Port Brewing Older Viscosity

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

[Bottle, thanks Guerde!] Pours dark brown with a good brown head. The aroma is probably the weakest point of the beer, and is primarily coconut from the bourbon, alcohol, and a little chocolate. The taste is big on coconut again, but also brownies, alcohol, malt, and a little oak. Quite thick mouthfeel, smooth, and has a long finish. Overall this is a nice beer that is enjoyable, but quite simple--especially in the aroma. Thanks again, Andy!

(375ml corked and caged bottle thanks to mar) Pours black with dark tan head. Nose is alcoholic, cumin, toasted spices. Taste is unsweetened chocolate, but one dimensional for me. Well carbonated and a great coffee linger which is the best part of this beer. Glad to have had this one.

Had a couple other versions of this as well, but this rating now is the 2008 375mL bottle. Clear deep deep brown with a dark mahogany two finger head, good retention. Aroma of clean chocolate malt up front with bourbon, vanilla, oak, sweet scorched caramel and light smoke. There’s also a bit of licorice. The flavor is much more boozy with burnt charred malts (which I don’t enjoy) along with an odd sour grape character, though it isn’t too strong. Dry finish with bourbon and charred malts, bitterness peaking around a 4. Full thick body with moderate carbonation. Smelled good, didn’t taste as good.

Vanilla, propelled by alcohol, grape, port, chocolate. Better nose than flavor, except in the finish. The edge of the glass reveals colors that are cool. Lingers well. Bottle shared at RBSG 2009 grand tasting.

2009 bottle: Lucious nose dripping with vanilla, bourbon, caramel, malted milk balls, chocolate covered fresh orange peel, authentic black licorice, and straight up booze. Pours dark but flat and completely headless...extremely uninviting. The flavors are big and harsh and there is not a single indication of carbonation whatsoever. The alcohol is hot and peppery at the back the throat...the chocolate is in your face and bitter...in fact, the bitterness, the chocolate, the hot boozy bourbon...it makes me want to fucking puke. I am draining pouring a $15 375ml bottle. I had the 09 on draft a few days earlier...I remember not liking it but then again I was comparing it to bourbon barrel santa’s little helper at the time and everything tastes like shit compared to that beaut...I couldn’t tell how awful this shit is. Now that I drink it alone...I can see what a putrid substance this shit is. I have 3 more bottles, ill probably drink one more when maybe I’m more in the mood for this style of beer. The other two I’m setting on fire and tossing into the lost abbey brewery during a drive-by maltov cocktail party. - 8-2-4-1-8.
What a hater...re-rate on draft at GABF 2009: With carbonation, it was easily one of the very best beers on the floor...smooth, silky, vanilla-induced bourbon bliss...if those bottles were carbonated, I’d leave work right now and buy the rest of the them at wholefoods to add to my 3 i have in my cellar. Unfortunately, they’re all flat.

On tap at 1702 in Tucson. Quite a bit like Old Viscosity, but the oak is definitely present, lending very smooth hints of vanilla to the already present espresso beans, toffee, caramel, copious amounts of chocolate, burbon, roasted malt, and perhaps a few hints of darker fruits, such as plum. It pours BLACK with a nice amount of brown head. How much more black could it be, you ask? None. None more black. The aroma is alluringly of licorice, chocolate, and malts, and the texture is extremely thick and rather smooth. Definitely gets better as it approaches room temperature, and is probably best just below room temperature. This beer was unbelievable.

2008 Vintage 375ml Bottle. Inky black pour with an inch of micro bubbled, deep tan froth. I got bits of espresso, wood, toasted malt, bitter chocolate and a tiny bourbon note in the nose. Taste is of heavily roasted malt, toffee, licorice, overly ripe fruit and creme brulee. Could detect a little oak and vanilla as the beer warmed up. Mouthfeel wasn’t as thick as I thought it might be, but definitely solid and not at all thin. The bourbon hit me in the finish with a huge dry sour mash character. This brewery just keeps rolling out some ridiculous beers. Exceptional!

Bottle from IrishBoy. Deep brown, nice espresso, tan head. Aroma is toffee, bourbon, chocolate, roasted malt, alcohol. Taste is toffee, roasty, alcohol, chocolate. Nice stuff!