Damon - Port Barrel Aged
Hill Farmstead Brewery

Damon - Port Barrel AgedDamon - Port Barrel Aged
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From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #98
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,522
Avg:
4.29 | pDev: 9.56%
Reviews:
40
Ratings:
284
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 07, 2023
Added:
Apr 25, 2013
Wants:
  191
Gots:
  42
Aged for over 16 months in port barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by gueuzegossage:
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Rated by gueuzegossage from California

4.25/5  rDev -0.9%

Apr 18, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.34 by CraftFan5 from New Jersey

Jun 07, 2023
 
Rated: 4.35 by JLK7299 from North Carolina

May 31, 2023
 
Rated: 4.46 by ScaryEd from New Hampshire

Dec 19, 2022
 
Rated: 4.25 by SkiBum22 from New York

Nov 06, 2022
 
Rated: 4.75 by paulish from New York

Nov 05, 2022
 
Rated: 3.77 by vfgccp from New York

Nov 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.36 by Eman17 from Illinois

Nov 03, 2022
Photo of Luscious_Malfoy
Reviewed by Luscious_Malfoy from Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
poured from a 500mL bottle into a perennial snifter. pours a dark brown but gathers in the glass a shiny black with a big mocha brown foam head. aromas of dark fruits - raisins, plums, sweet grape - plus chocolate and oak. taste follows with a full, silky smooth mouthfeel. this is really good. a well constructed base beer laid to rest in barrels that compliment the aromas and flavors of a Russian imperial stout. i’ll admit that i do like the port barrel treatment on imperial stouts though. time in the bottle has done this one justice and as it warms and opens up over the course of the bottle its full potential is reached.
Oct 21, 2022
Photo of jrc1093
Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut

4.04/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bottled on 12/12/2019 (batch 3); consumed on 6/8/2022

Pours a silky, motor-oil black body topped with two fingers of rich, creamy, tawny foam; solid head retention leaves ¾ of a finger of rocky cap, a large, frothy collar, and thick chunks of soapy, webby lacing layered down the walls of the glass.

Aromas of licorice open to lesser tones of cherry and strawberry as a classic malt char/roast encroaches; a tinge of dry, residual smoke fades over the middle as Port tannins and shades of oak overwhelm the near-entirety of the bouquet on the back end.

Taste brings bakers cacao building to raspberry torte as richer milk chocolate shades linger over the mid-palate; wispy oak accents a lingering espresso while sticky Port on the back end imparts fading raspberry on the finish.

Mouthfeel shows a medium-light body and a cloudy fluff of moderate-high carbonation, dispersing to creamy textures with a touch of grit through the mid-palate; a subtle roast/bitterness is cut by an encroaching tannic overlay on the back end, while a quiet twang eases through an oily finish.

Semi-dry tannins course through the stylistically classic sensory displays of bittersweet char with a more passive oak presence supplementing; an amplification of the RIS base with a massive Port-fruit overlay and the typically effortless Hill Farmstead presentation results.
Jun 09, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by HOPTOMIC_BOMB from California

May 20, 2022
 
Rated: 3.73 by Bhubbard34 from Pennsylvania

May 19, 2022
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Rated by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.02/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Small head and carbonation, but a nice port flavor, almost like drinking an actual port.
May 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by rodmanfor3 from Vermont

Apr 03, 2022
 
Rated: 4.31 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Mar 14, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by JeffNev from Nevada

Jan 20, 2022
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured at fridge temp, but allowed to warm over ~30 min. Pours black as night with slight brown head. No bubbles noticeable in the glass.

The nose is beautiful. A great mix of port and roasted malts. Chocolate, raspberries, red grapes, and maybe a bit of cherries. Very fruit forward, which is obviously a result of the port barrel aging. Can't wait to try this one.

Taste follows the nose. Again, very fruit forward. However, some nice bitter roasted malts, oak, and black licorice as well. Quite sweet overall. The port barrels comes through a LOT. It's almost odd - I feel like I'm sipping on port! I think I would prefer a different barrel on this one. It's fine, but the sweetness is a bit much. Anyway, warming a little bit brings out notes of honey, raisins, brown sugar, and more charred wood.

Mouthfeel is medium to thick. Overall, a pretty solid stout. The port influence isn't my favorite, but it definitely is what it says it is!
Jan 17, 2022
 
Rated: 4.35 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Oct 26, 2021
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Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottled on 12/12/19 batch.

This one pours a very dark black color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells like tobacco, roasted malt, dark fruit, raisin, dark chocolate, and oak.

This is a classic take on a port barrel aged stout. There's loads of dark fruit (raisin, black cherry, etc) and bittersweet tobacco, along with heavy but clean roast, a hit of oak spice, and dark chocolate. This is not something for pastry boiz.

This is medium bodied, clean, with no real booziness to it. It's quite drinkable for the style.

This is very intriguing and very complex, and one of the best uses of port barrel that I've ever had.
Aug 31, 2021
 
Rated: 4.68 by Hallertau from Wisconsin

Jul 28, 2021
Damon - Port Barrel Aged from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 284 ratings