Convenient Distraction
O'so Brewing Company & Tap House

Convenient DistractionConvenient Distraction
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From:
O'so Brewing Company & Tap House
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Imperial Porter
Ranked #81
ABV:
9.8%
Score:
92
Ranked #4,855
Avg:
4.14 | pDev: 8.45%
Reviews:
57
Ratings:
278
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 14, 2023
Added:
Apr 03, 2014
Wants:
  11
Gots:
  61
Imperial porter masterfully blended with Aquacate coffee (now Ruby Roasters) from the Narino region of Columbia and Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Austin32:
Photo of Austin32
Reviewed by Austin32 from Wisconsin

3.41/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
I was very disappointed with this beer. You read the ingredients "Aquacate coffee from the Narino region of Columbia and Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans" and you think there is no way this could be bad....well, it just does not come together. The flavors all seem to compete and don't blend and it seems like your taste buds just get confused and you just look at the glass in your hand and think what the hell was that. I also read the label again to make sure I read the ingredients right. Normally a fan of most O'so stuff but they missed the mark on this one.
Jan 30, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of DarkLordScott
Reviewed by DarkLordScott from Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours black with a two finger head. Aroma is coffee, chocolate and vanilla. Taste is very coffee, with some dark fruit and vanilla. I believe some chocolate is also present. The body is moderate with a low carbonation feel. S'okay.
Jan 14, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Dovers from Wisconsin

Sep 16, 2022
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.62/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
neat bottle courtesy of rare beer club, but i am wondering if it didnt get a little warm in shipment or if its a little old, to me the coffee is a tad oxidized and it feels a little thin overall, even astringent, possibly from more than just the coffee, which overall made this seem lackluster, not quite worthy of its high ratings here, so i will reserve harsher judgement until i can try this again, but it didnt impress me the way i hoped it would, a nightcap on my birthday. its got a pretty pour, a deep brown hue with a fizzing creamy tan head that settles slowly, not as viscous as many of these, and i am excited immediately that its not barrel aged, too many of them are, this is a lost art. its also appreciable to me right away as a porter not a stout, also cool. the nose has some sweet vanilla to it, a little bread yeast thing in the ferment that i like, rich chocolate layering, and then the coffee, which has hints of hazelnut and maple to it, but also some green pepper oxidation and a little harshness, although very little bitterness. its not evident that this is heady coffee, even though i know it is. the flavor is mellower than expected, lighter bodied even effervescent, strange for the style, but i like the life it has. the coffee makes this a little acidic at the end, but there is a lot to like before that, dry cocoa from the malt, light smoke and raisin in the mix, and definite vanilla bean character too. its sweet but not heavy, and it seems nicely conditioned in the bottle. interesting blend of flavors, a little deserty but still light to drink and curiously absent is the alcohol. lots of vanilla, very natural and elegant even. i have no doubt its well made, but it didnt totally translate for me, a bummer because i was pumped on this one. anyone else have this experience with a rare beer club bottle specifically? anyway, i still appreciate it and hope to try it again soon...
Jun 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.07 by Fubudu187 from Illinois

May 23, 2022
 
Rated: 4.38 by Tcsox from Massachusetts

May 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4.1 by Bogdawg from Massachusetts

May 09, 2022
 
Rated: 3.92 by smithj4 from New York

Apr 11, 2022
Photo of mwilbur
Reviewed by mwilbur from Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured from 750 mL bottle into tulip.
A: Pours a nice dark brown with 2 inch tan frothy/bubbly head with decent retention.
S: Medium roast coffee, vanilla, milk chocolate, and soft caramel malt with a hint of red fruits.
T: Medium roast coffee, milk chocolate, and vanilla hit first, followed by a red wine note (ah, that’s what I was picking up in the aroma!) and toasted caramel malt. Wow! Love the play of the different elements together here.
M: Medium body. Delicate dark sweetness. Lovely astringent feel with moderate bitterness. Lingers nicely on the palate.
D: All the elements really come together nicely in this brew. The coffee note is outstanding. Seek it out!
Mar 30, 2022
 
Rated: 4.14 by chrisb53188 from Wisconsin

Feb 19, 2022
 
Rated: 3.65 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Jan 25, 2022
Photo of Roguer
Reviewed by Roguer from Connecticut

4.07/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Decent but inconsistent head production; mediocre retention.

Tons and tons of coffee on the nose, overwhelming all other aromas. There's a bit of bourbon presence as well, but interestingly not the vanilla beans themselves. Just a touch of brown sugar and caramel reminds you that this is a stout/porter, not just a cup of cold coffee.

Very smooth on the palate. Initial impression is a very well-balanced beer. It quickly becomes quite roasty, with mild char, red grape, and waves of toast, complemented by the coffee. On the back half, the coffee suddenly comes on quite strong, along with a chocolatey note. Very earthy finish. Coffee lingers prominently on the aftertaste.

There's a hint of bourbon up front, and just a hint of creamy vanilla, but otherwise the vanilla beans are largely absent from the experience. Coffee is the focus of this beer, from first whiff to last lingering aftertaste. The porter base is up to the task, but non-coffee fans should look elsewhere.
Nov 02, 2021
 
Rated: 4.14 by Luscious_Malfoy from Illinois

Sep 04, 2021
 
Rated: 3.73 by EMH73 from New York

Aug 06, 2021
 
Rated: 4.3 by jdbigsky from Montana

Jun 01, 2021
Photo of hof_1991
Reviewed by hof_1991 from Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A real winner from O’so. Bought a crowler from their brewpub In plover. Smooth drinking so pay attention to the abv. Great flavor and mouth feel. Definitely drinking again.
Jan 01, 2021
 
Rated: 4.19 by cmsfish from Minnesota

Oct 10, 2020
Photo of cjeep
Reviewed by cjeep from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
yes, it's a total winner.
L: drinking from the can, sorry. it's a nice looking can
S: awesome. chocolate, coffee. decadent
T: super awesome. lots of dark chocolate. bit of coffee. very subdued bitterness. thoroughly delicious brew
F: rich, smooth.
O: run, don't walk baby. this will sell out quickly.
Jul 04, 2020
 
Rated: 4.19 by wl2bill from Wisconsin

Jun 15, 2020
Photo of Thankin_Hank
Reviewed by Thankin_Hank from Texas

4.62/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured a rich dark coffee color with a thin tan head. Smells of coffee and dark chocolate. The taste is more chocolate than coffee and phenomenal. And no sweetness. This vanilla bean and coffee blend couldn't be better. So delicious and a thinner mouthfeel than I expected. So very easy to drink. 9.8 ABV and you won't even notice the alcohol. Overall an amazing Imperial Porter. This is some righteous Wisconsin beer. Love it. From a 16 ounce can dated 12/26/19. And a big thanks to @jzeilinger for sharing.
Apr 27, 2020
Convenient Distraction from O'so Brewing Company & Tap House
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 278 ratings