Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Brewed by Breckenridge Brewery
Style: Porter
Denver, Colorado USA

Pint at Denver pub 10/12/2008. Slight smokiness and vanilla hints in aroma. Dark amber brown with small tan head. Nice vanilla bean flavor and roast up front. Medium body and mouthfeel. Finish is fairly dry and slightly astringent.

On tap at the Breckenridge brewery tasting room. Pours a very dark brown body with a small, beige head that leaves minimal lacing. Aroma is loaded with sweet, but mild vanilla bean. Good amount of toasted caramels and chocolate malts in there too. Slightly nutty, but not a lot of hop backing or roasted malts. The vanilla makes this very mellow smelling, but quite rich. Flavor is rich as well, with a lot of sweet vanilla and nuts dominating the traditional porter taste. Nice milky chocolates balance the vanilla quite well. The light roasted grains start to kick in during the finish giving it a bit of a roasty lingering taste. The finish is also very mellow and sweet with a lingering toasted caramel as well as rich, milk chocolate. Palate is very creamy, medium bodied, and clean. Overall, a pretty solid vanilla porter, especially on tap. Not the typical roasty porter, but they don’t advertise it as such. Good stuff and enjoyed drinking it at the brewery.

Black with thin, tan head / Nose of tobacco and chocolate / Medium body, a little thin, with weak finish / Creamy mild flavors of roast barley and chocolate, with a shot of vanilla on the finish / Rather bland.

Bottle from Papago. Pours a mild coffee color with a trim tan head. Certainly doesn’t look like a porter. Smells of barley, malt, and raw vanilla beans. Tastes the same with an added note of baker’s cocoa. Very dry. Some cream or a bit of sweetness would go a long way in balancing this out.

bottle at Taco Mac. pours a light black with a 1/4’’ tan head. huge vanilla and mild coffee aroma. nice full soft body over the palate... high carbonation on the tip and through the finish. the vanilla dominates this throughout, but thats what separates this one from the normal porter. there is some mild bitterness on the finish as well. overall a nice beer, but kind of a novelty. would not want a whole 6 pack.

bottle: pours a clear light brown with a small off white head. aroma of vanilla and roasted grains not very strong but pleasant. a very pleasant taste that is not to strong like the aroma it is vanilla upfront and some roasted grains in the back (chocolate and coffee that is very week). the palate is very smooth and a very easy drinking porter. everything is quite light though.

Taste isn’t too bad, but the vanilla is incredibly strong. Leaves a burning feeling like vanilla vodka...

On tap at flying saucer. Pours a very dark brown with a snall frothy light tan head that diminishes quickly leaving sticky lacing. The aroma is a faint roast and caramel. Medium mouthfeel with a sweet roast and vanilla. Easy to drink a good porter from Breckenridge.