Ballast Point Victory at Sea

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
San Diego, California USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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A great porter, may be one of the best we’ve had. Pours the usual thick black with brown head. Smells of sweet nuts, like macadamia nuts, and coffee. Taste is awesome, lots of vanilla and nuts, some coffee. Sweeter then most porters. Damn good. Had on tap at Mill Valley Beerworks. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Pours a solid black with a light brown head and lots of lacing. It has a rich aroma of dark chocolate, coffee, and vanilla, and the same notes are in the flavor up front, leading to a coffee and chocolate aftertaste over medium-heavy body. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Okay it starts out amazing. Coffee aroma is perfect. Has a nice thick head, it fades, but still for an Imperial porter, very nice. This is the end of perfect. Has a chalky thick flavor on the tongue. Sweet with a chalky bitter flavor. In general its not to great other than to sniff. Not horrible. But not to buy again.

Very aroma of this beer. Heavy and hard of it are much flavor. Long and intense aftertaste. A real tough guy beer if I say so.

Bomber pour into snifter..dark black hue..aroma is quite intricate..popping with solid coffee..vanilla bean..roasty goodness..more carbonation than expected..light brown head stays around and coats the glass..mouthfeel is very complex and completely masks the 10 percent..very well done..would be a great brunch match..so smooth..

22 ounce bottle into snifter, best before 12/10/2013. Pours dense pitch black color with a 1 finger dense dark tan head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass. Aromas of big vanilla, cream, milk chocolate, caramel, toffee, coffee, light roasted malt, and dark bread. Incredible aromas with great balance and complexity of dark malt and sweet vanilla notes. Taste of milk chocolate, vanilla, cream, roasted malt, caramel, coffee, light char, toast, floral, and light pine. Lingering notes of vanilla, milk chocolate, cream, roasted malt, caramel, coffee, light char, toast, dark bread, floral, and light pine on the finish for a while. Fantastic balance and complexity of roasted and sweet creamy vanilla malty flavor; with a good malt/bitterness balance and zero cloying sweetness present after the finish. Medium carbonation and full bodied; with a very creamy, slick, and slightly syrupy mouthfeel that is great. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a small warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a fantastic imperial vanilla porter! Great balance and complexity of roasted and sweet malty flavors; and extremely smooth to sip on for 10%. A highly enjoyable offering.

On tap at Barley’s Taprooms in Greenville, SC. Pours an almost impenetrable black. Aromas of coffee and heavy cacao on the nose. Has a sweet scent, yet a heavy alcohol presence. First sip was a delight, having a lot more coffee than I had anticipated. Chocolate rolls off the back of the palate and a decent alcohol burn towards the end. Strong for a porter, and very flavorful in general.

Draft at the house of 1k. Black color. Aroma Is dominated by coffee beans. Slight cocoa aroma also. Creamy texture. Warming alcohol. Average carbonation. Slight vanilla notes. A real solid coffee porter.

Noire avec un mince col de mousse moka. Nez de café crème et de pain grillé. En bouche, le café se donne en spectacle. Mention spéciale pour l’équilibre parfait amertume / acidité / sucré. L’alcool (10%) intensifie les saveurs sans les éclipser; la chaleur se fait surtout sentir en post-goût.

Tap at the tasting room. Near black pour with a foamy beige head. Aroma of espresso roast, bitter chocolate and dark red wine. Taste is very similar but much more bitter and wine-like than I had expected. Bitter coffee finish.