Porter
Mayflower Brewing Company

PorterPorter
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From:
Mayflower Brewing Company
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
English Porter
Ranked #3
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
93
Ranked #4,041
Avg:
4.16 | pDev: 9.62%
Reviews:
274
Ratings:
803
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 23, 2024
Added:
Mar 28, 2008
Wants:
  95
Gots:
  131
Taking its cues from “Three Threads”, a bartender’s blend of three distinct ales, Porter became the beer of choice for 18th-century Londoners. Mayflower Porter embraces this history. This complex brew is smooth and full-flavored with notes of roasted coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate that will warm the palate all year long. Mayflower Porter is a rich, complex brew that is smooth and full-flavored. Five varieties of malted barley provide notes of roasted coffee beans and bittersweet chocolate with a hint of smokiness.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Khazadum:
Photo of Khazadum
Reviewed by Khazadum from Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Fourth in my series of blind beers. Thanks go out to Prufrock! 12 ounce bottle poured into a brandy snifter.

Vision
This one generated the suds much easier than last night. A simple, responsible pour gave me half a finger of head. The color is hard for me to describe. I see deep within its core the browns that i am used to seeing in other beers of this style. However, the predominate shade is white. It reminds me of white undershirts that an individual has used for three years with no bleach treatment. Eventually they are just dingy with brown tones. A slight skin of head remains fizzling away after a few minutes of rest. I am happy to report that it is characteristically jet black. One would think without the ability to shine light into this beverage I wouldn't be able to comment on the carbonation, however that is untrue. The center of this beverage has a layer of head that is constantly frothing up allowing me to see how thick the column of bubbles is within the center. Quite a bit of carbonation, which shocks me.

Bouquet
I'm spoiled. I knew it was going to happen, but last night's beer changed me. I think I'll be looking for as complex a brew for the next few weeks. Alas, this is a one noter. Strong, burnt grains. Not smoky, just charred. It reminds me of aromas I have caused in my own kitchen. It doesn't get any fainter or any stronger. No matter how I try to smell this, its a simple aroma.

Flavor Profile
It eluded me in the nose, but the first cursory sip gives me the smokiness I was smelling for. It rides in the backseat of this sip, leaving the entire front seat for roasted grains and burnt crescendos. The finish on the first sip is metal. I thought at first I bit my tongue and had some blood somewhere in my mouth, but alas it occurs on every follow-up sip.

I try different tasting techniques and methods to try and weasel something else out. Unfortunately its as simple as a Halloween costume. Smoky cape, burnt grain tunic, and iron/copper boots to stomp all over where it has been.

Oral Sensations
Sometimes a beer walks a fine line of having the right body. It just crosses that point where it satisfies you. This beer saw that finish line and tripped a few strides before it got there. Its watery enough that I'm upset with it. However, this watery nature lends it a certain amount of smoothness. It goes down well enough without sticking around too long. Perhaps I shouldn't be too upset. If this smoky flavor never left, I probably would be even more annoyed.

I mentioned carbonation before, and I definitely will mention it now. If all I took were sips that instantly went down the hatch I'd never notice how fizzy this can be. Just letting it sit longer than one second causes me to feel the bubbles tickling my cheeks, tongue, and soft palate. I've never been a fan of carbonation, and with this beer already as is I put this down as a negative point.

Conclusions
I am happy to try this beer. Everything deserves a chance and this beer is miles above some trash I've slurped down in my day. However, I will not be looking for this beer again. I will not order this beer if I find it on draft out and about ( maybe I'll sip it a few times if someone else orders it ). I put it as a suitable craft beer, but not a good craft beer.
Jul 27, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by doctorgary from New York

Feb 23, 2024
 
Rated: 3.56 by GuitarIPA from Connecticut

Oct 29, 2023
 
Rated: 3.94 by QuintusHorace from California

Apr 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4.1 by drews240 from Rhode Island

Apr 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by paulish from New York

Dec 14, 2022
 
Rated: 4.07 by travelguy from Ohio

Aug 25, 2022
Photo of WildernessMonk
Rated by WildernessMonk from Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Nice blend of coffee, chocolate and smokiness. Perfect brunch beer, nice and smooth.
May 01, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Apr 24, 2022
 
Rated: 3.55 by lakewy17 from New Hampshire

Feb 05, 2022
 
Rated: 4.71 by dmwils from Massachusetts

Jan 27, 2022
 
Rated: 4.19 by Sellen from Connecticut

Dec 28, 2021
Photo of Pivopijak
Reviewed by Pivopijak from Washington

3.94/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
draught
Quite dark chestnut, with a little dark orange, for highlights. Moderate, but fairly sharp, dark roasted grain aroma. Pretty good level of dark roasted grain, in a medium light bodied brew, and it goes on to the finish.
Nov 12, 2021
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

3.9/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2021-11-09
16oz can served in a tulip. Dated 09/28/21. Received from @WunderLlama as a retaliation been in NBS BIF #14.

Pours dark with a big, medium-density head, light carbonation. Smell is moderate chocolate and coffee and a lot of nuts. Yeasty, grainy, maybe some anise.

Taste is similar, though somewhat mild. Chocolate coffee and nuts, anise somewhat muted, mild to heavy roasty bitterness, some light woodiness, and some grainy sweetness.

Mouthfeel is medium to thick. Overall, a very solid porter.
Nov 10, 2021
Photo of KP7
Reviewed by KP7 from Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I'm a big fan of this porter. A ton of roast bitterness, really on the border of too much but it keeps it just on this side of the line. A nice feel and body as well.
Nov 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4.31 by Stofko1992 from Pennsylvania

Aug 28, 2021
Photo of Mcb99d
Reviewed by Mcb99d from Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Ok, so the beer I had was a coffee porter on nitro at the brewery but I could not find it on beer advocate. This beer is so ridiculously fantastic. Smooth, creamy, not overly carbonated, subtle notes of vanilla and chocolate. Idk, it’s just great.
Jul 31, 2021
Photo of Jaystar
Reviewed by Jaystar from Massachusetts

4.24/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Wicked! Much more lively than a typical porter. Enough hops to cut into the syrupy malts, which still dominate - as they should. Satisfyingly rich and dense with enough fizz to balance and cut that. Drinking one satisfies nicely - but not so heavy that more would be too rich - as can be the case for me with porters. Wicked!
Jan 18, 2021
Photo of VoxRationis
Reviewed by VoxRationis from New York

4.3/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Decanted into a 12 oz (355 ml) clear goblet from a 16 oz (473 ml) can; canned on 07/07/20.
A: Pours a very dark, clear brown color with a two finger, tan head, cap and ring retention and complex rings of lacing.
S: Aromas of molasses, cocoa, mocha, toffee, and macadamia nuts
T: Semisweet. Flavors mirror the nose, but much more birch beer and/or sarsaparilla. Solid but balanced bitterness.
M: Light to medium bodied with moderate effervescence
O: Mayflower has come up with a light but delicious Anglo-American Porter.
Jan 10, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by Kakmezikyan from Massachusetts

Dec 30, 2020
Porter from Mayflower Brewing Company
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 803 ratings