Port Brewing Hot Rocks Lager

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: Dunkel
San Marcos, California USA

Pours a sparkling, translucent, chestnut color with an average, creamy, frothy, light tan head which is mostly lasting and leaves little lace. Nose is nice for the style but it is faint; notes of dark bread and crust, light hazelnut, light caramelization, and faint notes of raisin and noble hops. Flavor is similar with a mild richness of malts; more notes of dark breads and toasted crust, lightly caramelized raisins, some noble hops backing (mild spice, floral), hazelnut is still present but lighter, maybe some cocoa in there too. Palate is nice to begin with, medium, velvety, lively, but gains a light chalkiness towards the finish. Ends with hazelnut and light hop notes lingering, some light coffee emerging and a final note of mineral; the mineral is a little offputting but is brief. Overall, some really nice things going on in this one with the mild malt richness, the hazelnut notes are amazing, and nice initial palate, not to mention a head that lasts for a lager. But the light chalkiness and mineral note at the end create only a good beer, not great. Still, very nice for a dunkel and certainly very drinkable.

From a 22oz Bottle. Mostly transparent, mahagony brown body with a finger of small bubbled, fizzy ivory foam. Clean, malty aromas of toasted bread and a hint of raisin fruits. Moderate melanoidin character with some fainter caramel notes. Medium light bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel with a soft, malty texture. Flavors of bread crust and a slight raisiny sweetness up front, but it gives way to a harsh, chalky, minerally dryness mid-palate. The hop bitterness is accentuated by an upleasant minerally harshness that interupts the malt character that seemed very inviting from the nose. Finishes dry, with the unpleasant minerally bitterness lingering on the palate.

bottle thanks to bu11zeye. poured dark brown/ruby with a beige head. aroma of caramel, pear, and brown sugar. flavor was dark roast, alcohol, and some bitterness. medium body with low carbonation.

Bottle from jessup plaza/ Poured a nice brown color with a small head. Aroma of roasty malt and some chocolate. Taste is quite drinkable but different than anythin i have tasted, alittle yeast.

Bottle via Sparky27...THANKS ERIC!!! Quite different than what I expected and I must say, pretty damn impressed!!! Sparkling chestnut with a garnet hue and solid carbonation that produces a 2 inch latte head. Caramel, cashew, roasted malt, and burnt marshmellow both in the nose and flavor. Also has a chocolate, molasses, and biscuity quality. Medium mouthfeel...damn fine beer!!!

Bottle: Ruby brown with a fading, yet well retained film of head. Richly malty- caramelized richness- almost toffee-ish or chocolaty. with a touch of peat and mineral character- interesting nose. Dark caramelized flavor upfront- not too sweet with more toasted character and hearty dark bread- not as chewy in texture as the aroma suggests- light cocoa, lots of minerally character and a touch of peppery mild tettanger/hallertau in the finish. Fairly dry all around and solid.

bottle. Hazy, thick very opaque dark brown color, thin light tan head that clears quickly to a thin layer. Thick, chewy, semi sweet malty nose- notes of caramel, toffee, toasted dark bread. Flavor shows loads of depth- mild, light floral hop bitterness and some faint hop flavors. Tons of malt- heavy on the bittersweet dark fruit, molasses, pumpernickel and dark bread, and some grainy yeast notes, and some faint hints of liquid smoke. Suprisingly full flavored with loads of depth. Palate is full and smooth, lightly carbonated, with a light finish. Overall a superb brew.

Very dark brown pour with off-tan head. Nose is dark malt, brown sugar, hops, dark fruit. Medium palate in heft, but very complex, with flavors of caramel malt, figgy fruit, earthy nuts, and brown sugar. Even late rauchy notes. Nice, and one of the more enjoyable and complex lagers I have ever quaffed.