MacTarnahans Blackwatch Cream Porter

Brewed by Portland Brewing Company (Pyramid)
Style: Porter
Portland, Oregon USA

Smokey, mallty..like a low grade oat stout. Body’s a little thin. Hints of walnuts and earth. Not bad but nothing to write home about.

12oz bottle pours dark darkness with amber edges and thin mocha head. It has a full aroma with mild amounts of vanilla and caramel followed by assertive burnt and roasty maltiness. The taste begins dark and roasty and slowly becomes more burnt. I get mild caramel sweetness for a moment as nutty and chocolate notes surfaces at the finish. Pretty tasty.

Unfortunately I cannot taste this one blind and come to it with possible negative bias. However, my score comes out higher than my intended 3.0 (i.e., slightly above average). The most pronounced aspect is the chalk-dusty palate, though the light body becomes watery toward the bottom of the glass. It’s a good unchallenging/non-threatening session beer (e.g. for the 4th of July party where I drank it).

Bottle from Total Wine in Roseville, CA. This brew poured dark brown/black with medium head. The scent was of coffee/chocolate, and the taste was of nuts, smoke, and coffee. It’s a middle of the road porter, but very enjoyable.

Mac’s Blackwatch Cream Porter 6/26/08 (poured from bottle a dark, opaque brown/black with a nice creamy tan head. Smells of dark fruit, malt and some roasts. Palate is surprisingly thin, with strong carbonation. Initial flavor is nutty with roasts, followed by a sweetish malt vanilla finish. Flavor lingers on the tongue for a bit. Pretty solid for $6.99 a six pack!

roasty, thin. carbonated, easy to drink, not a whole lot of chocolate. a bit watery. sweet. not really silky smooth imo.

Poured from tap at Berkeley Pyramid an opaque black with small tan head. Aroma is roasty with molasses, grain and malt. Flavor is soft roasted grain, coffee, molasses, and a mild charcoal smokiness. The palate is well rounded with a slight creaminess and a bit of malt, but not a big malt mouth. This beer makes for easy drinking. Flavor more like a stout but with less body and smoother, making it easier to drink.

Pours an opaque colour with a medium sized vanilla coloured head. Has aromas of roasted nuts and oak. Has a mouthfeel that is lighter with a silky finish. Tasted plenty of nuttiness once again, cocoa and coffee. Overall, very nice beer.