Port Brewing Old Viscosity

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

Hop Rod Rye meets Bell’s Expedition Stout? Great chocolate nose, black pour with a layer of light brown bubbles passing for a head. Taste of coffee, chocolate, rye, dark sweet malts, long bitter grapefruit hops, and an alcohol warmth that cannot be fully hidden by the complexity of the flavors. Good round mouth feel. I admit that I am a sucker for chocolatey hoppy stouts, and this may not be everybody’s favorite.

Bouteille de 22 oz obtenue via Importations Privées Bièropholie. Arôme: Odeur de mélasse, de chocolat et de cerises avec une pointe de vanille. Apparence: La couleur ets noire opaque. Présence d’un mince col beige mousseux et d’une fine dentelle sur le verre. Saveur: Goût de chocolat et de petits fruits avec une pointe de vanille et de café. Durée moyenne de l’arrière goût. Palette: Le corps est plein avec une texture huileuse. Forte effervescence en bouche. Présence de chocolat avec une pointe d’alcool en arrière goût. (Rating #1474)

Thin head that does not last long. Reduces to a thin creamy foam on top. Rich roasty and malty aroma. Lots of molasses, brown sugar, roasted grains and a bit of vanilla. Color is a very dark brown with a hint of red around the edges. Rich malty flavor. Lots or roasted malts, some burnt toast, sweet chocolate and a nice hops bitterness. Noticable alcohol presence that warms as it goes down. There is plenty of flavor and body to offset the alcohol. Finishes rich and smooth and creamy. Lots of lingering roasted grains and sweet malts. Just a very complex and powerful brew with loads of flavor. A very good ASA.

Tastes like a stout but not quite thick enough. An ipa but a bit too dark. American strong is the closest description but this is truly unique. Hop dries out the slickness and cuts the sweetness quite nicely. Very nice.

Bottle: Dark black, light head and lacing. Nose of sweet plum and grass, a nice malty and roasty flavor. Chocolate and coffee blend, nice caramel and maple notes and a rich body and mouthfeel. Nice alcohol and an overall pleasing balanced. Yum

Holy crap, I’m almost to the end of the bottle and now I have to write something. What the hell can I pull out of my ass for this one? The icky sticky semi-sweet bourbon with the wonderfully resinous and charred barrel notes, or the thick, viscous and smooth texture that lingers on the tongue? I had Older Viscosity a few months back, it was heavy with the sweet, sugar maple bourbon, and while it was really good, I genuinely enjoyed it, I like this one more (though Older Viscosity did look better, so it scores a point higher)... it’s the tannic, dry nature, the charred wood, it’s like you can taste the lip of the barrel. Damn good. I will probably buy more.

black as sin, smallish roasted tan head... gorgeous, deep, dark nose, rich and resplendent, redolent of molasses, anise, whiskey, a twisted stygian blend...classic! taste: profound impact on the palate, heavy, full, and packed with prodigious flavors. All that in the nose and a little more, hangs long on the tongue. some plum, dark cherries, cocoa,...but well-blended, no particular one flavor rides over any other. Is this a stout, a porter, an old ale...? The whiskey is king in it, and anything else fades away...very mellow, relaxing, satisfying... 10%? It’s there, but it’s not intrusive, it’s ...mmm, motor oil! Very solid...so rubust, and so delicate...well put-together... oh, man!

Bottle: Nearly black in color, very thin light brown head, dies instantly, sparce lacing.   This looks like a damned aged Imperial Stout.   Rich roasted malt nose, chocolate, coffee, and subtle hints of vanilla and bourbon.   Sweet roasted malt start, fairly fruity, with a background of subtle notes of oak and bourbon.   Slight accents of vanilla as well.   While it looks very dark, much like an Imperial Stout, its not all that close to being a stout.   Noticing some aspects of citrus peel and soft hop bitterness.   This one is somewhat surprising, looks like a stout but tastes like a malted American Strong Ale.   Body and mouthfeel are moderate to full.   Smooth rich malt base, picks up some dark pitted fruit skin on the finish.   I can totally dig this.   Thanks to bmartin08 for the bottle!