Port Brewing Old Viscosity

Brewed by Port Brewing/Lost Abbey
Style: American Strong Ale
San Marcos, California USA

Very dark brown body with a small head of light tan bubbles that diminishes to a thin lid and ring; still a tiny bubbled sheet of lace on the glass. Dark fruit and malt in the aroma. Hints of dark caramel and just a whiff of bourbon vanilla. In no way overpowering, I was actually expecting much more. Quite subtle, balanced and enjoyable. Lightly oily in feel with just a bit of zip from both the tight carbonation and the alcohol. Syrup flavors in the front, followed by mild fruit cake. I’m not sold on the flavors, a bit too rough, at least what I believe to be the early stages of this ones existence. Finish has a bit of woody bitterness and some charred oak. A small fire has been kindled in the stomach. Linger has a bit of tar and burnt coffee. I’m really looking forward to my other bottle of this in a year or so. This just seem too young at the moment.

(Bottle at Pikkulintu on 2009-01-23) Deep dark brown. Tan coloured small head. Roasty aroma. Full bodied palate with medium carbonation and contains warming alcohol. Roastedness, bitterness and some liquorice in taste. Bitter and roasty aftertaste.

Bottle: Black body, small brown head, roasty hop spice nose, dark roast flavor dominates, very warm alcohol, espresso and black patent, very imperial stout like, black syrup, dense, dry finish is what makes this beer so damn good - an ale as strong as this usually makes me less than excited to finish it even though the favor and and first sips are so rich, this on the other hand is very drinkable for its strength, the dry finish on the palate makes me crave another swallow (trouble) . . . awesome label too

You gotta love this beer just for the label. Hilarious. I agree that this is a strong ale and not a stout, although it looks like a stout when poured. It’s as thick as other stouts as I have had, but I’ve also questioned whether those others were really "stouts", in my opinion. This smells of malt and molasses. Maybe because it’s not trying to be an exact style that makes it so interesting. It has RIS flavors - roasted malt, molasses, touch of coffee, etc., but doesn’t have the lush thickness. Hidden mocha flavor in the aftertaste - nice! Interesting brew.

Deep brown with a good sized tan head. Aroma is of scotch, caramel and chocolate. Flavor is malt, toffee, and molasses with a decent alcohol warmth.

(Bottled) Very dark reddish brown with a small, tanned, lasting head. Aroma of pretty strong alcohol, licorice, and lightly roasted malt. Roasted-malty flavor with licorice and (again) somewhat alcoholic feel. Medium-bodied, slicky palate with quite low carbonation. Quite a disappointment from this fine brewery: too alcoholic and burned to be enjoyable.

Near black colored with big beige head. Roastiness dominates this aroma with chocolate, licorice, even some burnt tobacco here with slight alcohol. Medium to full bodied. Flavor is even richer with roastiness dominating, berries, some vinous-vanilla note. Aftertaste dries with same tobacco-wooden dry hopped tone and mild alcohol. Well, interesting brew, again.

Bottle that came in the Port Brewing and Lost Abbey boxes of beers from Phil L’s, Beer Merchants, cheers Phil for the nod on when these beers were in, consumed 18-01-09. Pours black with a tan head. Aroma is of hot diluted steaming coffee with some sticky wet prunes and light alcohol coming through. The taste is citrus and coffee fighting it out and numbing the tongue like a blast of Listerine Mouthwash. I finally get some dark malts, nuts and the alcohol comes on again. Its an alright beer but not really my thing and I tire of it after a while. A6 A4 F6 P3 OV13 3.2