good one to try - this is almost a stout...but this goes down very nicely. Pick this up if you can find it! I sampled this 65 cL bottle purchased from BevMo in Caramel Mountain (San Diego), California on 17-April-2007.

blah, wasn’t a fan. Had this one in bottle a long time ago and have never sought it out again. Seemed weak, watery, and overpowered by the coffee. Nothing rich, robust, or big about it...Porter’s aren’t my fav, so if you do enjoy them, it might be worth a shot.

22 oz. bottle in a trade with WeeHeavySD - thanks for this one! Pours out a deep ruby/brown with a a large creamy tan head that is both durable and lacy. The aroma shows a light chocolate character over a roasty malt base, with the addition of some pungent but not overwhelming hop flavors. Medium body and carbonation combine with a light astringency for a pleasing mouthfeel. Burnt caramel sweetness is is well balanced by some spicy hop bitterness. I tasted this side by side with Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, one of my favorite porters. The Ballast Point had a more prominent hop profile, not unexpected from a San Dieago brewer. It was slightly less rich tasting than the Great Lakes, but still compared quite favorably. This is a really nice porter.

on draft at ballast point brewery, excellent porter, good combo of bitterness and flavor, hints of roasted malts, very smooth, pours a dark brown and body is rich and full

Bottle. Holy Smokes, this is one of the best porters I have tried. It pours black with a giant brownish head that is long lasting. Aromas of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate. Flavors of roasted malts, chocolate and toffee. Goes well with some dark chocolate. Very creamy, with a medium body that is even a wee bit heavy for a porter. A really excellent beer.

Whenever I need a nice, standard porter fix, this is my go to. Easily drinkable and just the right balance of malts, texture and hops. In other words, the commercial description is pretty spot-on. This sees lots of action in my keggerator.

Bottle. Black color with a light brown head. A watery light malt aroma with chocolate and toffee. Smooth as silk as the malts coat the mouth with chocolate, but it lacks a rich complexity and robust flavor.

Oh how I love the Black Marlin Porter. It has a suble aroma that sparks curiousity immediately. The rich, deep color sits solid in a glass. The head is dense and not fluffy, which is nice, because it isn’t fizzy like some others can be. It is a great dinner beer that goes with ANY food. The aftertaste sits on your tongue to enjoy long after you’ve finished.