Pizza Port 547 Haight

Brewed by Pizza Port (Carlsbad)
Style: American Strong Ale
Carlsbad, California USA

#998 On tap@Port Carlsbad: Dark reddish brown color with a halo of tan foam. Aroma is molasses, dark fruit and citrus. Flavor starts rich burnt caramel followed by sweet citrus and a light dry orange rind finish. Medium-full body is velvety with moderate-lively carbonation.

I was at the Albertsons picking stuff up for the wife when I decided that I would cap my night of online courses with a growler of something at the Pizza Port (Carlsbad). It seemed busy as usual. I asked the bartender for an IPA, but I could only select from one board of listed brews. I asked for the 547 because I remember it was like an IPA to me, and I liked it when I first sampled it a couple months ago. Anyway, this beer basically reminds me of Founders Red Rye and Three Floyds Brian Boru. It is like an IPA to me, but has that Irish or Rye ale thing going on that reminds me of said named beers. Pizza Port calls it a double Red. I call it delicious. It has a creamy, thin yet not watery mouthfeel, accompanied with a bit sweet, dessert like bready backbone that is also a bit spicy, with some orangey, citrusy hops... and that alcohol zing... mmmhmmm. It is great. It has enough for me--at least. And I am quite the fan of this type of brew.

On tap @ PP Carlsbad. Nice red color. Super hoppy nose. Flavor is just as you would expect from PP: Floral, citrus, hoppy. With a nice malt background A fitting tribute.

On tap at the Port in Carlsbad, damn I love living up the street from this place! Pours a beautiful deep hue of red with brass colored edges and a one finger rocky vanilla cream-colored head. Warming aroma of melted caramel, fresh toasted bread and malt. Each sip starts with a flavor burst of toasty malts and that good ol’ caramel noticed in the aroma, followed by cinnamon and brown sugar notes that are all backed up by a resiny grapefruit hops profile. The malt really complements the beer’s smoothness on the palate, giving it the chewy aspect. I could almost liken this stuff to Ballast Point’s Tongue Buckler. High alcohol content gives it good warmth. If the ABV was a bit more hidden, I would consider it a stellar Imperial Red.

Tap at Toronado. Nice brown color with a medium head. Big aromas of caramel, raisin and malts. Very hoppy flavors initially that are then superseded by malty tones. Caramel and raisins are present as well as some bread flavors. Very complex, hides the alcohol very well.

On cask at PP Carlsbad. Appearance is a clear amber hue, lively patch of bubbles on top, minimal lacing. Smell is big caramel and toffee malts, dark fruits, and piney hops. Taste mostly follows the aroma, the sweet malts dominate throughout, alcohol warming also hits the palate strongly and doesn’t let go, pine hops, anise, molasses show up in the middle, finishes bitter and malty. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied, thick and chewy texture, mild carbonation (cask!). Drinkability is moderate, the alcohol is definitely stiff at 10% and the malt/hop profile is in your face, might be a little less edgy on draft.

Pint over at PP Carlsbad as I was passin through on the I-5. This one’s an ass kicker... thick doses of rich malt, caramel, fruits, and sticky resinous hops. I’m really into this big-hoppy-double-imperial reds . . . wish more breweries were whippin these up. Like J said, closely resembles Tongue Buckler but with more malt depth and, in comparison, a semi-toned down hop blast.....mmmmmm.

Had a sample at the brewery. Pours reddish/copper with a fluffy white head. Nice clean refreshing aroma of piney hops and sweet malts, but not cloyingly. Taste is the same.