Vanilla Porter
Breckenridge Brewery

Vanilla PorterVanilla Porter
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From:
Breckenridge Brewery
 
Colorado, United States
Style:
American Porter
Ranked #397
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
83
Ranked #24,225
Avg:
3.66 | pDev: 15.03%
Reviews:
1,210
Ratings:
4,638
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 20, 2024
Added:
Jan 13, 2006
Wants:
  165
Gots:
  1,321
Deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and Madagascar grows the perfect ingredient for an extraordinary Porter brewed in Colorado. Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter. An ale that has all the chocolate and roasted nut flavor of a classic Porter, with an enigmatic surprise thrown in for good measure.
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Ratings by Pantalones:
Photo of Pantalones
Reviewed by Pantalones from Virginia

3.7/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Decided to give this one a second chance after having a six-pack that I'm pretty sure was a bad batch (very inconsistent, very little noticeable vanilla, only two bottles even had "roasty" porter/stout type flavor.) Single bottle this time, best-by date is April 6th, 2016 (or "04 B 06 B 16" as it's printed. 04/06/16 with B's instead of slashes, that's kinda neat actually.)

Anyway, on to the beer! It pours a dark cola-like brown, settling into something a lot closer to black once in the glass, though I can see hints of dark brown around the edges. Seems to be pretty clear, as my little LED flashlight pierces straight through (albeit only in the form of a circle of red dots... it's dark enough that the light beam itself doesn't quite make it all the way through.) Not a lot of bubble activity though, even with the flashlight I only occasionally see one rising up. There's a pretty good layer of foam on top (light tan in color) when I first pour, but several minutes later it's shrunk to a thin cap on the top with a thicker ring around the sides. Leaves some pretty nice trails behind on the inside of the glass, too -- and these last basically forever, the lacing from the first couple sips is still very much present even as I'm getting near the end of the glass.

Smell is a tad faint after the initial foam has shrunk away, but there's a good bit of sweetness, some vanilla, and a bit of roastiness hanging out in the background. The sweetness has a bit of a raisiny fruitiness to it. Toward the end of the glass it's coming out as more of an earthy dark malt sort of thing, with the sweetness and vanilla not standing out in the smell as much anymore (though they are present in the taste all the way through to the last drop, fortunately!)

Taste is roasty right away on the first sip, blending in a bit of that raisiny thing from the smell with a dark bready sort of malt flavor and... okay, yeah, this is DEFINITELY a vanilla beer, I feel like I just had a bite of already-mostly-melted vanilla ice cream. On later sips, the raisiny thing fades away a bit and it's more like roasty/malty straight into nice smooth sweetish vanilla. Occasionally it comes across a little weird at the moment the roasted malt gives way to the vanilla, but that's my only real complaint here and it's a minor one.

Feel is on the lighter side, but at only 5.4% ABV that isn't too surprising. It's not at all prickly or harsh and is EXTREMELY drinkable. I'm not sure how they do it but this legitimately does leave my mouth feeling like I just had a little sip of a vanilla milkshake, or partly melted ice cream, right after I swallow -- not sure if that's entirely mouthfeel or a mixture of that and the flavor, but either way it definitely works.

Overall, this is DRASTICALLY better than the six-pack I had before -- enough of the roasty malt flavors to work as a porter, but also a load of vanilla. It's a really nice combination. There's so much vanilla that I can only really see this working as a dessert beer rather than with a meal... but considering that dessert-beer is exactly what I wanted when I grabbed that bottle out of the fridge, that works for me!
Feb 19, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of ManicMadgod
Reviewed by ManicMadgod from Connecticut

3.22/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Maltiness with chocolate and vanilla on the nose. Couldn't get much vanilla on the palate. Thin mouthfeel with minimal carbonation. Not my favorite vanilla porter, unfortunately.
Mar 20, 2024
Photo of travis1108
Reviewed by travis1108 from Missouri

3.15/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25
I've enjoyed this beer for quite a while now, although I've always had a hard time calling it a Porter. Much too thin. And I've seen red ales this dark before. That said, it is easy drinking the nice dry roasted malt vanilla finish.
Mar 12, 2024
 
Rated: 3.96 by TheilerW from Michigan

Feb 06, 2024
 
Rated: 4.62 by Mesaboog from Colorado

Feb 01, 2024
Photo of Rwoodroffe
Rated by Rwoodroffe

3.74/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Dark almost black color, with minimal head or aroma. Strong vanilla flavor with hint of chocolate.
Jan 28, 2024
 
Rated: 3.86 by TwiggyCZ from Czech Republic

Jan 19, 2024
Photo of cafequaid
Rated by cafequaid from North Carolina

4.21/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dark Amber molasses color. Smells of vanilla and malt. Taste sweet for a porter. Flavors of vanilla and Carmel too. Very refreshing. I’d get again.
Jan 13, 2024
 
Rated: 3.59 by Iggy88 from Ohio

Nov 07, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by Zachboyd3334 from Indiana

Oct 18, 2023
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle. Label has the message of 'BEST ENJOYED BY 14MAR24'.
Clear, amber brown colored body. One finger of light tan head, which recedes to islands and a ring. Any lacing spots follow the glass down into the body.
Aroma of roasted malts and sweet vanilla.
Taste follows and expresses sweetness from the roasted malts and the vanilla. Low bitterness. All continue in the extended aftertaste.
Thinner than medium mouth feel. Some tongue sting. Okay carbonation.
Good blend of roasted malts and vanilla. Sessionable.
Oct 01, 2023
 
Rated: 3.44 by MikeZim

Sep 10, 2023
Photo of mpruden
Reviewed by mpruden from Ohio

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12-oz can well within its date range into a snifter (we’re camping, and snifters are all we have with us).

Appearance: Amber brown, with a 1” light tan head that dissipated pretty quickly but left adequate lacing.

Nose: Medium roast, fresh stone and dried fruit.

Mouthfeel: Medium, smooth, sufficient carbonation.

Attack: Medium roast, malt, vanilla.

Finish: Hop bitterness to balance.

Overall: Not as intensely flavored as most porters, but very easy drinking; this is a sessionable porter. Very reminiscent of a Leinenkugel Snowdrift Vanilla porter. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat — absolutely our Poured from a 12-oz can well within its date range into a snifter (we’re camping, and snifters are all we have with us).

Appearance: Amber brown, with a 1” light tan head that dissipated pretty quickly but left adequate lacing.

Nose: Medium roast, fresh stone and dried fruit.

Mouthfeel: Medium, smooth, sufficient carbonation.

Attack: Medium roast, malt, vanilla.

Finish: Hop bitterness to balance.

Overall: Not as intensely flavored as most porters, but very easy drinking; this is a sessionable porter. Very reminiscent of a Leinenkugel Snowdrift Vanilla porter. I’d buy it again in a heartbeat — absolutely our favorite of the several Breckenridge beers we sampled in our create-your-own sixpack..
Sep 08, 2023
 
Rated: 3.62 by CisPiece88 from Nebraska

Sep 01, 2023
Photo of Jd333
Reviewed by Jd333 from South Carolina

3.39/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
From a mixed 15 pak of 12 oz cans poured into a chilled pint glass. Pours a deep, clear reddish brown color with a faint off white head that quickly dissipates and leaves behind no lacing. Aroma is faint vanilla like a Vanilla Coke. Taste is light and crisp with distinct sweet vanilla aftertaste. Mouthfeel is very light and not chewy as I prefer with a porter. Drinks more like a flavored brown ale or vanilla Coca-Cola. Ok, but not my style as far as porters go.
Jul 02, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by bkwagie

Jun 25, 2023
 
Rated: 3.41 by Norseman_Jd from Pennsylvania

Jun 24, 2023
 
Rated: 3.98 by Rollmeaway2loadout from Illinois

Mar 11, 2023
 
Rated: 3.53 by jaxon53 from Connecticut

Mar 10, 2023
Photo of NorsemanOne
Reviewed by NorsemanOne from Utah

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Still going through old reviews and posting them here

Pours dark with a thin off white head

Vanilla, nutty and dark aroma

Clear and present vanilla, some dark nutty chocolatey undertones

Light, easy carbo and moderate to thin body
Mar 01, 2023
Vanilla Porter from Breckenridge Brewery
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 4638 ratings