SKA Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter

Brewed by SKA Brewing
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Durango, Colorado USA

22 oz bottle, 7/4/07: Chestnut brown body w/a short lived, thin, very light beige head. Chocolate & lightly burnt malt aromas up front, hints of nutty malt, and toasted malt shows up after it warms a bit. Add bready and cereal malt aroma, but they’re all light. Flavor wise it’s lightly roasted and burnt immediately, then lightly roasty, toasted, and nutty malt undertones. Finish is dry and lightly burnt w/ a touch of herbal hops. Aftertaste is much the same as the finish. Lighter medium body, dry m/f, well hidden alcohol, which is one of the saving graces of this beer.. Very well hidden alcohol, at least in my bottle. Overall the flavor profile seems a bit thin for an American strong ale! Not a bad beer, just a bit "aneamic" when it comes to flavor. Not very bold tasting... And an American strong ale has to be a little more bold, at least IMHO. I’m also not a big fan of the burnt flavors/aromas... Takes away too much from the other malt flavors.

650 ml. Opaque brown-black with a small and sort-of lasting head. Aroma of spicy molasses, mocha, and marshmallow. Flavor of smoked coffee and molasses cooked down with cocoa in a cast iron pot, with added marshmallow creme that fell into moist and spicy earth. Some sourish notes too - maybe lactose. Smooth, medium body that is kind of dry and sticky, yet watery enough to be dangerously drinkable - yum. This is roasted, malty goodness spiked with some British earthy hops. If you don’t like that, stay away.

’light’ black pour, moderately small head, solid lacing and retention. Aroma is chocolate dominated and has notes of roast, caramel, touch of darker fruits. Flavor is medium bodied roasted chocolate. Somewhat sweet, moderate bitterness from the roast though. Very textbook.

Why not a porter? It does have considerable hops. The aroma has quite of a bit of chocolate and and light coffee. Flavor is medium sweet with roasted malt and more chocolate. Very smooth on the palate.

Dark dark brown color almost black. Roasted malt nose with major coffee tones. Similar body with a slightly sweet hint.

From a 22oz Bottle. Pours a dark brown, borderline black color with some semi-transparent molasses hues coming through in the light. A tight creamy tan head rests calmly on top. Aroma of dark chocolate, dried black cherries, mild coffee, and molasses, softened up by a firm layer of chewy caramel toffee malts that remind me of a Riesen nougat. Medium bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel. Much more toasty, roasty malt flavors on the palate than the fruity sweetness suggested by the bouquet. Notes of medium roast coffee and dark chocolate come out right away, followed by some notes of black cherry flesh. A bit thin and less complex than the nose suggested, but satisying nonetheless. Some dry chocolate lingers in the final smack with a touch of minty hop bitterness.

[bottle, thanks Brewfiend] Poured dark brown with a tiny head. Aroma was roasted malt and chocolate. I also got mainly roasted malt and chocolate from the taste. Medium mouthfeel. Nice long finish. This was a good beer.

(bottle-Thanks Brewfiend!) Pours almost a jet black with a large dark tan head. Aroma contains some roasted coffee and chocolate. The flavor is heavy on chocolate with a little coffee and a nice long roasted finish.