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Porter
Back East Brewing Company
- From:
- Back East Brewing Company
- Connecticut, United States
- Style:
- American Porter
Ranked #172 - ABV:
- 6%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #15,100 - Avg:
- 3.91 | pDev: 11.25%
- Reviews:
- 27
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Oct 06, 2022
- Added:
- Nov 11, 2012
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 29
Back East Porter is a full-bodied chestnut brown porter with notes of chocolate and caramel. This hearty beer offers a thick light brown head and is hopped just enough to offset the sweet maltiness and roasty undertone. This bold beer is refreshing enough to be enjoyed year round, but is at its best as a satisfying winter warmer or paired with a grilled steak, pork roast, or a burger.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by SenatorSpaceman:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by woodchipper from Connecticut
4.03/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 16oz can undated to a diagonally cut tumbler at 46F.
The body pours brown/red but sits opaque black in the glass. A tan half-inch puffy head sits on top but fades to one layer soon enough. However with any tilt of the glass a full film of bubbles clings to the side and breaks down to reasonable lacing.
The aroma is of burnt caramel and coffee, but it is not super aromatic.
Taste is dry with coffee and chocolate notes and a background or ash.
Mouthfeel is on the thin-side of medium.
Overall, a decent porter but not exceptional.
Mar 13, 2022The body pours brown/red but sits opaque black in the glass. A tan half-inch puffy head sits on top but fades to one layer soon enough. However with any tilt of the glass a full film of bubbles clings to the side and breaks down to reasonable lacing.
The aroma is of burnt caramel and coffee, but it is not super aromatic.
Taste is dry with coffee and chocolate notes and a background or ash.
Mouthfeel is on the thin-side of medium.
Overall, a decent porter but not exceptional.
Reviewed by NickZip99 from Connecticut
3.58/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.58/5 rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This did not disappoint! I was looking for a porter and found a 6 pack of this for $9.99 + tax, etc
Well balanced and smooth. Very drinkable.. not overly flavored or sweet. Can have more than one without needing to switch it up. I would like a little bit more flavor but regardless this is a solid beer!!!
Jan 22, 2021Well balanced and smooth. Very drinkable.. not overly flavored or sweet. Can have more than one without needing to switch it up. I would like a little bit more flavor but regardless this is a solid beer!!!
Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York
4.09/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev +4.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This one pours a fairly dark black color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.
This smells like caramel, roast, chocolate, and some light vanilla.
This is pretty basic, but well done, and hits all of the typical notes. There's some caramel and vanilla sweetness, with a bit of roast and chocolate bitterness.
This is very drinkable, with a nice light creaminess, and a smooth finish.
This is pretty solid stuff - a no nonsense porter for sure.
Sep 15, 2020This smells like caramel, roast, chocolate, and some light vanilla.
This is pretty basic, but well done, and hits all of the typical notes. There's some caramel and vanilla sweetness, with a bit of roast and chocolate bitterness.
This is very drinkable, with a nice light creaminess, and a smooth finish.
This is pretty solid stuff - a no nonsense porter for sure.
Rated by tradershmulie from Connecticut
3.5/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Looks nice, very empty tasting.
Drinkable, but that's about it.
Aug 16, 2020Drinkable, but that's about it.
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado
3.74/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
This Porter (in an unassuming can) packs a *ton* of meat char flavor into a lighter bodied beer. It's almost like a stout, but isolating that charred, maillard culinary flavor and amplifying it over other traditional porter notes. The aroma? The appearance? Hard to comment when drinking from a can at a picnic table, but what I do know is this competes handily with food served and maybe even a celebratory cigar.
Jun 21, 2020Rated by StacyBK518 from Connecticut
4.35/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.35/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
One of my favorite beers to order when out. Smooth and hearty.
Jan 24, 2020Reviewed by ryan1788a5 from Massachusetts
4.33/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.33/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12oz can poured into a snifter.
A: Dark brown body with a beige head. Good retention and plenty of thin, webby lacing.
S: Light roast coffee, toffee, caramel, hazelnut. Pinch of brown cocoa powder. Hay, grass, and very mild earthy hop spice. Great.
T: Nutty, cocoa, medium roast coffee with some acidity, roasted barley, caramel and toffee. Earthy hop tones. Trends sweet overall, but Dries into the finish with a lingering smokiness.
M: Medium body. Silky and creamy with a bit of a whipped feel. Like a fine chocolate melting in your mouth. Fine but firm carbonation. Epic mouthfeel.
O: This is just a fantastic porter. It nails the Brown Porter category, and it’s no wonder this has racked up multiple GABF and GIBF medals in recent years. I fear it goes largely under appreciated around here. It’s a real local gem to the true beer connoisseur, though.
P.S. Incidentally, I’ve been looking for a great beer in the brown ale/porter range to use as the base of a Hot Flip, an old colonial-era cocktail that was very popular in its day. I think I’ve found it.
Aug 15, 2019A: Dark brown body with a beige head. Good retention and plenty of thin, webby lacing.
S: Light roast coffee, toffee, caramel, hazelnut. Pinch of brown cocoa powder. Hay, grass, and very mild earthy hop spice. Great.
T: Nutty, cocoa, medium roast coffee with some acidity, roasted barley, caramel and toffee. Earthy hop tones. Trends sweet overall, but Dries into the finish with a lingering smokiness.
M: Medium body. Silky and creamy with a bit of a whipped feel. Like a fine chocolate melting in your mouth. Fine but firm carbonation. Epic mouthfeel.
O: This is just a fantastic porter. It nails the Brown Porter category, and it’s no wonder this has racked up multiple GABF and GIBF medals in recent years. I fear it goes largely under appreciated around here. It’s a real local gem to the true beer connoisseur, though.
P.S. Incidentally, I’ve been looking for a great beer in the brown ale/porter range to use as the base of a Hot Flip, an old colonial-era cocktail that was very popular in its day. I think I’ve found it.
Reviewed by CodyBasden from Texas
3.73/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.73/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Nice and dark with a dark reddish tint with a tan fluffy head that holds with lacing, nice roasted smell with hints of caramel, good roast flavor with caramel follow low bitterness, light body almost watery with light to no carbonation
Jun 16, 2019Reviewed by cbutova from Massachusetts
4.03/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A- Standard can into a tulip with a dark brown to black body and a massive nutty brown head. That cap is about 3 fingers high with a foamy and creamy consistency. Very good head retention and thick sheets of lace.
S- Coffee really comes to mind with a fairly dark roast bean alongside strong roasted and browned malts. Toasted nuts, roasted barley, chocolate malts, toffee, caramel, cocoa powder, slight anise, a moderate sweetness and a just a touch of yeast bread.
T- The sweetness kind of cuts into the roastiness here a bit but it still has plenty of the blackened and browned malt flavors on the palate. Opens up with very dark chocolate and cocoa nibs with espresso beans and toasted nuts backed up by hints of caramel, sweetness, anise, bitter charred grains and toffee. Honestly get a hint of earthy and spicy hops here and just a touch of yeast bread and dark fruit from the ferment.
MF- Light bodied overall with just a touch of a frothy texture. Comes off as just a bit thin as the lack of texture is apparent right away. High end carbonation and a charred barley bitterness in the finish.
Definitely a well balanced Porter that has a great balance of roasted grains and the flavors from those alongside a moderate sweetness and just hints from the hops and yeast. Overall very drinkable and just well brewed.
Feb 17, 2019S- Coffee really comes to mind with a fairly dark roast bean alongside strong roasted and browned malts. Toasted nuts, roasted barley, chocolate malts, toffee, caramel, cocoa powder, slight anise, a moderate sweetness and a just a touch of yeast bread.
T- The sweetness kind of cuts into the roastiness here a bit but it still has plenty of the blackened and browned malt flavors on the palate. Opens up with very dark chocolate and cocoa nibs with espresso beans and toasted nuts backed up by hints of caramel, sweetness, anise, bitter charred grains and toffee. Honestly get a hint of earthy and spicy hops here and just a touch of yeast bread and dark fruit from the ferment.
MF- Light bodied overall with just a touch of a frothy texture. Comes off as just a bit thin as the lack of texture is apparent right away. High end carbonation and a charred barley bitterness in the finish.
Definitely a well balanced Porter that has a great balance of roasted grains and the flavors from those alongside a moderate sweetness and just hints from the hops and yeast. Overall very drinkable and just well brewed.
Porter from Back East Brewing Company
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
130 ratings
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