CooperSmiths Existential Porter

Draft at Brewery Aug ’08: Poured a dark brown color with not much head. The aroma was coffee, roasted malts, and chocolate. The flavor was good, a subtle coffee flavor with caramel, chocolate, and sweet malts present. Overall, a very tasty brew.

Draught. Head is mostly lasting. Body is dark brown. Aroma is moderately malty (caramel, chocolate, coffee), with a note of vanilla. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Light to medium body, watery/creamy texture, soft carbonation. A little thin and kinda bland, but ok.

Had this on-tap at the brewery. Beer poured a clear, very dark, nearly opaque brown color with a small, creamy, lasting tan head. The aromas contain notes of dark chocolate, lightly smokey peat and coffee. The flavor is initially quite salty and slightly sweet but mostly bland with a very short, smokey finish. Unlike any other porter I’ve had yet, and a little off-putting. The palate was medium-to-thick with a velvety texture and soft carbonation.

Cask. Subtle, fruity malt driven aroma giving hints of cream, milk, chocolate, coffee and roasted malts. Very coffeeesque, definately showing the use of black malt. Lingering coffee flavor, especially on the finish. Other fruity, malty flavors (chocolate, pit fruit) and a very low hop and bitterness level. Watery texture. One I won’t be having again.

Dark brown/black with edges of ruby and a short tan head. Roasty flavors in a thinner body. Finish was dry with a light sourness

Cask. Very foamy and creamy head. Nice malty body, but could use more. Taste has a little coffee but minimal roastedness. Very little hops. Drinkable off cask, but I wouldn’t bother from the kegs.

11/30/04: thin and much blander than I recall. Still a decent porter.

12/23/03 - 9 5 9 4 18 4.5 - The Existential poured beautifully. It was a dark black with a thick, creamy, tan head that rose from the bottom of the glass and had great retention. The aroma was malty with chocolate and coffee tones. It tasted of sweet malts and chocolate with a bitter coffee finish. It was nice and creamy, yet had a slighty thin mouthfeel. Overall, I like this a lot. It is a great drinkable porter, that I’ve had many times this month. I hope they will brew this regularly!

Very close to completely black, but with some beautiful red light at the edges. Non-existent aroma. Thin palate with some old coffee, cherries, wood and medicine flavors. Too thin.