Belfast Black
Lavery Brewing Company

Belfast BlackBelfast Black
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From:
Lavery Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
American Porter
Ranked #239
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
86
Ranked #18,065
Avg:
3.84 | pDev: 12.5%
Reviews:
32
Ratings:
89
Status:
Active
Rated:
Aug 14, 2022
Added:
Feb 13, 2011
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  8
This is the beer that started the brewery. Named after the ancient homeland of the Lavery's. It is rich, dark and smokey. Not for the faint of heart but that's how we intended it. It has a taste of bacon, which is one of the most beautiful images I can image; a bacon beer (No actual bacon is in this beer). A solid earthy hop bitterness with a little astringency from the dark malts. This beer has no better pair than excellent Vermont Cheddar cheese.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JMS1512:
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Rated by JMS1512 from New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

Sep 23, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of FrMatthewLC
Reviewed by FrMatthewLC from Virginia

4.29/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
A pretty standard but solid porter with the addition of a smoke flavor, so exactly what might be expected.

Pours very dark but without much head.

Malt hops and smoke detectable in both smell and taste.
Aug 14, 2022
Photo of DrDemento456
Reviewed by DrDemento456 from Pennsylvania

4.16/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Have a hard time finding Lavery and actually picked this one up at the Vintage Estate in Ohio. Pour is deep dark black with a 1/2 inch of mocha tint. A very smoke forward porter but you do get some roast and chocolate. Taste is very memorable smoke followed by dark chocolate and just a hint of herbal hops. Body is pretty decent at 7% it drinks smooth and pretty slick. Overall a tasty smoked porter and a very good smoke beer which at least for me I don't see very often.
Oct 02, 2019
Photo of ovaltine
Reviewed by ovaltine from Indiana

4.17/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
The pour looks like a stout, the taste is like a (smoky) stout, but this is a porter, and it’s delicious. Lots of dark chocolate flavors that mingle nicely with the char and smoky notes, and then stone fruit flavors to bring this in for a smooth finish.

A great sipper around a campfire on a cold evening (which it is today), I’d have this in my beer fridge from October through March if I had access to it.
Apr 08, 2018
Photo of Harrison8
Reviewed by Harrison8 from Missouri

3.8/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours black with a finger of khaki head. Head retention is fair. Aroma is smoke, toasted malts, herbal hops and a little bit of peat. Flavor profile is toasted malts, with a hint of peat, and herbal hops. Smoke is present throughout. Mouth feel is medium in thickness, with a fizzy textured feeling. Overall, a smoky porter that hits simple notes. It comes off maybe a touch strong with the smoke, but it otherwise well rounded.

Served in a 12oz snifter from a 12oz bottle.
Feb 26, 2018
 
Rated: 3.77 by Steve_Studnuts from Pennsylvania

Feb 25, 2018
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a mug, the appearance was a light brown color with a nice sustaining finger’s worth of light tan foamy head that fell off at a moderate pace. Light lace. The aroma had some hazelnut roast, light ash/smoke, dark malts, subtle milk chocolate, sly dark chocolate with some earthy/grassy hop bitterness at the end. The flavor was smoky with the hazelnut roast and sweetness fairly bold and up front. Mild smoky aftertaste and finish. The feel was about medium bodied with a steady carbonation that was felt but fine. ABV felt fine. Pretty smooth/pillowy along my tongue. Overall, super nicely done smoked beer that I would love to have again, that was a real treat. Thanks Mom and Dad!
Jul 04, 2017
Photo of Dragginballs76
Reviewed by Dragginballs76 from South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance - Pours a fairly thick black color with a nice tan head, spotty lacing around the glass.

Aroma - Lots of bitter chocolate and roasted malts. There just seems to be a hint of smoke if any I am picking up in the aroma along with a touch of vanilla.

Taste - The taste is similar to the aroma bitter chocolate and roasted malts lead with the smoke being a little more pronounced in the taste. I love how balanced the smoke is with the other flavors. There also seems to be a slight coffee taste I am picking up.

Feel - Full bodied very creamy and smooth pretty dry finish

Overall - I find smoked beers to be hit or miss and this one is a hit. Great flavors very balanced nice mouthfeel.
Mar 26, 2017
Photo of HoppingMadMonk
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Deep black color with an aroma of malt and coffee. It must be the smoke that kept making me take another sniff trying to identify the unusuall smell. A very good porter that had all the flavor that I would want in a porter but again it was the smoke that made me keep questioning exactly what it was I was drinking. It did go down very,very easily which is why 7abv was perfect and well hidden and not overwhelming. The smoke made it unusuall and a different porter experience. Would try it again
Mar 18, 2017
 
Rated: 3.77 by paresis from Massachusetts

Aug 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.94 by kwjd from Canada (ON)

Jun 15, 2016
 
Rated: 3.95 by CaptDavyJones from New York

May 31, 2016
 
Rated: 3.96 by dandaugherty1221 from New York

Mar 29, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by rickklein9 from Pennsylvania

Mar 07, 2016
Photo of fscottkey
Reviewed by fscottkey from New York

4.21/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
A: [4.50] Looks like a stout in the glass. Full finger of dense khaki head atop a dark brown brew. Leaves really nice sheets of lacing on the glass - coating it completely with each sip. The beer lets through light when held up to backlighting. The bottle lists the ABV (7.5%). I can't find any date info.

S: [4.00] Peat, smoke, smoked meat, hints of roasted malts.

T: [4.25] Follows the nose with smoke (but not overpowering or synthetic tasting). Sweet malts in the middle that come across as toasted marshmallows with the smoke flavor. Some underlying coffee and cocoa flavors too.

M: [4.25] Smooth and creamy. Coats the tongue and has a lingering smokiness.

O: [4.25] This beer was a really pleasant surprise. The nose and the taste are a nice balance of smoke and sweet malt flavors. The body has some weigh to it which makes drinking it even better. Visually the beer maintains a thin creamy head the entire time. It also coats the glass with each sip. I would drink this again and buy it to share with friends.
Jan 12, 2016
Photo of puck1225
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas

4.23/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
VEry dark brown pour into a pint glass. Nice light brown creamy head and decent lacing. Nice comforting smoked smell. The taste is rich chocolate and smoke, a bit of strong coffee. Very tasty, would buy again.
Jan 02, 2016
 
Rated: 4.45 by Ryften from Pennsylvania

Dec 28, 2015
 
Rated: 3 by BcOneSeven from Michigan

Dec 27, 2015
Photo of Jeffo
Reviewed by Jeffo from Netherlands

2.54/5  rDev -33.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Mom and dad brought this one back from Erie last summer. Thanks guys!

From a bomber into a snifter

APPEARANCE: A clear, light brown pour yields a 2+ finger, looser and foamy looking, fizzy light tan head with lousy retention. Quite foamy for sure. Bistre brown body, clear, with loads of carbonation. Piles of carbonation all over the place on this one. What's with these guys and their carbonation? Head fades to a full foamy cap and clings to the sides of the glass. A splotchy wisp remains until the end leaving lots of foamy lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Smoked malts, toffee, roasted aromas, cacao and some decent leather on the nose. Bold enough. A touch metallic perhaps, but not bad.

TASTE: Smoked malts, leather, a some definite metallic notes. Medium finish with lingering flavors of leather, cacao, toffee, roasted malts, smoked malts, with an unfortunate metallic undertone to the whole thing. Kind of gets in the way.

PALATE: Thinner body and piles of carbonation. Airy and foamy on the palate, goes down fine and finishes rather dry for the style.

OVERALL: Like their Devil Bird, this one is just too over carbonated to really be enjoyable. The metallic notes that in this one also get in the way. Perhaps this one is suffering from some oxidization already, and that would be a real shame. Not good and not worth trying again. Pass.
Dec 10, 2015
Photo of johnnnniee
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

3.28/5  rDev -14.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Bottle shared by someone Friday night, thanks for the opportunity!
Deep brown color, tan head. Rich caramel and hints of brown sugar along with a solid shot of smoked pork shoulder. A bit smokey for my tastes.
Oct 11, 2015
Belfast Black from Lavery Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 89 ratings