French Broad Imperial Porter

Brewed by French Broad Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Asheville, North Carolina USA

Date: January 19, 2008
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Asheville Winter
Appearance: opaque dark brown, big frothy tan head, lots of drippy lace
Aroma: rich dry dark chocolate aroma
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, touch of roasted balances the chocolate and helps to keep it dry, light earthyness gives a smoky character, light bitterness in the finish

Date: April 11, 2008
Mode: draft
Source: Barley’s Asheville
same as before, creamy, touch of sweetness brings out the chocolate,

Date: April 17, 2009
Mode: draft
Source: brewery
Score: 3.5 to 3.8
same great imperial porter from last year, maybe richer and creamier if possible, maybe a touch more of the dark caramel sweetness which adds to the richness, just a hint of fruityness that might emerge with a touch of age,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.8/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

Draft at WBF Raleigh on 5/2/09. Near black pour. Short tan head. Aroma is yummy! Lots of chocolate, roasted malt, light coffee, and light hops. Taste is more roasted malts, burnt cookie, dark chocolate, and bitter, oily coffee. Body is medium to medium-full. Carbonation is moderate and tingly. Ends with more roasted malts, dark chocolate, light hop bitterness, and strong, black coffee. Need more of this!

Growler shared at the Cigar City release party. Dark brown pour. Tons of fruity chocolate, like a cadbury bar(do they make those any longer?). I get notes of caramel and good roasted notes on the nose too. Flavor is again, full of chocolate, some coffee, fruit, toffee and some smooth roasted malt. Damn good brew.

This is the fourth growler Degarth opened out of seven he brought back from his trip. Thanks buddy. Pours dark with clear brown edges and tan head. The aroma is malty, roasty and malty sweet with nearly as bold notes of burnt malts and chocolate malts. The taste is fairly bold with a nice dash of burnt malts that seems to run through the flavor from front to back. More initial flavor notes are coming from malt roastiness, rich chocolate malts and coffee mingling with the burntness. Sweetness seems to build midway and into the finish to balance the roasty to burnt malt notes. Enjoyable Porter and I can even taste the Asheville.

Growler. Chocolate, toast, burnt/roasted malt, coffee and mild smoke in the aroma. Ruby hued dark brown with a thin and diminishing, but creamy, tan head. Very nice roast malt and sweet chocolate fore. Nice balance to it between roast bitter and sweet malt. Faint charry notes. Black chocolate, black coffee grounds...astringent, but in a complimentary way. Very solid brew.

KBjam. Dark almost black pour with brown head and lace. Aroma of coffee and chocolate. Nice toasted malt flavor lends to a medium burnt coffee flavor with just the right choco kicker. Nice carbonation and mouthfeel. Pretty special porter.

WBF sample. Pours a dark brown with a one to two finger creamy tan head. Allowed much more light than I likes. The aroma is roasty, grainy, some coffee, sweet, bitter chocolate. The flavor had some chocolate/coffee, roasty, some grain bitterness, waxy hops on the finish. Roasty and bitter palate.

On tap at the Federal. This is probably the best beer I’ve had from French Broad. Nice thick pour with an inky black body, modest head, and a lovely aroma of chocolate malts. The body is so thick and smooth, but without being too cloying. And the flavor is deeply milky, with roasts and even some slight vanilla coming through the chocolatey goodness. Fine stuff!