Porter
Flying Fish Brewing Company

PorterPorter
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From:
Flying Fish Brewing Company
 
New Jersey, United States
Style:
American Porter
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.6 | pDev: 10.56%
Reviews:
57
Ratings:
70
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 14, 2022
Added:
Oct 04, 2001
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Bouleboubier
Reviewed by Bouleboubier from New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
For my 2000th review, I'm going back to the year 2000, when I turned 21. A college friend who didn't have a car suggested we take mine and visit a brewery. Turns out it was Flying Fish, whom I would work for as an often-boring, dreadfully-unfulfilling second job around 10 years later. I do believe we tried their Porter during the tour that day, possibly poured from a pitcher filled from a serving tank, though I'd wager it was from bottles. Hazy memories. That was my first brewery tour. The old original Heineken brewery was my second tour a couple years later.

Anyway, back at the dorms... On weekends, my friend and I would grab six-packs at Monster Beverage. While I would usually grab some Victory or occasionally Dogfish Head, Flying Fish was almost as regular a buy, and almost exclusively their Porter. Swilling that while bullshitting was something I relished. Mocha and honey-roasted nut flavors abounded. Never poured it into a glass, if I recall correctly. Dude didn't have running water in his studio single. Good times.

To this day, I still think of FF Porter, and swear I can still recall its taste. During my first day working there, I asked whether or not they still made it, but was disappointed to learn they'd ceased production awhile back (but they still made their ESB?!?... boooo). Should've quit on the spot... Sales be damned. How could they not recognize its magnificence?... That Porter was easily one of the beers that kick-started my long obsession with the 'craft' brands. Countless thousands of dollars and lost brain cells later... Here's to better beers. Cheers! (2000)
Aug 14, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by wrightst from Maryland

Jun 15, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by scottbrew4u from Pennsylvania

Feb 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by buzzy from Pennsylvania

Feb 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by Varkias41 from New Jersey

Aug 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by harpus from Alabama

Jul 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

May 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by abcramer from Pennsylvania

Jun 02, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by IdrinkGas from Pennsylvania

Jan 18, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by bonbini26 from New Jersey

Jan 10, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by ROGUE16 from Delaware

Dec 01, 2011
 
Rated: 3.25 by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

Nov 19, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by victory4me from Pennsylvania

Nov 17, 2011
Photo of Foxman
Reviewed by Foxman from New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
It pours a dark but crisp brown, flashing claret at the margins. A finger of light brown crema head drops away swiftly to pockets of beige froth. Thin but sticky lacing adheres to the inside of the glass.

The aroma is all about malt, dark roasted and burnt toffee sweet, with raisins and cocoa besting a vague berry fruit note.

Upon tasting, the malt comes in a bit thinner here, but still plying a bite of deep roast and caramel sweetness. Bittersweet chocolate, raisins, coffee, and some nuttiness arise, but never very tall. Hops make a mild play here, being distantly citric and fading soon to a burnt biscuit grainy bitterness. The finish is bitter and dry, and pretty short to boot. Overall, it's fairly pleasant, but unremarkable.

Between light and medium bodied, it still flows faster and more liquid than expected, with a crisp presence but little staying power.

I was trashing some old notebooks and came across this review from almost two years ago. Having had a couple of these since, I can say my opinion hasn't changed. And that's a shame, because, like with other Flying Fish offerings, it seems to want to be more, but something is holding it back. Now retired, it is at least drinkable, but from these guys, I'd rather have HopFish, or if it's a long session, the Farmhouse. Anyway, it's gone away, at least for now, but if it comes back, I hope it delivers more on its promise.
Jan 17, 2007
Photo of ViveLaChouffe
Reviewed by ViveLaChouffe from Georgia

3.8/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a deep dark brown with tinges of ruby. Head reduces to a thin but persistent and creamy tan. Hardly any lacing. Smells lightly of roasty, creamy dark malt.

Taste is not as roasty as you'd think. Sweetish dark biscuity malt, fades to a creamy chocolatey flavor with a quite light but satisfying bitter coffee flavor. Aftertaste is the bitter coffee lingering in low levels for quite a while. A lighter bodied porter but it delivers on the subtle balanced flavors. Easy drinker. Good little porter.
Dec 15, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.55/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Bloodied dark brown on the coaster, dusky ruby when bright sunlight is permitted entry. The coffee-with-a-lot-of-cream head is on the small side, but makes up for it by hanging around and by gracing the glass with soem sudsy lace... not much of which lasts.

The nose is neither robust, nor very dark malty. Given the far from opaque appearance and the less than roasted nose, I'll go out on a limb and predict that this isn't one of the bigger porters on the style block. It still has a pleasantly soft, cocoa and fruit-like nose, however.

For a lighter version, Flying Fish Porter is pretty good beer with a surprising amount of flavor. The mouthfeel would suggest that there isn't a ton of malt on board, but what's present carries out its flavor transfer duties with competence and style. Bittersweet chocolate, black coffee and citric hops are all present. I just wish the beer would bathe the taste buds for even a little bit longer.

When assessing the mouthfeel on a porter, I frequently have to remind myself that I'm not drinking a stout. This beer's body, again, is on the lighter end of the style spectrum. I'm finding it to be acceptable, but any thinner at all wouldn't work.

I wish Flying Fish Porter would spend more time soaring above the water than swimming in it. Although it isn't quite fair to call the mouthfeel watery, adding more roasted malt seems like such an easy fix and would turn this above average beer into a potentially exceptional one.
Sep 14, 2006
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured a deep brown color with reddish tints. Minimal head with sparse tannish head. No lacing. Smell is minimal with some roasted malt and caramel noted. Taste is enjoyable with rich dark fruits mixed with coffee and chocolate present. Finish shows a strong fruitiness and a pleasant bitterness at the end. Very easy drinking. An enjoyable beer.
May 24, 2006
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

4.14/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
This porter poured a very dark brown, almost black. The head was somewhat disappointing - it almost immediately became a thin lace.
The smell was of aromas of a mingling of coffee and chocolate to create a very inviting smell.
The taste was slightly thinner than the smell, but was a well-balanced mix of tastes - coffee with a chocolate texture with a slight, warming, alcohol finish.
It is a delicious beer. The good, well-balanced aftertaste makes this highly drinkable.
This is a good example of a session American Porter. (By the way, it's available year round - though I heard that it might be retired soon.)
May 07, 2006
Photo of chakadrum
Reviewed by chakadrum from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Nothing really stoodout too much about this beer, but it was what I'd call a decent brew.

Dark dark brown in color. Surprisingly little head at all. Smell is subtle but almost coffee like. The taste follows. Initially it tastes sort of bland to me, but the aftertaste is a nice subtle coffee flavor. Very enjoyable. The carbonation seems a bit much. I would have like a smoother mouthfeel on this one.
May 01, 2006
Photo of brewcrew76
Reviewed by brewcrew76 from Wisconsin

3.35/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
A - Dark brown ruby with a thin tan head.

S - Nutty, malty, hint of chocolate and coffee.

T - Nutty, hints of chocolate and coffee, grainy.

M - Light and creamy. Very little carbonation.

D - A very light porter that is easy to drink but lacking in aroma and flavor. A little to nutty/grainy for my liking.
Apr 24, 2006
Porter from Flying Fish Brewing Company
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 70 ratings