Breckenridge Stranahan’s Barrel Aged Vanilla Porter

Brewed by Breckenridge Brewery
Style: Porter
Denver, Colorado USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker

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Glass of the month for January 2013 at Winking Lizard Crosswoods. Darkest brown pour with a medium beige head. Aroma of malt, butter, vanilla and slight bourbon. Malty and caramelly flavor with butter and a bit of booze at the end.

10oz (requested a half-size) on tap at Cock & Bull. Good woody whiskeyish vanilla aroma from the barrels, works well in combination with the classic Vanilla Porter vanilla nose. Some toasty malt and chocolate syrup aroma, too. Some smokiness. Medium body. Black color. Thin tan khaki head, little dots of loose lace. Little dark fruit. Sweet taste, though not cloying. Very interesting and tasty stuff.

Draft - pours brown with beige head and thin lacing. Nose is vanilla and cheese. Flavor adds wood and a base maltiness. Not what I expect from a porter but I recall liking the non barrel aged version. The barrel does add to the complexity but I don’ think it improves the beer because by calling it barrel aged I expect it to be bolder and stronger, but this is weaker. Mildly sweet with light bitterness. Easy to drink.

Hands down my absolute favorite porter. Pouring this into a glass will make the whole kitchen smell like vanilla. The vanilla taste is perfect and so is the thickness. A must try if you like porters, or vanilla.

A much stronger version of the vanilla porter in the barrels. The whiskey comes through along with some wood and dark fruits. It is good stuff.

on tap-pours mahogany with a light tan head. Aroma is whiskey/wood, dark fruit-plum/raisin, medium malt. Taste is whiskey/wood, dark fruit-plum/raisin, medium malt, vanilla.

Tap @ 471. Brown appearance with a light tan head. Vanilla, mild chocolate malty, delicious Stranahans whiskey aroma. Tasty vanilla, chocolatey flavor return all of the Stranahans deliciousness- vanilla, oak and toffee. Definite upgrade over the normal version.

On tap at Breckenridge BBQ poured a clear dark reddish brown with a small lingering tan head. Aromas of whiskey, oak, dark chocolate, carmel and light vanilla. Palate was medium bodied and smooth. Flavors of whiskey, carmel, vanilla and dark chocolate with a smooth lingering whiskey finish.

On tap at Rackhouse Pub, Denver. No head. Thin watery body and mouthfeel. Clear watery edges with caramel brown core. I’ve always liked Breck’s Vanilla Porter and think of it as a standout among their otherwise average line with evenhanded use of vanilla. The whiskey blows all other balancing elements of the beer out and leave you with a bourbon vanilla bomb. Like a vanilla coke with Jack Daniels where the ice has all melted. Yeah, not that good.