Lava Porter
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery

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From:
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
 
Minnesota, United States
Style:
American Porter
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
88
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 11.2%
Reviews:
12
Ratings:
20
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 17, 2014
Added:
Oct 07, 2011
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ssimpson89:
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Rated by ssimpson89 from Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

Feb 09, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by mattmarka1 from Minnesota

Jan 17, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by XmnwildX12 from Minnesota

Dec 11, 2013
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Reviewed by feloniousmonk from Minnesota

4.09/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had to double check the name on this one. Why "Lava" porter? Is it hot? Molten? Did they mean Java Porter, which they already make? There must be an explanation somewhere, but until they are discovered, here come the notes....

Town Hall Lava Porter.

totally black. toasty tan head, starts big, dwindles down.

Dark malt and cocoa in the nose, little hops, roasty and slightly sweet.

Flavor-wise, it's smooth and creamy, roasted malt and cocoa, with espresso hints, as well. Medium bodied and expertly drinkable. Almost milky, certainly silky.
May 28, 2013
 
Rated: 2.5 by t0rin0 from California

Nov 04, 2012
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Reviewed by oline73 from Maryland

3.88/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I had this on-tap at Town Hall Tap. Served in a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a cloudy brown color with a layer of off white head that fades to a ring around the pour.

Smell: I'm getting some roasted malt along with coffee and a slightly sweet dark fruit component.

Taste: A lot like the smell. Roast and coffee are the dominant flavors, but there is a dark fruit like sweetness to balance things out a bit. The finish is a bit nutty.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: I thought this was a very nice coffee porter. Good balance and quite easy to drink. I'd have another.
Oct 08, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by bbadger from Texas

Aug 25, 2012
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Reviewed by Tucquan from Pennsylvania

3.65/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Had this on 2011-11-18 at the brewery (from tasting notes)

A - Brown/black with a 1/2-finger dark tand head and moderate lacing.

S - A rich aroma of roasted grain, caramel and chocolate.

T - Dark fruit (plum and fig), sweet chocolate and carmel, some coffee. Lingering but mild roasted astringent and sweet malt. Nice but not over-the-top. I've had better tasting porters.

M - Medium body and light-medium carbonation. Smooth but not thick.

O - A very nice stout but not a standout.
Dec 22, 2011
Photo of mothman
Reviewed by mothman from Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pours 1/2 finger of beige head. Good retention leaving some nice lace rings. Color is a deep dark brown.

Aroma: Roasty and chocolatey. Cocoa. Rich and creamy. Milky.

Taste: Rich chocolate, milk chocolate creaminess. Roasted malts with some nut flavors. Some coffee flavors blend in as well.

Mouthfeel: Roasted and smooth. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends dry.

Overall, it was a good porter, but a bit too dry and rich for me. Solid, but just not my type.
Dec 01, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by fuzzcherry from Minnesota

Nov 28, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by plumcrazyfx from Minnesota

Nov 17, 2011
 
Rated: 4.5 by GeezLynn from Colorado

Nov 14, 2011
Photo of Holland
Reviewed by Holland from Illinois

4.2/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: dark pour, not seeing any highlights. Tan head that stays for a while with some good lacing and edging.

S: some coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt smells.

T: tastes of sweetness, roasted malt flavors like coffee and chocolate, and a bitterness at the end of the taste.

M: medium body, well carbonated.

O: good beer, nothing too unbelievable, but it's very good. The sweetness and bitterness make this more interesting than a "good" porter.
Nov 13, 2011
Photo of AleWatcher
Reviewed by AleWatcher from Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
on tap at Minneapolis Town Hall -- reviewed from short notes

Very dark. Nice creamy tan head with amazing retention. Decent lacing.
Smells roasty, dry and roasty...
Some chocolate malt adds depth to the dry roasty malt flavor-- do i get a touch of caramel malt too? A bit of sweetness beneath the rich full-roast? Nice.

Excellent body-- full and rich feel with a nice creamy smoothness.

Very very nice porter-- possibly to be mu highest rated. American Porters are not a style I generally go for-- but this is very well-made.
One of the best I've had from the brewery.
Nov 04, 2011
Photo of DCon
Reviewed by DCon from Missouri

4.67/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Enjoyed on-tap @ the Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery in Minneapolis, MN in a $9 Flight tasting. Tapped from the Clock Tower tap handle with a Seasonal Three on it and a light olive background into a 10oz Short Stange Glass. Has 5.3% on the brew-menu.

Aroma- Very, VERY strong coffee and roastiness. May have a bit of caramel and sweetness around but wasn't paying attention. Also has a dessert/chocolate finish on the nose. Great!

Appearance- Received with a 1 finger, dark brown head that has decent retention. Has the deepest colored body you can get on a porter and then leaves suds but then drop down in the drink and disappear. The lace didn't stick on this one...

medium bodied, light carbonation, great for style and the velvety taste on the finish. 4.5. easy drinking but packed with tons! definitely chocolate lava cake in the finish and makes sense why they named this porter! 4.5

Flavor- Has good coffee and roastiness, the two most dominant attributes. The finish has a Chocolate Lava Cake flavor! Wow! Unreal here. Everything well-balanced and a great finish, can't beat it!

Mouthfeel- Medium Bodied, Light Carbonation, Great for the style and has a velvety finish.

Overall Impression- An easy drinking but packed with tons of coffee and roast. Definitely a great name-beer association with the Chocolate Lava Cake coming up in the drink. After each beer, I keep saying that they are getting better and better. I'm pumped for the next one!
Oct 28, 2011
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Reviewed by birchstick from Colorado

3.83/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This one pours a nice black color with a sexy mocha brown colored head. The nose consists of a lot of chocolate and caramel Malt with hints of vanilla. The taste is almost spot on with the nose. Opens up with a dark chocolates, which dominate the palate. There is a bit of burnt molasses in the middle and ends dry with dark chocolates lingering. Solid porter that is full and robust with lots of dark chocolate dominating everything else. Really good, I would recommend it!
Oct 24, 2011
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Reviewed by Chriscrundwell12 from Minnesota

3.83/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
10 oz pour on tap into a snifter.

A- Pours a one finger frothy brown head, nice retention and lacing, the body is a dark brown almost black opaque color.
S- Upfront there is roasted malt notes, slight chocolate, coffee, overall the aroma is rather mild.
T- Tastes a little better than what I got out of the aroma, nice roasted malt, cocoa, slight chocolate and coffee flavors.
M- Medium mouth feel, smooth and silky, dry finish.
O- This is a solid porter nothing special or unique but really hit the spot on this cold October day.
Oct 20, 2011
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Reviewed by bsp77 from Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Serving glass: Poured from tap into Pint glass.

Appearance: Extremely dark brown with thin light brown head and slight lacing.

Smell: Mostly just chocolate and molasses. A little mild.

Taste: Mostly dark chocolate and dry molasses in the taste as well. Some light coffee and spicy hops in the finish.

Feel: Moderately low carbonation with a smooth, but slightly too thin body. Finish is not as dry as I like in a Porter.

Overall: Decent drinkable Porter, but nothing I found too exciting.
Oct 18, 2011
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Reviewed by FightingEntropy from Minnesota

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
In a weird turn, I actually like this beer better in the growler than on draft at the pub--a rare but pleasant surprise opening it up tonight. In a pint glass, it has a fluffy light brown head with very tight bubbles that falls after a bit into a light film across the top of a jet black porter. Light roast in the nose with a bit of biscuit and chocolate. Description at the bar set the beer up for failure I think--mentioned it should be like lava chocolate cake or similar--which it's not. However, it is a nice robust porter with significant chocolate, caramel in the taste; sweet without being cloying; and a slight bitterness from the malt off the back. Maybe a bit light in the mouthfeel, but it's a porter and shouldn't coat your tongue like an imperial stout or such. Glad I ended up with with this one at home.
Oct 13, 2011
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Reviewed by kbutler1 from Minnesota

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a point glass. I didn’t take notes on the description but from memory it was made with burnt sugar and dark chocolate. Pours a dark brown color with a deep tan mocha head. The aroma is roasting with a mix of dark chocolate and vanilla. The upfront taste is a little more heavy roast bitterness than I was expecting but good. Vanilla, malted milk, dark chocolate all come out as this warms a bit. Overall, pretty decent drinker but may be a little too roasty for some. Medium smooth mouthfeel.
Oct 07, 2011
Lava Porter from Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 20 ratings