General Lafayette Chocolate Thunder Porter

Brewed by General Lafayette Inn and Brewery
Style: Porter
Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania USA

C-Bus 7 Growler shared by moejuck: Poured black with a medium tan head that held up well after a lengthy stay in the growler. Aroma, chocolate and coffee were predominant with a bit of a woody kick in there. Flavor, chocolate, roasted malts, coffee, a nice roasty finish, medium bodied, and easy drinking. Really nice beer.

On cask at Friday the Firkinteeth. This was the highlight of the day. I loved this stuff! Basically imagine sitting at breakfast, having a nice full pancake meal, with maple syrup, sausage, and a little fruit bowl. Take in that smell and that is this beer. Flavor was chocolately and maple syruppy, but also smokey. It was a beautiful cloudy dark brown color. The mouthfeel was unbelievably smooth. All I can say is wow! I wonder if this is as good when its not on cask.

A pitch black beer with a thin brown head. The aroma is sweet chocolaty with light notes of alcohol, while the flavor is sweet with strong notes of chocolate and prunes as well as light notes of alcohol, leading to a dry woody end.

Growler via the ever generous Degarth! - Thanks Joe! - Shared last night with a non rating friend - Pours dark black with a big mocha head that stays pretty well and leaves a fair amount of lacing on the english pint that I served it in. Aromas of chocolate, coffee, and burnt malts.. Some fudgy notes there as well. Aroma was pretty dessert-like. Flavor starts out with fudge, coffee, vanilla, caramel, then some roasted notes mostly come through. A good degree of burnt flavor too before the dry yet lingeringly sweet finish. Good smooth balance and a creamy mouthfeel make this one a fine example of a porter.. Reminded me a lot of Thirsty Dog Old Leghumper.. Very robust and delicious..

Growler obtained from the brewery on 10/3/06 and consumed on 12/2/06 (kept in fridge)
Correct filling and handling of the growler leads to a large light-tan head that cascades up from the black chocolate body. Mostly well-retained, leaving spotty lacing on the glass. Medium to medium-high clarity with plenty of carbonation.
Some light ashiness overlays the aroma, at first, well-burnt and roasty, but sweet chocolate notes go to work on softening things. A touch of lactic notes, with some graham crackers, light coffee and even some green, juicy, fruity hops with a bit of citrus to them. Warming allows chocolate to really come on strong, though it never seems too sweet or dominant. Great balance between the roasted/chocolate notes and the base/crystal malts. Very aromatic. Chocolate is not deeply milky or fudgey, but more tempered by the roast leading to a medium sweet cocoa feel. No alcohol or flaws noted.
Sweet vanilla and marshmallow flavors abound at first, as the pale/crystal malts contend with the darker malts. A hint of coffee is noted, though it’s got some lactic and bitter notes to it. The dark malts eventually dry things out and a mix of roast and chocolate sits pleasantly on the finish. Not the most complex example I’ve had, but just incredibly balanced. Usually chocolate porters are either way too sweet and syrupy without any assertive/drying roast, or they’re way too far the other direction from overuse of dark malts. This one really nails it and is a pleasure to drink. Split the growler with a friend and it was gone in no time. Looser carbonation (as expected) but I had it on tap fresh at the brewery and it was perfectly fine and engaging.
Sticky, but decidedly not syrupy texture. Supple maltiness and very drinkable. Not overdone in any category.

On tap at Barcade. Deep dark brown in color witho a nice fluffy off white head. Roasty chocolatety aroma. Malty and hoppy flavor. Bittersweet chocolate notes. Finish is roasty. Sweet tasting. Rich and smooth. Full bodied. Very nice. Very drinkable.

Tap at Barcade: Pours thick oily with an initial thick brown head which fades. Nice roasty cappucino aroma. The flavor has suggestions of coffee/java icecream, followed by sweet yeasty fruityness of mangos, papayas. It’s a bit syrupy though. The flavors are great, but for some reason they don’t seem to mesh well. Still very quality and enjoyable.

Now this is a good porter! Blackish pour with tan head. Coffee-chocolate aroma that is quite inviting. Taste is deep, rich chocolate with plenty of coffee and roasted malts. Good stuff! Bottle re-rate: Still prefer this one on tap, but the bottled version is quite smooth, buttery, and tasty. Lots of chocolate and roast. Awesome that its being bottled!