Port Brewing Old Viscosity

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: American Strong Ale
San Marcos, California USA

Pours as dark as midnight in the Sahara, with a sandy colored creamy head to boot. Chocolate, fresh roasted coffee and wood notes on the notes. Chocolatey , coffee nibs cake mixed with the lightest touch of bourbon. Creamy, full bodied mouth feel that seems to be the beer that drinks like a meal. Very long, hoppy and roasted finish. Damn nice beer, and in my mind, under appreciated.

Fresh bottle.

Pours deep black, thick as the name and byline indicates. Small tan head. Strong vanilla bourbon nose, hot with alcohol, plenty of cherry and some plum, hints of chocolate. The flavor is much as expected from the nose, maybe slighty sweeter and slightly hotter even, alcohol burning up into the sinuses, strong sweet vanilla bourbon following, raisins and dried fruit, dark but definitely not the roastiness of the imperial stouts to which so many reviewers compare this beer.

It’s very good, hits its stride as it nears room temperature (despite what that does to bring out an over-abundance of bourbon vapors), and it gets better as one gets further into the bottle (10% abv helps there, no doubt). I’ve enjoyed both bombers I’ve had. Still, I think this one needs a couple of years in the cellar to reach its peak. I look forward to doing the experiment. The 3.8 I’ve given it here is a hard-ass rating; I think it can climb to 4.something easily with some cellar time.

On a revisit of an ’07 bottle Oct ’08, I have no idea why I liked this beer. Basically this time around, it’s crap (LA/PB fanboy that I am notwithstanding). Burnt bitter coffee and way too hot and alcoholic, sticky and largely unpleasant. Yikes. Serious disappointment. I’d go about 7/4/6/3/11 =3.1 and that would be generous. I’m shading my rating in that direction accordingly.

Wow. One hell of an imperial stout. I almost like it better than Older... I said almost. Pours a mean-looking black with a tan head. Nose is chicory, semi-sweet chocolate, coffee, some oak and barrel vanilla notes, and some slight booze. Flavor is awesome: chocolate takes center stage with the rest of the flavors as supporting cast. I get overripe dark fruit, chocolate, slightly subtle vanilla and oak, whiskey, and coffee with licorice. Gentle carbonation and a silky mouthfeel also contribute to this masterpiece. Outstanding imperial stout. It burns with some alcohol as it goes down, and lingers with chocolate and whiskey.

Bottle: I love American strong ales that are real dark but this is way over the top and almost like a mocha porter or rich stout. Aroma is dominated by roasted malt plus scents of vanilla and toffee. The drink is heavy with flavor and texture creating a smooth and rich palate with very low carbonation but just enough to keep me pleased. Dark and deep roasted character is the main flavor but vanilla and coffee bean become noticed. I kinda was expecting a real good strong ale but instead i got a stout.

22oz bottle. Settles black in the glass after poured dark, dark brown out of the bottle. Head is tan and dense, but dissipates quickly to a ring leaving a little bit of lacing. The smell is big and get bigger as it warms - caramel malts, raisins, figs, some dark chocolate, brown sugar and licorice. On top of this is the hint of oak and booze in the background that burns the nose ever so slightly. Taste is a slightly harsher version of the aroma with a big roasted character on top of the malt background and dark fruit flavors. Coffee and chocolate are present as well. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation and fairly dry in the finish. Drikability is slightly limited by the harsher character of the taste. Still, this is tasty and complex brew from a great brewery. Recommended.

Bottle. Nearly opaque, black body with a rapidly diminishing tan head. The aroma is mainly malty sweet with notes of molasses, dark chocolate, roasted malts and caramel. It also has hints of vanilla, ripe fruit, flowers and alcohol. The flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, moderately bitter and moderately acidic. The fnish is moderately sweet and moderately to heavily bitter. Medium to full body with a slightly thin, but still smooth, texture. Moderate carbonation. Smells and tastes like an imperial stout.

Thanks to illinismitty for sharing this bottle with us at the Tennessee Spring(ish) Tasting! Poured black with a very thin tan head that leaves oily lacing on the glass. The aroma is sweet with fruits and wood. The flavor follows much of the same with dark fruits and a light malts blended into the background. Full body and creamy texture. Very nice!

Thick and black body with thin chocolate head. Coffee, chocolate, licorice and lots of roasted malt. A big beer that I would have no problem putting a couple down of since it’s so damn good. Alcohol is pretty subdued. Slightly bitter finish. Taste lingers forever.