Oaken Barrel Snake-Pit Porter

Brewed by Oaken Barrel Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Greenwood, Indiana USA

Bottle. Pours an impressive black with some orange at the very extremities and a tall tan head. The aroma is chocolatey with some roasty hints, faint touches of miscellaneous fruits, and a little bit of brown sugar. The flavor is a woody bitterness at first, and gradually and evenly evolves into a sort of sweet pine in the finish. Rounded chocolate is the foundation, with some roasted coffee tones as well. The finish is clean and leaves a slightly bitter, somewhat nutty aftertaste. Very, very drinkable.

Fantastic label. Black body, neither chalky nor oily looking, neither thick nor thin in appearance. I suppose it’s got standard written all over it, but it looks very appetizing. The head that rises from the body is impossibly thick, built from catacombs of cavernous bubbles and absurdly creamy froth. Retention is otherworldly. Lacing left behind looks like something exploded from the depths of the glass, scattered about with ferocious intention. Roastiness is immediately quantifiable in the nose. Coffee follows, sweet and straight-forward. This beer is teeming with hops, undefined citrus notes escaping the glass. There are also some soft lactic qualities apparent, providing a sense of creamer added to the coffee that isn’t even in here in the first place. Definitely a robust porter. Flavor is very well balanced, very chocolatey. Coffee only wiggles forth as the chocolate malt and roast recedes, near the finish. Hops are an excellent balancing agent, restrained citric qualities but plenty of bittering. This beer actually tastes really exciting; expectations were quite low but this is delicious. A nice balance in the flavor between roast and sweetness, lactic qualities and bitterness, cream and coffee. Palate is medium-full to full bodied, well carbonated without any excess fizziness, balanced. Finishes with hints of dusty cocoa and sweet black coffee. Very surprising, highly drinkable and one to try again.

12oz bottle pours black with a big tan head that stays well and laces. Aromas of mostly roasted malts, a little chocolate, and some coffee. Flavor is coffee, slight chocolate, some caramel, and a little vanilla. Roasted malts are there throughout as well. Finish is rather dry. A fairly drinkable porter.

Bottle - chocolate malt in the aroma. Typical appearnace for a porter. Dark brown body with a beige head. Big coffee in the finish. Good.

Very dark brown bodied with a skinny li’l tan head, this has an aroma of chocolate covered dark caramel and a splash of coffee. A slight touch of vanilla enters the taste picture. The finish is similar to that of finishing an iced coffee. Not bad.

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Draught at Oaken Barrel Brewpub. Poured black with hints of red and a nice dark tan head. Lots of chocolate in the aroma. Flavor has notes of coffee, caramel, and bread under the chocolate. The finish is quite dry, and leaves you wanting another sip. When Oaken Barrel hits, they are right on.

Draught during my Great Lakes region brew tour. Solid very dark red with a tan head. Chocolate and faint pine in the nose underneath sturdy coffee. There is an excellent example of balanced coffee in the flavor. Mocha, bread, and walnute flavors are detectable and the finish is drying, reminds me of chewing on coffee beans. The mouthfeel is very appropriate. Excellent balance overall.

black with brown head, big aroma has a black olive smell, Strong taste with some after taste, slightly bitter, Named after the notorious party crowd area in the infield first turn of the Indy 500 that lasted up into the 1980s.