Re-rate based upon batch 2, that I have on tap at my apartment. Almost black in color, light ruby highlights near the bottom of the glass, medium sized light brown head. Aroma is roast and chocolate, with some light caramel and slight chalky notes. Taste has alot of chocolate and moderate roasted grain, with some subtle caramel sweetness, a touch of bready yeast. Light to medium bodied, a touch watery but very much in line with the style. Overall, very enjoyable and probably my favorite of all of the beers they have brewed.

Draft at Which Brew. Nice black body with thin head. Aroma is roast, chocolate, a bit faint. Flavor is roast, chocolate, nutty and a sweet malty body. Very smooth with a great chocolate after taste. This beer is far under rated.

Handbottle from hophead75. Pours a nice dark brew. Some light in the pour but it sits black in the glass. Despite the handbottling the carbonation produces a one finger creamy coffee colored head. The aroma is very roasty, chocolatey, coffee, grain, lots of roast, a tad sweet, nice complexity, enjoyed the nose. The flavor is also very roasty, chocolate, coffee, grain, lightly sweet, some hops that add a nice bitterness. Feels a tad bitter in the mouth, roasty, some alcohol seems apparent. Finishes sweet and roasty. Nice porter.

On draft at the brewery fot their Friday night get-to-gether. A darker brown black that is translucent. Nose has hints of rasins but since there was so much smoke and it was after all in the woring area of the drafty brewhouse I lost a bit of the nose. Not to worry, the body is medium with a nice hop emphasis. A good patent/choco body builds the character of this brew. The finish is a bit watery but this in no way disables this brew. An all day drinker for sure. I wish I had brought my growler for some of this to take home. Even more so that I hope the economics of this brewery enable them to put this in bottles soon. it was a pleasure speaking with Rick Reed last night at length. May 2008 be the year of the Cricket. It was also nice to get the whole story of how this was named by the brewer himself. ....I’m not tellin’ go there yourself and ask him....the nerve of you people!

Finely handbottled. Frothy pour of rich oak brown with lingering red near the bottom. Aromatic of fresh dark roasted coffee and vanilla ice cream; bit of dark chocolate and cinnamon and sweet vegetables. Mulch. Pleasantly earthy and true to form. Flavor is milky, brown, nutty; roasted hazelnuts, some tartness of red apple, pistachio, grassiness. Wholeheartedly and without shame very reserved; some lush honeydew and even blood orange fruitiness and cool vanilla sweetness humming in the mid palate. Palate is soft, medium bodied and somewhat watery; sugary coffee and dry nut skin in the chasing finish. Very much a simple brown porter and a fine representation at that, full of barely there complexity and silky touch throughout. Thanks Andrew!