Sea Dog Riverdriver Hazelnut Porter

My bottle does not have the Hazelnut part, so perhaps this is a different beer, but perhaps not.

This beer is incredibly carbonated, no make that over carbonated; it pours with a light brown, large bubbled, four-finger thick head. The beer is a deep brown, mostly black colored beer. The aroma is dry and toasty with a roasted grain note, yet it is also a bit sweet and fruity. Something seems a bit off as well, perhaps a bit of a vegetal note, but I could be imagining it.

The beer is light and frothy when it first hits my tongue. There is a light malt sweetness that intermingles quite well with a roasted grain note. There are ample notes of dark chocolate and some roasted coffee notes. The taste is quite nice; lots of rich flavors yet still light and drinkable, just like a good porter should be. Despite my misgivings with the carbonation and the aroma, I am quite pleased by this tasty beer.

Bottle from Trader Joe’s. Poured a dark brown with an average off-white head that diminished slowly. Medium roasted malt with a sweet tone. Medium body with a smooth texrure. Moderate roasted sweet flavor with a small bitter finish.

My bottle’s label comes bereft of "Riverdriver Hazelnut," but it does add "with hazelnut flavor added," so I’m assuming it’s the same brew. The aroma is a lightly roated malt with a touch of vanilla and a bit of nutty bitterness. Pretty smooth to drink, the roasted taste comes out stronger and the flavor of the hazelnut extract makes itself known. Mildly bitter, toasty finish. This is a good session Porter.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.traderjoes.com/locations/map/686.asp>Trader Joe’s, Orland Park, IL<font size=-1>

12oz bottle best before December 04 via my secret santa - Thanks Santa! - Pours deep brown with ruby highlights. Huge rocky tan head stays well and laces like a milkshake on the outside of the glass. Aroma of hazelnut, vanilla, light chocolate and caramel. Flavor is hazelnut, vanilla, coffee, a slight bit of chocolate and caramel. Very much like drinking hazelnut coffee. I got some hops on the finish but not too much. Palate is medium bodied and fairly airy. I love hazelnut so this one was a nice treat for me. I enjoyed it..

Nice porter but too sweet with suspiciously-artificial flavoring? One of the Sea Dog’s better brews, but quality has suffered since ownership change.

Best Before March 2006 consumed on 10/20/2005. Colorful ruby-mahogany brown body with deep magenta-burgundy edges. Large, light-tan head. Well-retained. Smells of vanilla, hazelnut and mild cocoa. Dry, biscuity and crunchy. Kind of like weak dunkin donuts coffee with fake hazelnut sweetener in it. But in a good way. . .I think. Begins rather acidic with that obnoxious, sharp carbonation of Shipyard. Peanut brittle, hazelnuts, and lightly sour milk-chocolate. Kind of a fuzzy, papery peanut skin-like flavor on end. Tastes like some light American hopping as well. Floral and moderately bitter. Not too much hops flavor, but some leafy-greenness in the background. Body is medium. Annoying carbonation yet a slick texture otherwise. Needs real hazelnuts. Surprisingly not watery and the head is well-retained, no doubt because the beer is extremely fresh, which is the only way that anything Shipyard makes can be tolerable.

This stuff is pretty good...OK OK I know it has that artificial "natural" hazelnut syrup added, but I really was not offended by that. It has a good coffee, nuttiness, roasted malt flavor that , in small doses , is a very nice change of pace. Pretty decent!

Damn near porter season. Love the richer and higher ABV offerings of the winter season but know the easy evenings sitting in the backyard looking over the freshly mowed grass are severely numbered. Sea Dog offers a damn fine porter with a powerful mouthfeel that leans a tad more heavily to the nuttier side of the toasted malt, mocha and coffee flavorings. Carbonation isn’t in short supply and carries this rich brew through the tasting. You are left with a coffee flavored hop fizz. Nice zesty offering from Sea Dog.