Black Oak Nutcracker

Brewed by Black Oak Brewing
Style: Porter
Etobicoke, Canada

Dark brown. Medium to full bodied, nutty, dry, big roasty flavour.

Can 341ml. @ Chriso’s pre GBBF Shindig ’09.
Clear dark brown color with a average, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, beige head. Aroma is moderate to light light heavy malty, roasted, spicy, cinnamon - anis. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration and spicy. Body is medium, texture is oily and sticky, carbonation is soft. [20090801]

Bottled. Black colour, small brown head. Aroma is roasted malts some a bit toffeeish notes. Flavour is quite much the same. Really not much to add.

Dark brown; Aroma of dark chocolate, hazelnuts, rich coffee; the palate combines rich cappucino with pralines, leaf hops, a hint of cinnamon and an old woodiness that reminded me of those dilapidated wooden fences you see around farmer’s fields. The finish is long, roasty and quite dry (I think I would have preferred the finish to be a little sweeter myself). All in all, an impressive seasonal offereing, and a good replacement for the departed Taylor & Bate Porter (RIP).

A Mes rate: bottle at home thanks to the ever generous Hog Town Harry.
Black as the ace of spades with a decent and lasting beige head with good bubble variation. Rich malt backing supports the cinnamon, clove and nutmeg notes really well. Harry was worried about the age of this bottle (year and a half Harry?) but if anything it gave it a really pleasant faint musty note in the background. There is a definite hint of Speyside about it too. Really nice and creamy feel. Good dry chocolate finish. Interesting and enjoyable. Thanks Harry.

341ml bottle acquired in trade. This one initially poured all head (light brown). Settled into a dark black color. Aromas of roast, coffee, dark chocolate and very light spices. Tastes of roast, dark chocolates, light coffee and some caramel. I wasn’t really getting a large amount of cinnamon out of this as the description says (a little in the aroma and maybe some in the background tastes).

Bottle... GIABMISGFAB... Sits black with a small, khaki head. The aroma is a swirl of chocolate and toffee with a touch of vanilla and a rumor of cola. Medium-bodied and watery with medium carbonation. Well balanced, though it does lean just a hair on the bitter side. A tad oxidized (cardboard). Thin, lightly bitter finish. Kudos to TheCheeseMan for sharing his bottle!

Shortlived beige head over ebony beer. Rich black chocolate and wood nose, slightly sweet. A bit of tobacco as well, very roasted. Very dry wood flavour, plywood, touches of coffee and bitter chocolate. Ever so slight malty sweetness, tucked away under the dry bitterish roast. Ends on a sweeter note, hazelnut-like. Quite slick, medium bodied at best. Quite decent porter, txs to Stephen. I could not identify the cinnamon.