Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Wow...a real vanilla bomb. For those of us that thought baking vanilla was wonderful when we were young. Breckenridge has made a very drinkable Porter that certainly appeals to vanilla fans.

I think this beer is a little wanting for flavor, or maybe I was just expecting too much. The vanilla shines through, but only at the end and it’s through a murky cloud of burnt chocolate and other unidentifiable roasted flavors. This is tasty, but not great.

Bottle poured black with small head and lacing. Light aroma of chocolate, malt, caramel. Flavor is a bit metalic with hints of roast,chocolate and maybe a little vanilla on the finish.
Not bad.

I had heard great things about this beer before I tried it. Granted, I heard them from people who do not know that much about good beer, but still, you get my point. Wow, were they wrong. You might as well have just given me a vanilla been and told me to chew on that for awhile instead of having this beer. That is not to say that it is not well-crafted, it is for the most part, however there are issues in the body (thinness). My problem with the beer is that it tastes so much of vanilla that the nut and chocolate flavors get blown away and you are left with a vanilla bomb. If you have ever drank vanilla extract on accident you might know what I am talking about. If you liked it, then you should probably drink this beer.

Draft. No head or any lacing. Aroma was vanilla, roast and tiny hint of toffee. Taste was a little roast, toffe/caramel (maybe hints of dark fruit) turning mainly to semisweet vanilla. Finishes dry light bitter with some mineral (soy) and dark malt astringent. mouth is fizzy and thin.

Bottle. Poured black color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly diminished with so so lacing. Moderate roasted sweet malt and mega Vanllia aroma. Medium body with a creamy texture. sweet vanilla flavor with a light sweet finish of short duration. interesting idea....but my expectations were not met, needed more Pazaaazzz!!!

Pours a deep mahogany brown w/ a medium semi creamy froth that recedes to a fine silky canopy and full lace that clings. Aromas of vanilla malts. Medium nectar w/ soft residual effers. Big vanilla rootbeer flavors. Not much roast or any other porter flavors to speak of. Finish is only lightly bittered. It’s a sweet brew. I would put this brew in the fruit beer section. As a porter, not interested.

Enjoyed this on tap @ the Smokehouse in Cowlumbus for my friend Aaron’s birthday (in Novemeber I think). It was one of the brewpub’s "guest" offerings. Nose of vanilla, malt, and molasses. Vanilla becomes dominant as brew warms. The brew is dark brown with ruby highlights. The creamy tan head leaves light lace. The front is roasted malt with light acidity. The grainy toasted finish is bold. The full body is soft & dry. The finish feels clean.