Speakeasy Hunters Point Porter Bourbon Barrel Aged

Brewed by Speakeasy Ales and Lagers
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
San Francisco, California USA

On tap. Dark brown with an orange hue and a beige head. Sweet dark malts in the nose with a discreet whiff of bourbon. Quite full-bodied, sweetish hard roasted malt, sweet notes of vanilla and oak. Hardly any bitterness. Smooth and pleasant. 100709

From tap at the brewery. Pours dark brown to black with a small tan head. Smooth bourbon and roasted malt aroma. Smooth malty and roasted flavoured. Light sweet and subdued fruity note. Roasted and smooth bourbon finish. Very elegant.

Name: Bourbon-Barrel Porter
Date: July 10, 2009
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub
Appearance: clear dark brown with ruby edges, wispy tan head, streaks of lace
Aroma: sweet chocolate aroma, light bourbon and oak
Flavor: sweet chocolate flavor, light bourbon, touch of vanilla sweetness, hint of oak along with an earthyness, light bitter finish
Overall: well balanced between the bourbon and base beer with no one character taking over the others
Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 8/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 17/20
Rating: 4/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: ***+/4

Tap at Rattle N Hum. There nose a lot of heavy cocoa, just as the original version did. There is just a touch of vineous character along with a lot of rye/bourbon barrel flavour. The body is substantially thinner in this iteration, to the beers detriment. It has a nice toastiness and a bit of licoricey herbal character. A nice slightly vineous character on the back, but I definitely prefer the original.

Growler from Big Z. Poured an opaque brown color with a small beige head. Sweet roasted malt with notes of coffee, rye, chocolate and light vanilla and ash. Some alcohol as it warms. Sweet roasted malt with a coffee middle and bourbon finish. Mild and not distracting. Spicy rye finish. Warming but no alcohol taste. Light-medium body with a smooth mouth.

Draft. Pours a black body with a tan head. Coco, vanilla, bourbon and oak, some soy and rye. Licorice and a mild warming. A bit messier than the base beer. Still nice overall.

On tap @ Triple Rock. I’m guessing this is their Hunters Point Porter with a barrel age treatment. Pours very dark with infra red edges and mocha head. The aroma is smooth oak, vanilla and some mild bourbon to fudge brownie. A few more whiffs bring up brighter oak notes too. The taste is full on oak, vanilla and bourbon. Lots of vanilla and booze actually. I get virtually no sense of the base porter that was poured in the barrel. It was aged on the barrel a bit too long for my liking. I might be getting hints of chocolate and roast malts in the background. That might also just be my imagination too.

Draft at the brewery during RBSG. Nose of coffee, chocolate, and very light bourbon. Black with a big beige head. Flavor of chocolate, coffee, and oaky vanilla.