Atwater Vanilla Java Porter

Brewed by Atwater Block Brewery
Style: Porter
Detroit, Michigan USA

Serve in English pint, Stem glass

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Very unique! Very good! I was pleasantly surprised by this beer. I wasn’t sure about this beer, but it was well worth the gamble. It is quite smooth with a terrific aroma. A very different type of porter. I stumbled upon the Atwater brewery in Detroit where this porter is brewed and had a few pints from the tap. Outstanding!

Coffee in color with almost no head that fades to a ring around the glass. Aroma is like a punch in the face. It hits you with vanilla, malt, coffe, and hints of toffee. On the palate there is a rich coffe flavor which mingles nicely with the vanilla and malt. There is definately a ton of flavor but it doesnt feel super heavy. Lingering finish.

Lots of vanilla with nice coffee undertones. Pitch black color and a rich dark foamy head. Almost a little sweet like a malt or shake. A good beer for dessert.

I really love the smoky coffee beans and chocolate malted grain on the nose. Very nice balance, with just the right amount bitterness, sweetness and smoke character. I could have done without the vanilla, though I’m not a huge fan of tasty vanilla flavor in wines anyway; the java part alone was more than worth it. Overall, I really liked this elegant porter and really look forward to trying the other beers in the Atwater Block portfolio.

Awesome aroma of chocolate and coffee when you pour this deep brown porter. Clean bitter finish with a hint of vanilla.

I like it. I can see what there is a strong dislike. Its a very unique beer that probably pushes it too far for some. Pours a deep dark amber brown color with an off white foam head. Has an aroma of coffee and vanilla. Sweet silky smooth taste with lots of coffee and vanilla notes. Gives it a rootbeer taste. Some chocolate notes as well. This dark beer manages to refresh as well. It’s unique and I am enjoying it.

The bottle opened with a pleasing phhht, and poured with a less than a finger of head, but it was nice tight little bubbles of light brow, the beer was very dark. The air was instantly full of the aroma of coffee and prorter. With my nose over the glass I can smell very strong fresh coffee and a sweetness like a frozen cappuccino. The vanilla is a nice balance to the coffee aroma. The first taste was sweet cold fresh coffee again the vanilla was a nice balance that I was not expecting, followed by good porter. Smooth and dark in my mouth, coating my entire mouth with rich flavor, the CO2 gave the a good scrubbing as I swallowed and leaving me with a thirst for another sip. The aroma of the second sip was much more vanilla and porter. As I drank more aromas and flavors were presented like dark fruit. I could not pick out the hops but the bitterness let me know it was there just enough to give some balance. This is a sweet beer, my lips were almost sticky sweet after each sip.

Deep molasses and chocolate on the nose. ‘Hit me!’ Nice dark molasses in color with a healthy tan head. Can’t see thru this stuff. Delicious chocolate malted flavor. Not too sweet like Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. Not overly frothy on the tounge, nor overly syrupy. Smooth. A very nice dark porter. Goes down easy without any after taste. I’ll get this again (...and I did).

Draft at Capone’s, followed by the bottled version. This rating is for the draft, with the bottled rating being a tenth or two lower. The pour is deep blackish with 1-finger brown head. Aroma of huge dark chocolate, vanilla, chocolate syrup, roasty dark malt. Tastes very chocolatey, with some coffee, vanilla, molasses, and cacao powder flavors, and a rich, complex palate. Be aware that the bottled version loses something in the palate heft and complexity, as well as some of the flavor and aroma intensities of the draft version. I’d drink this beer, bottled or draft, any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.

UPDATED: JAN 6, 2007 From bottle. Poured very dark, opaque. I could see the carbonation, it looked alot like a cola. Short, small, fizzy brown head. Aroma of chocolate, coffee, and oak. Flavor of chocolate, oak, and a small hit of vanilla in the back and lingers in the throat. Flavor could have been more pronounced. Thin bodied. Watery mouthfeel, but that didn’t bother me. High carbonation levels, but it was an easy drink.

Tap @ Fat Heads. Pgh, PA. Poured dark. Nice frothy, creamy off white head. Aroma of vanilla and strong, smelled like a buttermilk pancake Flavor was full of vanilla, and malts. Carbonation was good. Smooth and easy to drink a few! I really enjoyed this beer on tap!!