Midnight Espresso
Motorworks Brewing

Midnight EspressoMidnight Espresso
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From:
Motorworks Brewing
 
Florida, United States
Style:
English Porter
Ranked #16
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
89
Ranked #11,078
Avg:
4 | pDev: 6.25%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
74
Status:
Active
Rated:
Dec 17, 2023
Added:
Mar 10, 2015
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  13
Using coffee beans hand-roasted at Motorworks Brewing, a darker roast on Sumatra beans imparts toasted flavors, while a slightly lighter roast on Sulawesi beans provides fruity undertones. Strong chocolate and coffee notes in its aroma and taste, derived from dark caramel and chocolate malts, and a slight sweet finish round out this medium-bodied porter.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by pmangold:
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Rated by pmangold from Florida

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nov 07, 2015
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.08 by socon67 from New York

Dec 17, 2023
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Reviewed by brentk56 from North Carolina

3.92/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: Arrives darker than espresso with a two finger ecru head; good retention and clumpy lacing

Smell: Roasted notes coincide with fruity espresso and are underpinned by some dark chocolate

Taste: Baker’s chocolate forward with the roasted and fruity elements emerging; the finish is a bit harsh with an almost medicinal bitterness

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: My issue with the finish aside, this beer has some nice attributes and I like the way it captures espresso’s fruity side
Nov 01, 2023
 
Rated: 3.98 by PaulSlazinger from Pennsylvania

May 12, 2023
 
Rated: 3.99 by hopley from Massachusetts

May 06, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by Cuervo_PCB from Florida

Mar 07, 2023
Photo of lordofthewiens
Reviewed by lordofthewiens from New Mexico

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
On tap at the brewery.
Near black color, tiny tan head.
Aroma of coffee and roasted malt.
Taste of coffee, with just a little chocolate.
Medium-bodied.
Not very exciting.
Jan 10, 2023
 
Rated: 3.9 by kbrown from Ohio

Mar 12, 2022
Photo of beerjerk666
Reviewed by beerjerk666 from Florida

3.79/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Had on draft at the Orlando location.

Dark brown to nearly black body, looks like a cup of black coffee.
Aromas of coffee and roasted malts, not much else.
Tastes of mild black roasted coffee and a slight hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel is light.
Overall, a pretty unassuming beer, wouldn't go out of my way to have this one again, this isn't a terrible beer either just not what I prefer.
Dec 20, 2021
Photo of Beginner2
Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beautifully Bitter (in a porter sort of way.)
Midnight Espresso Looks like it wants to be a champ in its category; I gave it a hard pour and got mostly head on a black body. Smells are undistinguished; sure, there is coffee in there... but this is not hard to do in this style. But Tastes are back at "champ" level because not only is it balanced, but the complex dryness wins me. But, it can be a little overpowering when considering that the traditional English porter blends old and new. Yett, Midnight is all fresh and all full in the mouth.

As for my micro-review... Motorworks is doing pretty well relative to its competition of 6 year old Florida brewers. (But also note that the competition is not as stiff as it is in many other regions.) At any rating, Motorworks has a well-developed website; but could brag their story a little better. If I could find a brew as good as this for every other beer I purchase in Florida, I'd have a better opinion of this state's brewing.
Jan 13, 2021
 
Rated: 3.94 by Jerid from Florida

Dec 19, 2020
 
Rated: 3.85 by Jcarriglio from Florida

Dec 13, 2020
 
Rated: 3.77 by nickfl from Florida

Feb 23, 2019
 
Rated: 3.84 by robotic_being from Illinois

Dec 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.25 by Heelz4life from Florida

Sep 23, 2018
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Reviewed by superspak from North Carolina

3.91/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Got in a trade with The-Adjunct-Hippie. 16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 3/12/2018. Pours nearly opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense and rocky khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice dense soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of nutty medium roasted coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, toasted dark/brown bread, molasses, licorice, and dark fruit; with lighter notes of smoke, herbal, grass, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. A bit too fruity/yeasty aromas, but not overwhelming. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malt, coffee, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of big nutty medium roasted coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, and toasted dark/brown bread; with light notes of molasses, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal/grassy/spicy hop and roasted/coffee bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of nutty coffee, milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, caramel, brown sugar, toasted dark/brown bread, light dark fruit/smoke, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Very nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, coffee, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a nice roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/roast bitterness. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/silky/grainy, and lightly sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is nice. Minimal warming alcohol for 6.5%. Overall this is a delicious English coffee porter. All around nice complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malt, coffee, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Nicely rich malts and well balanced fruity/nutty coffee complexity; with light fruity English yeast notes and earthy hops against sweetness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.
Aug 18, 2018
Photo of hoptheology
Reviewed by hoptheology from California

4.01/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16 oz can dated 3/12/18.

Dark, dark pour with a thin head of reddish-beige in my Crane Snifter. Really glorious - silky, shiny, obsidian.

Coffee aroma is likewise gorgeous on this. Fantastic balance of fruitiness, acidity, and pepper. Faint milk chocolate notes and raw roasted barley filter in and out of the profile.

Flavor is a touch too fruity - or wild - to me, just tons of blueberry cobbler going on here. Wasn't expecting it, but I suppose once you get into that mindset it doesn't bother you as much. Nice roasty coffee bean flavors with a good balance of acidity and pepper, with some light lactose sweetness, dark toast, and light caramel. The fruitiness is really throwing me off a bit now the more I drink it.

Feel is crisp and smooth, silky even, with a burning carbonation throughout. Zero warming alcohol.

Overall a really good coffee porter that could use less frutiness/wildness overall. Still very good. Will be sharing this with other beer lovers.


Edit : I agree with the reviewer that said he gets a "trapped CO2" effect from the can. It's cool. Try it!
Aug 02, 2018
 
Rated: 3.93 by Dourrieu from Florida

Jul 04, 2018
Photo of chinchill
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
16 oz can from FL with a 7 Feb. 2018 date stamp.

A: Dark brown and just a bit translucent. Creamy tan head with good retention over medium visible carbonation.

Aroma: Stale, dark roasted coffee, dark roasted and sweet malts, and a touch of earthy hops.

Favor: Much better, with suggestions of mocha coffee, brown bread and chocolate. Finishes slightly sweet but with a mildly bitter aftertaste with dark chocolate and coffee.

Feel: Full, creamy body; light+ carbonation; some alcohol presence.

Overall: poor aroma but otherwise fine coffee porter. .
Jun 16, 2018
 
Rated: 3.55 by chapeti from Pennsylvania

May 25, 2018
Midnight Espresso from Motorworks Brewing
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 74 ratings