Ølfabrikken Porter

Very dark brown and opaque. A small brown thick head with good retention leaves a nice lid of foam on top of the liquid. A very pleasant smell with lots of aromas of malts with a quite prominent roasted character. A hint of smoke and charcoal. Notes of chocolate and chocolate syrup. Hints of dark fruits and faint hops. The taste starts of nicely with a pleasant sweet flavor of roasted malts, dark chocolate and a note of charcoal. Dark bread and wood. Muted notes of dark fruits and vanilla. A faint hint of hops. The finish has an aggressive bitterness to it that seems out of tune, and a not so integrated taste of alcohol. Notes of chocolate and slightly acidic roasted malts in the finish as well. The finish is actually quite a letdown. Full-bodied, viscous and creamy. Gentle carbonation. A good beer with lots of flavors. But there are some flaws in it. Most importantly, the finish is quite out of balance, which is a real shame. Even though I kind of like it, it’s far from its former glory from the time when Christian Skovdal Andersen (now Beer Here) was the head brewer at Ølfabrikken. Serving type: can (Copy of old Beer Advocate review)

bottle poured a dark black in color with a thick frothy brown head. aroma is rich roasted malt, chocolate, brown sugar sweetness, and a touch of coffee. solid coating medium mouth feel and great carbonation. flavor has roasted malts, chocolate, licorice, caramelized sugar, and a nice chewiness. really enjoyable and super smooth, perhaps the nicest porter I have tried!

From the Can at RBESG Harlequin, Sheffield 19/07/2009 Coffee roast aroma. Beige head. Black strong in alcohol and hoppy with a crisp and bitter finish.

It poured a pitch black liquid with a small light brown foam. Smell and taste of chocolate, soy sauce, burned and sweet. Nice!

500 ml bottle at Pikkulintu. Appears pitch black with thick brown head. Dark chocolate, coffee and liquorice in the aroma. Flavour has a lot of roasted malt with associated elements of coffee, dark chocolate, dark sugar and even some smoke. Nice, smooth palate. Definitely one of the best porters I’ve tasted.

Serving: 22.3 oz. bottle. Appearance: Pitch black color with a huge, dense, creamy, brown head. Great head retention. This one looks damn good. Aroma: It has a huge nose you can smell as soon as you open the beer. Chocolate, dark roasted malt, licorice, a bit of smoke, slight vinous notes, and brown sugar. I could sit here and smell this all day. Flavor: Robust and roasty without being overpowering. That is a tough one to pull off. Earthy with some flint notes, brown sugar, some smoke, a light vinous notes that emerges more as the beer warms, coffee, and light chocolate notes. Wow! Very complex stuff. Palate: Rich and smooth. Medium low, smooth carbonation works nicely. A rich and viscous mouthfeel with a medium, roasty finish. Overall: It’s been awhile since I’ve had a beer wow me like this. While I am usually skeptical of the high percentile beers, this one lives up to the hype. I am not quite sure it is a porter, but I am sure not complaining. What is is fantastic!

Frothy brown head when poured. There is an aroma of dark chocolates. The flavor is a sweet chocolate malt, which lingers with a fruity-oaken aftertaste. Smooth and very good.

Bottle from Village Beer Merchant in Buffalo. I never thought I’d get my hands on this but I saw it and had to get it. Pours a pitch black opaque body with a smaller brown head with some light lacing. Aroma is sweet chocolate, licorice, smoke all the while blending with roasted caramel malts and slight coffee. Flavor is a great balance of sweet caramel and dark chocolate with roasted malts, but not too overpowering. Smooth, creamy medium bodied mouthfeel. Long lingering aftertaste. Alcohol is nowhere to be found. Very solid porter which exemplifies the style perfectly IMO.