Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter

Brewed by Thomas Hooker Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Bloomfield, Connecticut USA

The aroma is nice with toasted malt, chocolate, hops, coffee, and slightly burnt. The appearance is almost black with a large head. The flavor is like the aroma but with too much burnt and bitter elements. The palate is a bit thin for an Imperial. Overall this is a mix of good and not so good.

500ml bottle, with a yellow sticker stripe across the swingtop that says Bottled in 2006, with thanks to 46er3498! Pours a lighter brown with a loose and thin head of large bubbles. Aroma is molasses, light chocolate, ripe dark fruits and rich caramel. Flavor is more molasses, chocolate, ripe fruits and caramel. A bit thin and lacking in carbonation, but enjoyable just the same. Thanks again Tom!

In short: A standard (flavour-wise) big porter but above average quality-wise
How: Bottle, 500ml swingtop. Sent to me by Cletus (formely jjpm74)
The look: Dark mahogany body topped by a few big tan bubbles acting as a head
In long: Lots of toffee, plenty of molasses, some caramel, earthy notes, some vanilla, some black chocolate and a light black liquorice candy presence. Light fruity notes of figs and dates. Carbonation is extra soft, although that might be because my swingtop bottle wasn’t as fresh as I thought it was. Nice grassy hops in the finish, subtle on the taste but really dry out the beer nicely. Overall there’s nothing that stand out about this beer. The softer-than-usual carbonation was a bit off but everything else about this brew is a superior prototypical porter. A very nice brew from the pride of the Connecticut beer industry, that little state that is well known for not being well known for anything.

An extermely dark pour that reminds me of a black hole stout. The dark lager pours with almost no head. The tiny head was oatmeal in color and lasted long enough to fire up by browser to write the review. There is a touch of fruit, chocolate and malt. The scent is faint and wasn’t getting much out of it. The first tastes really confused me. There seems to be an underlying fruity tasted being masked by malt grain and chocolate. The sweetness stays and a warmth of alcohol. Someone mentioned rum soaked fruit and I have to second that. The finish was pleasant and not long lasting. This is flat and somewhat watery. That took away from the above average flavor. True to the style, but away from my preferences.

Swingtop bottle, 50 cl. Pours to a deep brown with perhaps a hint of red near the edges. Im really a fan of the swingtop which makes this easy to open and preserves a good bit of the carbonation. Smells of yeast and caramel but definitely not too oily. Toasted aromas also present. This certainly isnt a very thick beer. Its strong, to be sure, but not viscous. Tastes of roasted malt, milk chocolate, and coffee. Reminds me of the new Starbucks Pike Place blend. Very hopped finish with a smooth, clean finish. Very solid offering from Thomas Hooker.

swing top from dogfish120love. big thanks!

pours a reddish shade of black/brown with a soft peanut butter colored head. lots of drippy lacing. aromas of chocolate, nutty roasted grains, malt powder, earthy spices and sour fruit. not a whole lot and certainly nothing special. heavy ashy roast dominates the flavor with caramel, graininess, molasses-y black raisins, coffee, noble grassy hops, flowers and some chocolate playing a secondary role. there*s a dry tart finish (which seems out of place) leading to a very pleasant aftertaste of black licorice and sweetened black coffee. medium body as the carbonation builds on my tongue.

something is off in this beer. i cannot exactly put my finger on it though. it has it*s good moments but as a whole it doesn*t feel cohesive??? 6/3/6/3/12/3.0

04 bottle. Deep dark brown color with a tan head. Aroma of roasted malts, hops, and some coffee. Flavor of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and hops. A bit past its prime.

2006 bottle. Pours a cola brown with a cola looking head, thinning to the suggestion of a film with a perimeter of large tan to white bubbles. Dusty cardboard oxidation with light roast and something a bit nutty. Light fastfood coffee and hints of dark chocolate. Heavy enough body with low carbonation. Sweet and roasty. Caramel and some light toffee with maybe a hint of astringency from the roast. A bit creamy in the finish with some floral hops and a lingering roasty finish. Not a bad beer, though it may be past prime.