Mad River Steelhead Scotch Porter

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

Dark dark brown, almond head. Aroma of subtle smoke and crystal malts. Taste is the same it really is a scotch ale/porter pretty cool concept. Smokey malts with a big caramel sweetness and roasted grains in there as well with chocolate in the aftertaste with a touch of coffee. The smoke really comes out as it warms and dominates with the crystal malt sweetness being the 2 main flavors. I think a lot of people will like this.

A Scotch Porter? I’m game! Picked up single 12-oz bottle at John’s Market Place in Portland, Oregon. Pours a clear dark brown brew with a thick off-white head that slowly dissolves and leaves behind a decent ring and lacing. Aroma of smoked peat, sweet milk chocolate, roasted dark malt, and some spicey pepper. Taste is medium to full bodied, with flavors of caramel, chocolate and some freshly roasted coffee. Finish is smooth, creamy with a sweet caramel and smoked peat aftertaste. Pretty decent foy my first Scotch Porter.

An interesting idea. The aroma does have smoke and coffee. Very dark brown with considerable carbonation. Flavor has chocolate, more coffee, roasted malt and light fruit. A surprisingly complex beer.

Thanks to skyview for sharing. Wow, these Mad river brews keep getting better. Dak brown color with faint head. Dark malty nose with fruits and almost oatmeal grain. Sweet chocolate body with a hop finish. Very very nice.

Thanks to Skyview for sharing. Pours a very dark burnt brown-red. Nice spicy flavor with some good coffee, salted meats, and ripe fruit. Great flavor with a nice ripe fruit chartacter and coffee, with hints of chocolate and smoke. Nice hoppy floral finish.

Bottle. Poured dark brown with a nice, full head and some lacing. Great aroma of roasted coffee beans and some fruits. Sweet malts up front and then finishes bitter. Very impressive beer.

bottle from dsnowden, thank you! A really nice porter, big on the rosted malt, and some nice chocolate, and coffee notes. Flavour is very roasty, and finished with a nice coffee bitnerness. As it warmed i got some subtle fruitiness in the aroma, and flavour. Very enjoyable.

6/24/2007 and 7/10/2007: Steelhead Scotch Porter is very dark brown and opaque. It has a decent tan/brown head that is dense and long-lasting and leaves some light lacing. Roasted malt, chocolate, some faint char, and some fruitiness (when warmer) can be found in the aroma. The flavor has roasted malt with some chocolate and darkly roasted coffee undertones. There is also some of that deep, carmelized maltiness and fruitiness that is typical of Scotch Ales. The finish has a lot of dry, dark chocolate and char flavor. More and more coffee flavor and dry smoke come out as the beer warms up. This beer has a medium-full body and is very smooth. Overall, this beer is full-flavored and robust. The peated malt is is nice addition and was obviously done carefully. This beer met and slightly exceeded my expectations. Steelhead Scotch Porter is a well crafted beer that is quite easy to drink despites its complex flavors.

12 oz bottles from River’s Bend Wine and Spirits. Rating #151 for this beer...