Big Time Coal Creek Porter

Brewed by Big Time Brewery
Style: Porter
Seattle, Washington USA

Serve in English pint, Stem glass

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Pours with a frothy, creamed-chocolate, brown colored head that starts out three-fingers in height. The beer shows a brilliantly clear, chocolate brown color as I pour the beer, but sits in the glass an opaque blackened amber, almost black color. At first the aromas smells of thin black coffee, but then it gets interesting all of a sudden; salty blackened malt aromas almost pick up a peat-like smokiness, richly toasted grain, it even has aromas that I associate with rich, umami laden flavors. The aroma almost reminds me of smoked, dried, blackened prunes that one might pick up at an Asian grocery store. An interesting aroma, one which I can easily partake of for quite some time before taking that first sip.

Light feeling up front as it first hits the tongue, it then picks up some soft, creamy fullness as it moves across the tongue. Dark malt notes dominate the flavor profile and that interesting, salty, smoky note is here in the flavor as well. The beer actually has a fair amount of complexly dark, sweetness that reminds me of smoked, dark chocolate. The beer finishes with a touch of harsh, bitter burnt grain husks, but still has that rich, malty, salty, peat like not as well that lingers on in the finish. Speaking of roasted grain, this beer has a lot of roast malt character; black coffee, even espresso and burnt caramel notes are quite prominent.

This beer is very drinkable, quite tasty and with an interesting mix of flavors. It has a complexity to it that makes it quite intriguing. The one flaw is that there is perhaps a touch too much burnt grain astringency in the finish.

Sample at the brewpub. This beer pours dark brown with a medium thin beige head that diminishes slowly to a film. Small patches of lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate. Light to medium body with a sweet roasty character and notes of chocolate malt, caramel and mild coffee. The finish is sweet and malty with a lightly bitter coffee aftertaste. Decent overall.

On tap at Big TIme. Dark but not very dark with a small off white head. Smell is roasty. Taste is semi-sweet. Not as rich or robust as some porters, but very smooth and drinkable. Big fan.

bottle thanks to thirdeye11. deep brown almost black with a cream head. nose is coffee, chocolate, and roasted malts. smooth on the palate, big coffee flavor, backed by roast, and chocolate.

Fairly standard porter nose, roast light chocolate some earth hop notes. Pours dark brown tan head really nice sheets of lace. Roasts flavors light coffee notes earthy bitterness amd a light hint of chocolatey sweetness. Mostly dry and robust. Smooth with nice drinkability.

bottle, thanks to thirdeye11, pours a deep amber brown with a small tan head Aroma of coffee and roast, flavor of watery caramel, coffee

bottle, on the Celebrity Infinity as part of beer cruise. 9/10/11. Ok aroma, sweet. chocolate, roast malt, little dairy, little vineous. Blackish brown color, ok head, little to no lace. Bitter sweet flavor. Light bodied, smooth mouthfeel, bitter sweet finish. Tasty enough, flavor was the best part. kind of a qiuet aroma. rich chocolate/coffee type flavor, very easy to drink.

(22oz bottle, courtesy of thirdeye11) Pours a deep amber-brown body with a small tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, citrus, caramel, and toasted grain. Flavor of caramel, roasted malt, chocolate, and coffee.

On tap at the brewery. Aroma: Not so aromatic. Perhaps served a bit cold. Flavor: Strong black licorice, well-integrated grassy hop and dark chocolate. Comment: I love the licorice flavor and how well the hop and malt flavors come together. Good carbonation that is tingly on the tongue. Takes full advantage of the porter’s potential to be very flavorful without being overly heavy. The bartender mentioned that it was the current staff favorite and I can see being happy with multiple refills.

This is a thick beer. Chocolaty and a bit of coffee. It’s quite chewy and a bit sweet. Sample size is perfect for me.

On tap at Big Time. Poured black with a light brown head. Aroma was chocolate and coffee. Lightly bitter and light sweetness. Chalky mouth feel with a medium flat coffee finish.