Southampton Imperial Porter

Brewed by Southampton Publick House
Style: Baltic Porter
Southampton, New York USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker, Snifter

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Poured from a 12 ounce bottle. The aroma is roasted malt, chocolate, raisin, caramel. The flavors are of chocolate, fruity, raisin, dry cocoa. A solid porter, large body, huge flavor.

Bottle poured a dark cola with no head and minimal lacing. Aroma includes notes of coffee, roasted malt, and bakers chocolate. Taste is a weak version of aroma and a bit of a letdown. Limited mouthfeel and flavors fade quickly.

Tasted from 12oz bottle into the brewery’s own Willybecher glass. Baltic Porter is one of my favorite styles, so I really wanted to like this more. I have great respect for their brewmaster: Phil Markowski, the award-winning brewer and author. Aromas and flavors were mainly true-to-style for a Baltic Porter or Imperial Porter. However, this particular bottle had some deep flaws. It didn’t say anything about bottle conditioning, but there were huge gross clumps of dead yeast in suspension and lots more residue on the bottom of the bottle. It also possessed the predictable off-tastes of autolysis. There was no date either, but I’m sure it was pretty old based on the oxidation and slight sourness. It’s too bad, really, because otherwise it seemed like a nice high-grav (but well-concealed alcohol), toasty and roasty porter. This was a dry and tart interpretation, as opposed to bready and fruity, which would’ve been interesting and tasty if not for the problems.

Draft @ Coalhouse Pizza. Lots of dark fruit aromas, muddy more than silky. Pretty average porter, lacks the soft pillowy feel of top shelf porters.

On draft at Henrietta MacGregors. Pours a dark porter brown with a tan head. Nose is roasted Malta, earth, toast, dark chocolate, slight dark fruit, and light spice. Flavor is similar with chocolate, roasted malts, dark fruit, and some bitterness on the back end. Light to medium in body and lingering bitterness. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

A: Very dark brown, with a one inch head that leaves a fair amount lacing behind. S: Slightly sour or lactic, roasted malt. It’s a bit odd, and I am for the most part missing the chocolate and roasted malt aromas. T: I was really hoping this would be an awesome beer, but it’s pretty average. There is a slight lactic sourness that I find a bit distracting. SH Imperial Porter lacks depth and complexity. The roasted malt flavors that are present are tasty, I just wish there was a bit more to the beer. M: Medium bodied with a slight hint of chocolate in the finish. D: I was ready to move on to something else after one of these. Overall not a bad beer, just mediocre.

Bottle sample at a tasting at Ariel’s place. Thanks DSG ,pours black with red taints and a small head, aroma of plums, nuts and caramel with some chocolate and plum liquor, flavor of grapefruit, coffee and light roastiness, medium bodied

Black with big tan head. Pepper, raisin, and tobacco on the nose; chocolate up front with very bitter finish. Good but I prefer imperial stouts.

12 ounce bottle. Chocolate and coffee aroma. Pretty simple flavor, not particularly complex or notable. Just ok.

(Bottle, quite old) Pours dark brown with nougat coloured head. The aroma holds dark bread, leather, earth, tobacco, dark fruits/raisins, liquorice root, roasted grains and dark berries. Oxidized and light vinous on the nose. The flavour is light sweet, light to medium bitter and tiny acidic with notes of dark bread, mild roast, leather, earthy tobacco, dark fruits, dark berries and watery brown sugar. The mouthfeel is soft and light watery with a light carbonation. Bready and light oxidized finish. Light to medium bodied.