Drayman's Porter
Berkshire Brewing Company

Drayman's PorterDrayman's Porter
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From:
Berkshire Brewing Company
 
Massachusetts, United States
Style:
American Porter
Ranked #169
ABV:
6.2%
Score:
88
Ranked #15,021
Avg:
3.91 | pDev: 9.46%
Reviews:
223
Ratings:
413
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 30, 2023
Added:
Dec 04, 1998
Wants:
  13
Gots:
  48
A very well balanced and full-bodied, dark ruby-brown ale, Drayman’s Porter is slightly sweet with notes of chocolate malt and mocha married to a delicate hop bitterness and flavor. Its complex aroma and smooth taste embody all that a dark beer should be. Enjoyed by itself or with a hearty meal, this robust Porter will satisfy. Don’t be afraid of the dark.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by emmasdad:
Photo of emmasdad
Reviewed by emmasdad from Colorado

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nice black color, with some nice garnet highlights around the edges and a good light brown head. Aromas of chocolate and roasted malt. Tastes like a nice roasty porter, with some coffee and just a hint of hops. Eminently drinkable, this one goes down easy. Very good.
Apr 17, 2010
More User Ratings:
Photo of KP7
Reviewed by KP7 from Massachusetts

4.11/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours dark brown with a three-finger tan head that lingers.

Aromas of cocoa and coffee present first, with a bit of roast as well as it warms.

As with the aroma, cocoa and coffee are at the fore on the palate and are a bit sweet. With the introduction of air, though, some big roast characteristics come through as coffee, semi-dark chocolate, and slight char. These linger through the finish with slight hop bitterness further balancing out the sweetness.

Moderate and fine carb gives this some life on the tongue and helps avoid it feeling thin. Remarkably light-bodied for the flavor profile.

Overall, this is a really good porter. They've gone strong with the roast flavor and haven't hopped it to death to make it an American version. For me, this is a borderline robust porter.
Dec 30, 2023
Photo of mikeinportc
Reviewed by mikeinportc from New York

3.92/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Canned 10/09/23.

Dark brown, with one finger of tan head.

Smell is light cocoa, a bit of coffee, some roast nuts, and biscuity malt.

Taste is cola, light woody char, roasted nuts, and a bit of burnt chocolate. Light bitterness.

Feel is light-medium, with moderate, fine carbonation tingle.

Overall, a good, solid, basic porter.
Dec 28, 2023
 
Rated: 3.79 by QuintusHorace from California

Jun 17, 2023
 
Rated: 3.81 by McSeal from Connecticut

Feb 05, 2023
Photo of Roy_Hobbs
Reviewed by Roy_Hobbs from Connecticut

3.44/5  rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Color on the pour is a translucent light brown that reminded me of pouring a Coke. In the glass, it's a dark brown with some light getting through. Relatively minimal beige colored head that receded to a thin yet persistent cap. Aroma is relatively nondescript, with some light roasted malts and underlying notes of pumpernickel.

Taste largely follows the nose, with light roast, moderate bitterness and a dry finish. Fairly light and easy drinking. Overall while this doesn't jump out in any particular way, sometimes it's nice to just drink a simple, no frills beer. I'd gladly try again.
May 07, 2022
Photo of BBThunderbolt
Reviewed by BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

3.33/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Roy_Hobbs for this one, from his first NBS BIF #15 blast. 16oz can (no date) poured into 16oz tulip. Poured a nearly solid black color, some reddish-brown tint on the edges, with an inch-and-a-half of brown head that had very good retention and good lacing.

The aroma was fairly typical for the style; solid base grains, some light hops, a touch of roast, and maybe a hint of chocolate.

Fairly similar on the tongue, with the roast being notably more prominent.

The body was also what was expected, maybe just a touch thinner than usual, was smooth, and had a semi-sweet finish.

Drinkability was good, a nice easy quaffer.

Overall, a solid, enjoyable brew. Would probably be in rotation if local to me.
Apr 15, 2022
Photo of Act25
Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey

4.01/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
great price at Hanover Coop at Christmas, enjoyed with Salmon dinner.
a) Per spec, a little lace over a coffee black body, firm head, low carb.
s) chocolate, mocha and hop.
t) Adds some char, wood smoke and more smokey drying hop finish.
f) Right weighted low carb, a tad sweet.
o) Done right NE Porter.
Dec 29, 2021
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

3.92/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Canned

Berkshire is usually a good representation of classic styles, so I'm excited to see how they do with a classic, no-frills, American Porter. I had forgotten about this can in my fridge for a few months now, and I'm happy that I found it when I did, it's pretty old and it's exactly what I'm in the mood for tonight. Let's get into it

Pours a very dark brown with 2 fingers of dark tan head that slowly fades to a cap and leaves decent lacing

I love the yeast expression in my Porters to be a least a bit fruity, and this one does exactly the job. I'm picking up on aromas of red grape, plum, light roast coffee, dark bread, milk chocolate, and caramel malt

It loses a bit of that nice fruitiness in taste, but that is likely from the age of the can. On the front end of the sip I'm tasting dark bread, toffee, lightly acidic coffee, raisin, and light caramel. The swallow brings notes of red grape, bready malt, dark toast, toffee, earthy hops, and milk chocolate

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a smooth beer. Finishes lightly sticky with a nice balance

As I do with beers that are a bit on the older side, I'll give this one the benefit of the doubt overall. It was very good, and I'd love to try it again fresh
Dec 19, 2021
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Drayman’s Porter from Berkshire Brewing. Received from @Roy_Hobbs in BIF #14. 12 oz can. Stored at home at 38 degrees. Reviewed 30/10/21. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Stamped on can bottom “BORN ON 07/14/21”. Served at 49.2 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. Final temperature 55.7 degrees.
Appearance – 4.
First pour – Medium Amber (SRM 12), nearly opaque.
Body – Ruby Brown (SRM 24), opaque. When rear-lite, translucent ruby.
Head – Large (Maximum five cm, aggressive center pour), wheat, short retention, diminishing to a three to six mm undulating crown and a thin partial cap. Second pour produces a 1.2 cm cap.
Lacing – Fair. Band of tiny to small bubbles
Aroma – 4 – Initially toasted malt, slightly sweet, and weak dark chocolate and coffee, no hops, no yeast.
Flavor – 4 – Taste follows the nose but slightly bitter, no hops, no yeast. No ethanol (6.2 % ABV, NOT marked on container but from website) taste or aroma. Moderate gastric warming and transitory esophageal burning. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, watery, soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 3.75 Overall, the taste is weaker than the nose, but the mild coffee bitterness has a long hangtime. Very sessionable.
Oct 30, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by Dalkri from Massachusetts

Sep 09, 2021
 
Rated: 3.53 by Mustela_Man from California

Aug 12, 2021
 
Rated: 3.94 by shelby415 from Oregon

Aug 07, 2021
 
Rated: 4.03 by porterman66 from Massachusetts

Jan 16, 2021
Photo of Manta200
Rated by Manta200 from Kentucky

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
22oz bottle from IMN0P
Nov 05, 2020
Photo of brureview
Reviewed by brureview from Massachusetts

4.17/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured a dark chocolate color with a 4F head in a Stone imperial pint glass.
Aroma: chocolate, coffee, roasted malt.
Light body, but not thin.
Excellent deep chocolate, coffee, malty taste with a moderate hoppy finish.
One of the better American Porters.
Oct 29, 2020
Photo of kw_pip
Rated by kw_pip from Vermont

4.37/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottle. Nice flavor, malty and dark. Great finish. Slightly spicy. Medium body.
Oct 13, 2019
Photo of mntlover
Reviewed by mntlover from Tennessee

3.92/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a reddish brow nice ruby highlights when held to the light. Nice fluffy two finger light tan headthat falls slow and laces well.

Aroma is toasted malts, light coffee notes, toffee hints and weak chocolate notes and dark fruit hints. More like an old fashioned porter then the newer almost stout like ones some put out.

Taste is the nose toasted malts, toffee with lighter coffee and chocolate along with the dark fruit hints. Really smells and drinks like an old fashioned English Porter then an more normal darker American style. It's favorable and easy drinking and for me enjoyable a little different then I have been use to lately.

Mouthfeel is lighter side of medium with carbonation that might be a touch too much for my tastes but far from fizzy.

Overall I am enjoying this even though it's not quite what I was expecting.
Sep 25, 2019
 
Rated: 3.99 by TonyStarks2231 from New York

Aug 13, 2019
 
Rated: 3.94 by PJCarnell from Massachusetts

Feb 14, 2019
Drayman's Porter from Berkshire Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 413 ratings