3.7 AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20
This beer was brewed at Hermitage, and I think bottles (22 oz) showed up in early December for ~$6. It pours a dark, slightly reddish brown, about the color of black coffee that’s a bit too weak. I can see through it, and there doesn’t appear to be any haze. The small beige head dissipates fairly quickly and leaves little behind. The aroma kicks off with a strong shot of coffee. It uses coffee from a local chain called Philz, and this particular blend (Philtered Soul) uses some hazelnuts, which actually manage to come through a bit and contribute a well-integrated nutty sweetness. I’m not normally a huge fan of Philz, but the coffee notes in the beer are quite good. There’s some cocoa sweetness, caramel and cola flavor also playing a role. A bit of roast. It’s just a very well put together porter aroma with a strong but flavorful coffee note. The taste is well-balanced. Starts off with moderate sweetness, which fades into more acidic, bitter territory as the roast and coffee assert themselves. The finish is mostly coffee with a bit of cola. Mouthfeel tries to be creamy but doesn’t quite get far enough. It’s good but tends toward watery territory. I’m not normally a big coffee beer person, but this one has won me over, mostly by way of its excellent coffee flavor - kinda odd since I’m also not big on hazelnuts and that’s one of my favorite parts of this beer. I’m happy to see Hermitage improving, particularly since they’ve been taking on so much of the local contract brewing, and they’ve made another very good beer for Palo Alto. Good stuff.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle. Black beer with ruby highlights and a tan head. Coffee and roast aroma with malt. Coffee and light toffee flavor with roast. Medium bodied. Coffee and toffee/caramel lingers with backing chooclate and light bitterness.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
Draft @ SF Beer Week Opening Celebration 2013, Concourse Exhibition Center, San Francisco, CA. Pours a dark brown color with a small tan head. Has a roasted malty strong coffee aroma. Roasted malty coffee flavor with hints of chocolate. Has a roasted malty coffee finish.
3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Toasty chocolate coffee aroma but somehow smells a little watered down. Deep dark copper red, very light foam. Light bodies porter
---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Bomber poured a clear dark reddish brown with a small lasting tan head. Aromas of coffee, roasted malt and cocoa. Palate was light bodied and smooth. Flavors of coffee, roasted malt and bakers cocoa with a smooth lingering coffee finish.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Bottle from City Beer. Pours reddish brown with a nice tan head and a treacle and coffee aroma. There is a chocolate and coffee flavor with a dry finish.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bomber shared by Marcus. Pours brown with a foamy tan head. Aroma is absurdly coffee. Med body. Flavor is coffee with some chocolate - but the finish is bitter coffee/chocolate. Amazing stuff.
3.7 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
On draft at Tap 25. It pours a very dark brown with an off white head. The aroma has lots of coffee, but not as potent as some others I’ve tried. Roasted malt makes it’s presence known as well. The flavor is nicely balanced with roasted malt and coffee. Very good, soft mouthfeel. Subdued and pretty well balanced. Good one.
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