Shallow Grave
Heretic Brewing Company

Shallow GraveShallow Grave
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From:
Heretic Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Porter
Ranked #82
ABV:
7%
Score:
89
Ranked #11,094
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 9.27%
Reviews:
88
Ratings:
331
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 22, 2023
Added:
Dec 16, 2011
Wants:
  23
Gots:
  61
Shallow Grave Porter is dark as night, perfect for a cool evening out in the woods. This is a big, dark ale with a complex and rich chocolate and caramel malt character followed by a touch of warmth and light malt sweetness, leaving you ready for more after each shovelful. You will love this so much you won’t have time to dig a six-footer, so make it a Shallow Grave.

We’re sure you’ll dig it.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by elNopalero:
Photo of elNopalero
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan

4.31/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This pours a ruby cola color with cocoa foam. I get a kick of dank hops atop a coffee punch. There’s a bit of coffee and a touch of resin on the finish. I found it interesting and engaging. A bit off the usual for the style but I liked it.
Feb 08, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.34/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
16oz can BEST BY 02/29/24 poured into a tulip pint glass at fridge temp 7% ABV. The beer pours opaque medium brown with light brown colored head. The head recedes to a thin cap and completely laces the glass. The aroma is mild with very dark chocolate and coffee. The taste follows with bittersweet chocolate, lighter black coffee notes and a tiny dark fruit sweetness that plays well with the darker roasted malt. Mild bitterness. Mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, excellent. A fairly simple beer executed perfectly. Delicious.
Oct 22, 2023
Photo of WoodBrew
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I tried this off the tapper at the Pour Bros. in Moline, Illinois. It poured an opaque dark with thin tan ring head that did not leave any lace. The scent had roast and dark fruit notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with semi sweet chocolate malt base with roast and vanilla presence. The mouthfeel was medium in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a solid beer.
Sep 02, 2023
 
Rated: 4.32 by Spade from Pennsylvania

Jun 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.28 by runlikeakenyan from Indiana

Apr 11, 2023
Photo of dd53grif
Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a dark brown color with a minimal head that lasts quite a while. Aroma of dark fruits, caramel and roasted malts.. Taste is sweet vanilla, black coffee and chocolate. Smooth and creamy.
Jan 05, 2023
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.82/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
nice beer here, definitely what i would class as a robust porter, dark as the style comes, a little stronger than many, bold and roasty on the low end, and somewhat heavy to drink, seems right on for this time of year where fall is turning into winter pretty quick. obsidian black in the shaker pint in a low lit restaurant, not sure how long it sat at the bar before it made it to the table but it had only remnants of a light brown airy head when it showed up, still, looks refined and appealing, very deep. strong roast on the nose, dark roasted black drip coffee thats been warming awhile, a little caramel or toffee to the center but not sweet, a little alcohol too, subtle dark chocolate and wet tobacco. its as full feeling as it is full flavored, maybe some oats in here or dark wheat, fluffy but dense too, and seemingly kind of specialty on the malt side, nuanced in its intensity. good bitterness more than balancing any middle malt richness, dark cocoa, good espresso, breakfast bread, and some slightly oily almost hoppy bite before the swallow, definitely a little more aggressive than most, more than just another porter to me, agreeable but also easily overwhelms some milder cuisine, and im not sure i want more than a pint or two of this, it stays bitter on the palate, burnt even, and it filling to my belly. well made and distinctive, definitely a cold weather style adaptation here, intentional or not. solid.
Nov 12, 2022
Photo of beerhammers
Reviewed by beerhammers from Florida

4.83/5  rDev +21.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
I truly enjoyed this porter. Normally I don't drink high ABV beers but this one was outstanding. Worth the $4.5 or so it cost at Total Wine. That's all I can say folks!
Oct 13, 2022
Photo of Kiiz
Reviewed by Kiiz

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
L: black body with clustered khaki head. Looks real cool
S: smells a little like a Mediterranean porter, like mocha with hints of black olives. Dark fruit is also in there along with char. Unique and appealing.
T: a lot going on here, charred bitter mocha is the first thing I noticed, also some figs and what tastes like black olives coated in bakers chocolate. Also some tobacco leaves. Might sound weird but it’s like a curmudgeon desert drink.
F: lightly coats the tongue and has some fizz but it’s a fairly moderate body that doesn’t take away from the complex flavor, and it actually compliments it well.
O: a great cold weather beer that is unique enough to not get totally lost in the fold of other great fall porters. I’d give it a B++
Sep 24, 2022
 
Rated: 4.11 by adamstef

Apr 22, 2022
Photo of Florida-man
Reviewed by Florida-man

4.52/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Dark but not heavy, great taste. Almost like drinking a iced coffee. I got a strong coffee taste from the first one more chocolate in the second can. Very very good beer definitely buying more on my next run to the liquor store. It’s a good Christmas beer in my humble opinion however coming sooo close to perfection but missing the mark on this one. Soo close guys, soo close
Dec 20, 2021
 
Rated: 4.01 by Curt3 from Ohio

Dec 06, 2021
Photo of Troy-Hawaii
Reviewed by Troy-Hawaii from Hawaii

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bought a single 16oz can $3.99 Village Bottle Shop
110 days old
Smell of dark chocolate
Dark black color
Medium-heavy mouthfeel
Light-medium carbonation once the bubbles settle
Taste of smokey dark roast black coffee, dark chocolate,
Overall good representation of the style.
Nov 19, 2021
Photo of colts9016
Reviewed by colts9016 from Idaho

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Review 1644
Shallow Grave
Date: Heretic Brewing
I have consumed an aged beer from this beer, and it did not hold up. I received this beer from John; furthermore, it has been cellar for a while in ideal conditions. I poured into a nonic around 48 degrees. The massive three-finger creamy tan head. The above-average retention left some lacing on the glass. The color charts around SRM 22, deep brown with subtle ruby highlights. The beer is opaque.

I smell coffee, dark chocolate, toffee, caramel, raisins, dark roasted malts, molasses, vanilla, a hint of smoke, a touch of char, bready, floral, a skosh of herbal, and tobacco.

I taste coffee, leather, milk chocolate, caramel, molasses, raisins, dark roasted malts, molasses, char, a skosh of Maillard, bready, floral, bay leaves, and earthiness.

The mouthfeel is somewhat dry.

The body is medium, medium carbonation, and medium finish.

This is a stellar porter. I was surprised. I tried one of their barrel-aged stouts aged, and it was not good. I will finish my night enjoying this beer. Thank you, John, tasty stuff.
Oct 06, 2021
Photo of trevormajor
Reviewed by trevormajor from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
16 oz can, born on 5/5/21, poured into a snifter at 55 degrees F:
L - mahogany with a hazelnut head that slowly dissipated
S - biscuit, coffee, roasted malt
T - distinct porter flavors of roasted malt, coffee, burnt chocolate
F - thick mouthfeel with medium carbonation
O - very nice porter with robust flavors
Sep 04, 2021
Photo of Amendm
Reviewed by Amendm from Rhode Island

3.94/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
An easy pour from a 16-oz. can produced a finger of frothy dark tan foam with average retention and blotches of lacing. Deep dark brown color, semi-opaque with dark ruby highlights.

Full smell of roasted malt (chocolate, caramel and light coffee) with mild balancing herbal hops.

Semi-sweet with moderate bitterness, the bold taste matches the smell with added toffee and a hint of burnt grain. As it warms licorice appears along with warming alcohol. It doesn’t have a finish per se, bold flavors gradually diminish with mild, lingering hop/roasted malt bitterness.

Rich full body with reserved carbonation, smooth and well balanced despite the huge flavor. The label states “A Rich Smooth Porter”, the entire review in a nutshell more or less.
Aug 26, 2021
 
Rated: 4.5 by Jut025 from Pennsylvania

Apr 29, 2021
Photo of Treyliff
Reviewed by Treyliff from West Virginia

4.19/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
16oz can poured into a snifter

A- pours black in color with a one finger foamy khaki head that reduces to a ring around the edge

S- bold roasted aromas on the nose with notes of chocolate, charred wood, anise, toffee, raisins, campfire ash and a hint of piney hops

T- roasted barley up front gives notes chocolate, coffee and charred malt. Mid palate gives sweet hints of toffee and some dark fruits, the finish gives dark chocolate and roast

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a slightly foamy mouthfeel that co to use into the finish
Apr 11, 2021
Shallow Grave from Heretic Brewing Company
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 331 ratings