Empyrean Dark Side Vanilla Porter

Brewed by Empyrean Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Lincoln, Nebraska USA

12 oz bottle via trade with eboats! - Thanks Caleb - Pours dark bown with a short offwhite head that faded pretty quick. Aroma is chocolate, coffee, caramel, and much vanilla.. Flavor is mostly vanilla, but some roasted malt exists behind it. Sort of a cola flavor there. Palate is medium bodied and a very drinkable ale. Not bad..

12z bottle. Dark roasted notes along with a good nose of coffee and vanilla. Sweet malt flavors and a dark roast note. Dark brown, almost black hue with little tan head. The vanilla note is definite in the front of the mouth. Good roast and not too heavy. Nice beer and easy drinking.

Pours dark brown to black with good tan head. Not much vanilla in aroma, but some coffee and chocolate. Very subtle in the vanilla flavoring, which is good. A slight bit thin for the style, but not too bad. Probably the best of the Empyrean bunch.

The vanilla is the main aspect of this beer as you would expect from the name. The beer has a nice color and good flavor. It can come accross as a little thin at times. Overall, this is a good dark quaffing beer.

Dark Side is a pure treat. A fantastic porter with a hint of vanilla. A must try if you are in the area. Empyrean is on the move and has several great beers to enjoy. I find a slight ruby color similar to a stout, it also carries a light creamy head. This is a perfect addition to Cheesecake!

Pitch black with a nice creamy head. Super creamy consistency. The flavor borders between the vanilla coke I got on the first swallow and a coffee ice cream that I got later.

Dark, earthy brown color, lighter ’round the sides, with a grand, lasting, creamy head. Aroma: smack-full of vanilla, with some roasty elements, and additional flavors of nuts, cocoa, and more. It stuff my nose in the glass to further get a feel for it, and then I’m left with a touch of rum...no, rum & coke...no, rum & vanilla coke? (Has anyone seen Chazz Palmentieri around?) Vanilla feel is dominant on the palate, and while there is some of the bitterness I look for in any good porter, it’s lying very low. All other parts of the picture do their job very well, but it’s the particular vanilla flavor that this beer is all about, and it never quits. So, if you like vanilla, here you go. Me, I like porter-flavored porters. Not bad, but it was too much vanilla for me.

Poured not quite black with thin tan head...smelled sweet with chocolate, vanilla, and coffee...thin disappointing body...sweet flavors of watered down vanilla latte...not bad, but they need to thicken the flavors up a little...