Port Brewing Older Viscosity

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

375ml bottle, 2009 release, from the lost abbey tasting room. pours an oily black with almost no head but a thin ring of brown bubbles leaving a bit of lacing. aroma is great with big notes of caramel malts, toffee, chocolate, and fine bourbon with notes of raisin bread, Myer’s rum, prune, date, and cinnamon cookies. flavor is delicious with big, oaked bourbon notes up front with chocolate malt, buttery toffee, vanilla, raisin, and more rum notes coming through late. palate is full bodied and contrary to popular belief i did find this to be CARBONATED, albeit very lightly, with a long, woody bourbon finish. overall, a damn nice brew.

Sampled at the ORF tasting thanks to whoever brought it! Looks great. Dark and syrupy. Aroma of bourbon, soy, roasted malt. Taste was basically the same... soy, bourbon, lots of booze. Nice brew but something was off for me

Near black pour with no head. Massive bourbon aroma with soy, black strap molasses, huge smoke note and lots of volatile alcohol. The flavor is overwhelming charred oak, vanilla, soy sauce, and bitter dark chocolate. The body is syrupy with low carbonation. Man, this beer is just HUGE.

I am glad I have finally tasted this beer. On tap at Kellehers, Peoria. Black pour, like motor oil with a thin head. Aroma of vanilla, bourbon, coffee. Taste was smooth. Vanilla, bourbon, coffee. Nicely balanced. It lefta great taste in my mouth. A beer to enjoy. I didn’t really taste the alcohol which suprised me due to the content. The aroma hung in the glass after the drink was done. I wished I had a dd so I could of had more.

Sampled on draft at Capone’s on 11/28/2009. Pours pitch black and completely opaque. Looks like thick motor oil but is completely still without any bubbles or carbonation which is strange since this was on draft. Dark roasted malt aroma with hints of bitter sweet dark chocolate, subtle coffee and a dominant bourbon presence. Hints of dark fruit and sweet alcohol. Slightly vinous. Soft carbonation up front followed by slightly chewy medium roasted malt body. Lots of sweet bitter dark chocolate, toffee, subtle coffee and hints of dark fruit, especially grape, prune, raisin, plum and fig. Slightly vinous with sweet alcohol notes and a strong bourbon presence that lasts throughout. Subtle earthy oak tannis with a good bit of vanilla that helps cut down the bourbon heat but the flavor is pretty much dominated by the prominent bourbon character. Sweet and surprisingly not too hot at 12%. ABV decently masked but the bourbon presence gives it a lot of liquor taste. Overall pretty drinkable.

On tap at Capone’s. Black with a lasting beige head. This "beer" just screams bourbon. The nose is dominated by it with just glimpses of oak, vanilla, and chocolate peeking through. Bourbon is the major player in the flavor department as well, just a bit of vanilla and cocoa come through and they may have come from the bourbon. Body is medium-thin. Not at all impressed with the flavor but have to hand it to them for making this as smooth as it is. Would never have guessed that it is 12% abv.

On draft at Capones. Pours a clear dark brown colour with a slight beige head. Interesting aroma of maple syrup, dark fruits, oak and vanilla. Flavour is the same as the aroma. Has the flavour of maple cough syrup. I understand this is highly rated but I did not enjoy it.

2009 bottle. no pop when uncorked, this pours completely flat. it’s brown-black and fairly thick. aroma is of charcoal, bourbon, malt, chocolate milk, coffee, figs, roasted nuts, and smoke. flavor is sweeter, more chocolate milk, with a harsh alcohol front, biting middle and long bittersweet chocolate liquor finish. the harsh coal elements persist throughout (should have aged it?), and this isn’t really beer, but it’s interesting. not sure how to rate something that looks, smells, and tastes like liquid charcoal. also, body was disappointingly thin given the description of "sludge", but had a rich velvety smoothness.