Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter

Brewed by Three Floyds Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Munster, Indiana USA

Serve in Shaker, Snifter

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UPDATED: JAN 20, 2005 Very unique aroma for a porter, this one has a big hop profile, very piney , sweet. Beer pours dark brown with a very large, fluffy, bubbly off white head that is retained. Flavor goes with the aroma. Initial flavor is malty, a bit smoked, the finish is hoppy though not in the massive amount the aroma suggests. An extremely unique brew that gets added to my must have each year list. Thanks to EddieG for this one. Update for 2004 version: This one for me now hits all the marks. Incredible pine, spruce, chocolate aroma. One of the most lush mouthfeels ever, and the most delicious flavor of chocolate and hops ever. My first perfect score!!!

UPDATED: DEC 21, 2003 (Darught) Pours a brown color with a small head. Has a big hoppy flavor with hints of chocolate.

UPDATED: NOV 15, 2009 Well, my opinion of this stuff has raised considerably from last year (3.3 rating). I’m not sure if the recipe has changed or if it’s just me. My notes this year are about the same only this year it seemed better balanced and much easier drinking. You forget about the 7.5% ABV and have four pints and off you go....

Original Rating: Sort of a porter crossed with an IPA (you know, with the hearty dose of American hops and all...). Dark with a small, tan head and tons of lace. Nose is dominated by pine/earth notes from heavy-handed hopping. A sharp bite up front followed by dark malts and an almost unpleasant amount of earthy bitterness.

Wow! What a strange brew.Dark black color with small head. Grapefruit smell with chocolate and roasted coffee in the aroma.Hoppy bitter taste.Alcohol is surprisingly strong.Finish is spicy,dry and very long.Truly a weird porter.

Draft, at the Map Room Solid brown body, with a thin, lacy head. Very low alcohol taste, but that's only the perception. Rides the very thin line between chewy and watery mouthfeel like a porter should, but with the addition of the 3 Floyds “mouth full of hop pellets” effect. Hop effect can’t help but overrun the chocolate malt taste. Starts out somewhat grapefruitty, but then hangs around when you’ve finished to playfully bitch slap your uvula! Special thanks to Nick Floyd for treating at the Map Room release party!

UPDATED: MAR 9, 2007 2003 vintage. Ultra-black body and a huge and dense light tan head with tiny uniform bubbles. Smells like the world’s first India Porter. Major hop action in the nose! Aroma also includes roasted coffee, light smoke, and Mexican chocolate. TTB and I spent about 15 minutes getting high on the fantastic aroma while we waited for the relentless head to fade. The flavor basically matches the aroma except more subdued. Includes some nice fruity sour notes. Also a bit soapy. Medium body is less than expected. Truly a world class porter. 10,5,8,4,18

2004 vintage was less enthralling.

UPDATED: DEC 21, 2003 Bottle: Wow! I could smell the chocolate more than a foot away from my nose. A long, long lasting off white head atop a deep brown beer. It seemed to have hints of purple/red when held to the light. Huge chocolate and roastiness in the flavor. Just an excellent, excellent beer! Draft: this is more what I had expected from 3 Floyds. A nice porter with a big hop bite. I prefer the bottled version.

The beer disembogues a deep brown to almost black with ruby high lights and the head. behemothic in size, spumous in texture and the color a beauteous light tan with the resultant lace a thick sheet welded to the glass to seal it from the light. Marvelous floral aroma at the front, sweet toasted malt, molasses, crisp and a real treat for the schnozzle this one with the start ambrosial and nicely malted, top is middling in its feel to the senses. Finish is temperate in its acidity and the hops puissant in their spiciness, quite dry and long lasting aftertaste. One of the best porters I’ve had in years, and certainly will move into my porter top ten

Dark color, slightly ruby with a big head. Good gods the hop aroma. NOt used to porter with such a smell. Good malty flavor with an amazingly light palate. Well balanced hop flavor and aroma. Unique experience to say the least--whatever those guys at 3 floyds are doing--DON'T STOP!

UPDATED: DEC 3, 2004 Very hoppy stuff. Dark brown-black, really pretty head, creamy, full, mocha-colored, hung around for a good long visit. Nose very hoppy, lots of pine, a bit of citrus, some chocolate roasts. Then the flavor comes. Plenty of roasts up front, strong chocolate character, then there’s a ludicrously strong kick of hops, all pine. And I mean PINE. No citrus, just pine and more pine. I realize pine trees are part of Christmas and all, but this is ridiculously. Palate-wise, this is again very special stuff, amazingly silky, feels great around the mouth, but I can’t get past the flavor. It’s like somebody handed me a chocolate bar that, instead of being filled with caramel or nougat, it’s filled with fresh pine needles. Literally. Simply put (and I never thought I’d say this), it’s just too hoppy for my tastes. Hops are good, but they don’t really match this beer very well.