Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter

Acquired via trade with Viggo. This is a beer with a lot going on. Holy crap! Unbelievable hop nose to this beer- just like an IPA. Not what I expected for a porter. I can also smell chocolate and a little smoke. Decent initial head that fades away quickly. Color is dark rich porter. First sip is of oily hops with a chocolate background. This is as oily as some of the larger barelywines I’ve had. That’s a real feat for a 7.5% porter! Even though there’s a shitload of hops here- they are not out of place. NOt overly astringent, just a flavourable balance with the sweetness of the malt. The malt is very rich and reminds me somewhat of a impy stout moreso than a traditional porter. no matter- it is delicious. At first I thought this would be a real slow sipper, but I really gained speed plowing through this treat. First rate brew- hope to try again one day.

Pours a dark brown with a small tan head. Aroma is very intense with HOPS, roasted malts and chocolate. Flavor is loaded with fresh hops, coffee and hints of chocolate. Light to medium body, to hoppy for me for a porter.

Very dark brown with big brown head. I loved the big hop in the aroma. Flavor was also nice and hoppy with big chocolate malts. A rich hop/malt explosion. Very good stuff.

When first opened, this smelled like an IPA. This made me very hesitant because I usually don’t enjoy a lot of hops except for IPA’s. But this beer was an exception. Great taste of roast, malt and main flavor was chocolate. The flavors blend very well and play off one another nicely. The only thing that put me off (just a little) was a very bitter ending of the beer. I mean the ending of each sip is very bitter---think dark chocolate taste. Still very nice and balanced beer.

Bottle. ( Thanks Marsiblursi ! ) Dark brown color with a brown head. Roasted with notes of juniper, coffee and chocolate. High carbonation. Medium to full body with a bitter-sweet finish.

[Bottled. Marsiblursi delivers] Dark brown colour, brown cottony head. Chocolatey aroma with vague capuccino hints. Juniper and chocolate are most evident in flavour. Very matured porter this, as the fruits are in the foreground, whereas the chocolate lurks in the background. Hops are there but toned down from storing? Nice, balanced bitterness.

(Bottle, thanks to Marsiblursi) Sampled at a tasting night at Marsiblursi’s place. Dark brown to black color, brown head. Chocolate, green apples and hops scent. Sweet coffee taste, very high roasted coffee aftertaste. Spritzy mouthfeel from high co2. Medium high bitterness.

(Bottle, thanks hopscotch) Pours beautiful black. Juniper, burned coffee aroma with fruits, berries and chocolate. Undertones of liquorice and dark bread. Very hoppy, pine and citrus and some sugary notes. Very nice roastyness. Very smooth mouthfeel. Roasted flavour with burned coffee, some dark chocolate/cocoa and dark bread. Alot of dark malt but also very hoppy. Bitter aftertaste of citrus and pine. medium to full body.