Ballast Point Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter

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

7/23/2009: Ballast Point Victory at Sea Coffee Vanilla Imperial Porter has semi-sweet chocolate, hints of espresso, and plenty of vanilla in its aroma. Its appearance is near black in tolor with a tan-colored head that deposits ring-like lacing on the glass. The flavor consists of dark malts, hints of chocolate, strong acidic coffee, and loads of vanilla bean. Mocha comes through in the finish. To be honest, the vanilla is a bit overpowering as it is not balanced by any of the other flavors. To make matters worse, this medium-bodied beer feels a bit thin. Is this a good beer? Yes, but I don’t think it’s anywhere near being great for me. I didn’t like it nearly as much as the majority of the recent ratings or as much as those who sampled it with me...

22 fl. oz. bottle shared by alexsdad06. Rating #161 for this beer.

bomber from CBX. pours a gorgeous, slightly oily, jet black with a thin, mocha brown head and great lacing. aroma is outstanding with big, dark, roasted coffee, vanilla extract, sweet cream, dark chocolate and toasty malts, with hints of tart, vinous fruit and spicy cinnamon. flavor is simply fantastic...4 months in the cellar has served this one well...huge, dark roast hazelnut coffee, sweet vanilla, toasted coconut, cinnamon, and toffee up front with a hint of dark fruit, smoke, burnt toast, and roast on the back end leading to a long, bittersweet roast coffee finish. palate is nearly full bodied and amazingly slick with an elegant touch of boozy warmth from the 10%. overall, a great imperial porter.

Draft at The Thirsty Monk. Pours a lacing tan head with a dark brown body. Smells of cocoa and coffee. Flavor is cocoa and coffee. Finish is strong vanilla, coffee, and a little dry.

Pours black with thin, dark ruby highlights and a 2 finger creamy mocha head. Aroma is huge on coffee, roast, roasted nuts, caramel, milk and dark chocolate, espresso, light toffee, dark caramel, floral and herbal notes. More caramel, vanilla and nutty notes come out as it warms, along with some toffee. Flavor is caramel sweetened espresso, rich caramel, super rich vanilla pudding, nice roast, some woody notes, burnt/toasted white bread, vanilla creme chocolates, a little char, nice toasted maple char and a little dark fruit. As it warms the vanilla notes become a little stronger than I would have liked, but doesn’t get in the way too much. Finish is roast, vanilla, smoked/roasted nuts, some bitterness, very smooth espresso notes and a little char. Palate is medium-think with a slick entry, very dry finish and light, but appropriate carbonation. Really, really good stuff, I would love to see what the bourbon barrel version is like. I could see it smoothing out the vanilla, or making it even more sharp and over the top.

Yet another treat from "hannont". Colour... very dark brown. Nose... COFFEE with notes of vanilla and toffee. Palate... Whoa! Big coffee hit, up front! Vanilla comes in quickly then a wave of roasty malt, caramel, and toffee, and finally a looooong, smackingly dry finish, reminiscent of what port [wine] shippers call, "grip". Nice!

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body with a wispy, fairly small-sized, beige head. Smell: Deeply roasty nose with some possible perceived hints of added black patent malt as well as eager, oh-so inviting notes of everyone’s favorite: coffee, vanilla, and chocolate. Taste: Dark, roasted malt flavor with a double shot of espresso, chocolate, and reasonably strong, smooth accents of vanilla beans. Subtly sweet. Earthy, predominately roasty bitterness present, particularly as it begins to grow in charred malt qualities upon slight warming. Drying, roasty finish with one last, final departing touch of vanilla. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: I enjoyed this one. It’s about as smooth as a man with a pencil-thin mustache. The listed ABV% was never an issue at all.

22 oz bottle acquired via trade. Pours out like black coffee with a one inch, quickly fading tan head and pretty nice, thick lacing. Aroma is entirely vanilla and coffee in equal measure, no room for anything else. Flavor lets some chocolate in to play with the vanilla and coffee, but not much else. This sucker is thick and delicious, I wish I’d traded for more!

Thanks to goldtwins for sharing - vanilla, toffee and cocoa in the nose - leafy bitterness - creamy mouthfeel, medium body, well-masked alcohol - quite a bitter coffee flavor, but not astringent - vanilla bean sweetness rides in under this - slight alcohol warmth in the finish - some cocoa and roasted nuts - not too bad.