Gearys Vanilla Porter

Brewed by D.L. Gearys Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Portland, Maine USA

Pours dark brown with a tan head. Smells of roasted malt, vanilla. Tastes of vanilla with some chocolatey hints underneath. The vanilla is overdone in this.

This beer is labeled "Anniversary Ale" Pours with cola-like carbonation, a beige head raised quickly to a half inch, followed by a fast collapse. The body is mahogany with chestnuts hues and clear. No lacework or retention. Aromatics lead off with a blast of caramel and vanilla. The nose developes further with nougat, white chocolate, and butterscotch. Some hints of bourbon and toffee round it out. Mouthfeel is medium, a bit sticky and chewy. Some lingering residuals and sweetness. The pallet is roasty with light chocolate overtones and more vanilla. More caramel and nougat come through, as well as toffee, irish cream, and a lingering boozy character. Finishes with a firm, aggresive, crisp bitterness and warmth on the throat. A unique offering from Geary’s, it hints at barrel aging, but it seems over the top for that. More like an american strong ale with vanilla and ringwood.

22oz bottle acquired in trade with ppoitras (thanks!). Poured a medium and clear mahogany color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of vanilla beans, caramel, chocolate, and lightly roasty. Tastes of vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and root beer soda.

Date: 07/18/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Cellar Party

clear dark burgandy, fine tan head, dry chocolate aroma with a hint of caramel and vanilla sneaking in from the back, lots of rich chocolate and vanilla flavor, still mostly dry to the point of being powdery, only upon warming does a bit of caramel sweetness show up, needs some sweetness to become exceptional

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.1/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Pours a one finger cream head that fades slowly to a ring leaving traces of lace. Deep mahogany color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Vanilla nose. Flavor is brown sugar and vanilla, not cloying, smooth, vanilla finish. $6.00 for a 22oz bottle from Tully’s Beer and Wine Wells, ME.

Appearance: Pours a dark garnet-hued body with a thick, creamy whitish head. Smell: Chocolaty, sweet-smelling aroma with a lesser degree of vanilla replete with a bag of sugar. Smells quite like a Tootsie Roll. Seriously, I underlined "Tootsie Roll" in my tasting notes three times. Taste: Simply put, it’s a Tootsie Roll. Any vanilla in the aroma or taste is really an afterthought. Sweet and chocolate-like through and through. No real appreciable hop character here at all for me. Finishes sweet. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation. Drinkability: Way to go, Geary’s. You done (fairly) good.

Sweet malt and vanilla and hop aroma. Brown ruby color, clear. Thin off white head with low head retention moderate lacing. Sweet malt flavor and hop flavors followed by vanilla. Medium thin body, low carbonation and some alcohol warming. Big vanilla finish! Interesting!

Bottle thanks to porterhouse: Pours a transparent dark mahogany ruby with a thin ring of spotty tan head. Aroma boasts lots of sugary candy vanilla and some caramel malt. Body starts with some sugary caramel malt and drier, earthy bittering hoppy presence with lots of vanilla flavor and mild milk chocolate. Not much porter character but a decent brew.