Southampton Imperial Porter

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Southampton, New York USA

Mondial de la Bière de Montréal; Pratically perfect Porter. This is a Porter as I like them. Chocolaty and smokey aroma, nice brown/black body, coffee, chocolate, caramel taste. Two hours after tasting this beer, I still had the taste in my mouth. Hope to find this beer somewhere in province of Quebec or in Ottawa.

Contract brewed bottled version from Mendicino Brewing’s Saratoga Springs, NY Brewery. 22 oz bottle. Pours to a beautiful, opaque, jet black color with a thick and creamy tan head, and a moderate amount of carbonation. The nose is full and rich with lots of big coffee, roast, dark chocolate, and peppery alcohol aromas. The palate is firm but polished with good dark chocolate, coffee, and light roast flavors that coat the tongue. Imperial Porter finishes with more good dark chocolate and roast flavors up front, then ends with a smooth, clean, peppery alcohol burn that slightly lingers. An excellent domestic version of Baltic Porter.The Southampton brewed version of this style, is said to be, dare I say perfect? Seek this beer out if you can find it in your markets, and of course, if you can make it out to Long Island, try this one at source.

(br-btl tn-lbl, XXII Reserve, 7.2%, ¢24/oz)

bk-opq, quick-fading-tan-head, med-body but thin for style, med co2.

aroma: §alchl sweet fruity.

flavor: malty T1, ^fruity-malt §chclt T2, §nonbitter-chrcl T3, §cloying-sweet-malt Tf, roasty and sweet thru.

^drinkable but ^alchl.
subtly complex evening session beer.

Opaque black pour with a thin short lasting white head. I loved this beer. Very complex aroma and flavor. Raisins and sweet berries on the nose with some molasses and chocolate. Very sweet to start, but not overpowering. Lots of caramel and coffee with a bit of vanilla cream and a touch of sourness. Lots of coffee on the finish. Like I had just finished a shot of espresso. Loved it!

Very chocolatey, some coffee and cream, sliky smooth. This is a delicious beer that tastes like a dessert. Really good stuff, I hope to try more.

WlOW! What a great tasting porter. It poured a dark black, with ruby hues when held to the light. The aroma was of chocolate and coffee. The flavor was a very interesting chocolate covered coffee flavored licorice?!?! I think this is probably the best porter I’ve ever had. I never heard of an imperial porter before, however this masterpiece deserves the title!

Black and bubbly with a ruby tint. Amazing aromas of vanilla, cream, chocolates of all kinds, hot cocoa, milk, coffee, and a slight hint of currant. Sweet and chocolatey first sip, some underlying acidity and alcohol actually enhanced this experience. warming yet refreshing, milky and full of coffee flavors. Finishes with some more dry cocoa and alcohol hints. I expected a lot from this beer and was still blown away by it’s long lasting flavor.

XXII Reserve

Provided by orbitalr0x as part of BIF 30, this beer came in a 22 oz. bomber. When poured it looked dark brown to black with a body that appeared opaque at first glance, but revealed ruby highlights when held up against strong light. The beer came out sounding fizzy like a soft drink, and the head was foamy and one inch thick immediately after pouring. It died down to a more modest crown of bubbles shortly afterwards, and ended up as a thin ring by the time the glass was mostly consumed. Not much lacing to speak of either.

The aroma was very pleasing, with chocolate, caramel, dark fruits, and hops is a sweet harmony. The taste was similar, but with dark fruits playing the lead role, followed closely by the caramel. Lactic sourness was a good counterbalance to the sweet malts. Not many burnt or roasty flavors to speak of, except a little bit of burnt toast like astringent bitterness. Alcohol was quite warm and soothing.

The beer was very easy to drink despite the multitude of flavors. If I had to point out one flaw, it would be the thinness of the body when compared to other examples of the style. A well constructed beer that I wouldn’t mind having again.