Mad River Steelhead Scotch Porter

Brewed by Mad River Brewery
Style: Porter
Blue Lake, California USA

(Bottle 35,5 cl) Courtesy of Degarth. Pours an opaque black with a dense, light brown head. Soft aroma of roasted malt and vanilla. Medium body with sweetsih, roasted malt accents and some vanilla. Lightly peaty edge. Very subdued bitterness. Nice and quaffable. 241007

Sampled at the Odds and Ends Tasting II on 10/19/07: This brew is a deep mahogany color with a medium beige head that dissipates steadily. Rings of lacing. The aroma smokey peated malt and caramel with hints of choclate. Medium-bodied and smooth with roasted malt, chocolate and ripe fruit flavors. The finish is smokey with a lingering mild hops aftertaste. Overall this is an interesting and enjoyable Porter.

pours an opaque black that appears dark reddish brown at the edges. thin off white head fades to a film and lingers for the duration, leaving a bit of lacing here and there. smell is coffee malts with a bit of bitter chocolate and caramel. very little hop scent. tastes of strong coffee with caramel malt and woody notes, with small notes of dark fruit as the coffee fades. slightly bittersweet palate with good balance, a light to medium body and thin mouthfeel, and not a ton of carbonation. great tasting, but doesn’t finish quite like i would hope. still, the complexity of the taste and smell almost make up for it, and i’ll have it again.

12oz bottle from louisville ky @ olde towne liqour. solid thick brown murk, with orange red hues on the edges. tall foamy light tan head reduces to a thin top. strong caramel and chocolate nose with hints of roasted malt. earthy and malty with a sticky sweetness. scotch ale up front with a porter finish. taste is like chocolate milk and coffee candy. finish is toasty and robust.

Tastes and feels more high-grav than it is, like it’s been aged in bourbon barrels or sumthin. Flavor comes off as a bit fumey. Maybe it’s the successful subliminal effect of the word "scotch" on the label.

(Bottle) Pours a dark brown body with a spare beige head. Aroma of chocolate, roasted malt, and caramel. Flavor of roasted malt, chocolate, hops, caramel, and some vinous.

Pours opaque brown/black. Aroma is burnt malt. Flavor starts out as a scotch ale- sweet, alcohol, and caramel. Next it gently turns to a porter. Dry, smooth, and burnt malt. An awesome hybrid beer showcases the characteristics of two good styles. And in this case, the sum is greater than the parts. Spectacularly crafted. A very intricate and complex brew.

My 40th porter. Bottle. Roasty, toasty aroma with firm nuttiness and slight peaty smoke. Opaque pitch pour with a lovely light brown head - lacing, rocky, playful. Taste is robust and roasty, lots of malt and nuttiness, light flloating fruitiness and delicious blending peat. Fainter chocolate and a touch of whisky. Smooth mf with prickling up front, medium sessionable mouthfeel. Really gets the synergy working, there’s some rare style at work here. Could drink several bottles of this in a night - de-friggin-licious!