Piece Big Black Mariah Porter

Brewed by Piece Brewery & Pizzeria
Style: Porter
Chicago, Illinois USA

Date: 06/20/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

black, wispy beige head, drops of lace, dry dark chocolate aroma with a strong roasted character, rich dry dark chocolate flavor, plenty of roasted and a dose of bitterness keeps it dry, some milky sweetness comes in a second wave turning the dark chocolate into milk chocolate,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

On tap at the brewpub on 6/20/07: Pours a mostly opaque dark mahogany with a spotty-lacing light tan head. Aroma of sweet dark caramel and chocolate malt with a nice touch of dark fruits and roasty grain. Body starts with nice full dark caramel sweetness and good, smooth, lightly bitter balance. An enjoyable porter.

Draft… DLD’08… Pitch black beer with a small, creamy, everlasting, khaki-colored head. The rich, singed aroma is full of chocolate, light smoke, tobacco and charcoal. Medium-bodied with prickly carbonation. Leans on the sweet side of balance. Chocolate, charcoal and mild smoke. Finishes chocolaty and sweet.

It’s kept dark in the brewpub, so the best I can really say is the beer was dark. Maybe dark brown, maybe black. Nice creamy head. Maybe brown or tan or beige. Good lacing. The aroma is chocolatey and roasty, dark malts and a light smokiness. The smoke, although quiet, step up more in the flavor, nicely complementing the malty sweetness. It finishes on a dry note, smokey with a roasted bitterness. Nice brew.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Brewery & Pizzeria, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

Tosa gathering, growler provided by KP and the Cougar, thanks guys! The beer is nearly opaque with a small fading head and okay lace. The aroma has notes of espresso, toasted, charred and chocolate malts along with a raisin and plum fruit ester. A hint of wood for some reason on the nose as well.

The taste as a nice fruity character balancing the sweet chocolate layers. A nice smokey dry finish with a hint of coffee bitterness. For the genre this displays a great amount of complexity. The mouth feel is smooth and a tad watery (but then it is a porter), dry and ashy finish. I well done brew and I could finish a growler by myself.

On tap at Piece. Poured black with just a dusting and a ring of caramel head. Aroma picked up an intricate blend of dark chocolate and burnt coffee with darker fruits and some smoky herbal notes present.. mild pine came through deep down. Flavor was of burnt chocolate and stronger coffee with smoke-accented coffee bitterness at the back end... warmth brings out additional complexity with some dark fruit and caramel sugars. The bitterness was a tad high and some rummy alcohol at the finish was a tad rough.. medium-bodied.

Lots of coffee is this really balanced porter. Nice and chocolaty with a nice lingering roasty flavor.

on tap at the brewpub. pours a black color with an off-white head. I detect no smoke to the aroma at all. The flavor is only mildly smokey. the highlight of this beer is the solid level of roastedness.