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Washington's Porter
Yards Brewing Co.
- From:
- Yards Brewing Co.
- Pennsylvania, United States
- Style:
- English Porter
Ranked #65 - ABV:
- 7%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #18,783 - Avg:
- 3.83 | pDev: 11.75%
- Reviews:
- 318
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 04, 2024
- Added:
- Sep 30, 2003
- Wants:
- 42
- Gots:
- 186
Formerly General Washington's Tavern Porter
Detailed in a letter from the General to his officers during the war, Washington’s recipe employed molasses to aid fermentation and give rich caramel notes to this robust, roasty ale. The recipe reflected his admiration for Philadelphia-style porters, especially those brewed by Robert Hare (whose original brewery stood just blocks from where ours is now). Our Tavern Porter, inspired by Washington’s, is dark, smooth, and complex with just a hint of dried fruit in the finish.
Detailed in a letter from the General to his officers during the war, Washington’s recipe employed molasses to aid fermentation and give rich caramel notes to this robust, roasty ale. The recipe reflected his admiration for Philadelphia-style porters, especially those brewed by Robert Hare (whose original brewery stood just blocks from where ours is now). Our Tavern Porter, inspired by Washington’s, is dark, smooth, and complex with just a hint of dried fruit in the finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Braunmeister_1943 from Pennsylvania
4.09/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Pours a dark reddish amber with a gravelly creamy head. Slightly smoky burnt brown sugar aroma. Sweet and bitter flavor with molasses aftertaste. Very smooth but slightly tannic mouthfeel with very fine carbonation. An almost British style porter that is quite enjoyable!
Dec 02, 2023Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
4.06/5 rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Large tan head with good lacing over a clear, walnut brown body. Smokey aroma with roasted malts along side molasses, cocoa and chicory. Taste ties the roast to notes of chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and coffee. Earthy hops stay in the background. Modestly carbonated, full-to-medium bodied mouthfeel.
Mar 08, 2023Reviewed by Coronaeus from Canada (ON)
3.95/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a deep dark brown. Moderate head with some staying power. Minor lacing.
Toasted malts on the nose with a nice degree of smokiness that I quite like. Some coffee slips in behind as well.
Taste follows with that welcome smoky quality in evidence. Black coffee, toasted grain. Slight hint of cocoa. Very nice. I may even notice a wisp of vanilla, but I can’t pin it down.
Medium to light bodied.
This is a very nice Porter. I particularly like the smoky quality.
Jun 27, 2022Toasted malts on the nose with a nice degree of smokiness that I quite like. Some coffee slips in behind as well.
Taste follows with that welcome smoky quality in evidence. Black coffee, toasted grain. Slight hint of cocoa. Very nice. I may even notice a wisp of vanilla, but I can’t pin it down.
Medium to light bodied.
This is a very nice Porter. I particularly like the smoky quality.
Rated by BEER-NICK from Pennsylvania
3.72/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.72/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Loved it. Traditional English Porter. Refreshing after all the variants.
Jun 09, 2022Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
3.82/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.82/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle from the Philadelphia area served in a Belgian snifter.
Appearance. Very dark but clear reddish-brown body topped by a decent beige head.
Aroma. Lightly smokey dark roasted grains with a hint of.
The flavor follows but with diminished smoke.
Jan 19, 2022Appearance. Very dark but clear reddish-brown body topped by a decent beige head.
Aroma. Lightly smokey dark roasted grains with a hint of.
The flavor follows but with diminished smoke.
Reviewed by DanO1066 from Maryland
3.79/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Draught pint at The Brass Tap here in Baltimore: Dark brown with ruby highlights, a short-lived 1/2-finger khaki head giving way to a thin ring and some spotty lacing; chocolate nose & tongue (more on the latter); just shy of medium body with more carbonation than I prefer, but YMMV; a solid porter - think I'll have another
Mar 21, 2021Reviewed by officerbill from New York
3.95/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
L: Pours an almost black brown, with a hint of black cherry, and a tan mid-sized head that quickly reduces to a ring and islands.
S: Immediate coffee, toffee, and roasted malts
T: Lots going on here. There's coffee, cocoa, some caramel or molasses, roasted malts, some not quite toasted dark bread, a hint of licorice, a little background smoke, and something with almost sharp floral edge
F: mid-bodied with a slightly bitter-sweet aftertaste, but it seems to leave a sticky film on my tongue.
O: A very, very good porter. Satisfying without being filling. The 7% sneaks up on you and I can see how one could decide to revolt after spending several hours a day, every day, drinking this type of beer. If this recipe is true to George's, I can see why Washington was renowned for his love of porters.
Mar 13, 2021S: Immediate coffee, toffee, and roasted malts
T: Lots going on here. There's coffee, cocoa, some caramel or molasses, roasted malts, some not quite toasted dark bread, a hint of licorice, a little background smoke, and something with almost sharp floral edge
F: mid-bodied with a slightly bitter-sweet aftertaste, but it seems to leave a sticky film on my tongue.
O: A very, very good porter. Satisfying without being filling. The 7% sneaks up on you and I can see how one could decide to revolt after spending several hours a day, every day, drinking this type of beer. If this recipe is true to George's, I can see why Washington was renowned for his love of porters.
Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois
3.92/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a dark brown that is lighter and reddish around the edges. Thick three finger head forms on the beer initially, but then dissipates leaving just a thin layer of foam on top of the beer. Lots of sticky tan lacing remains on the glass as its consumed. Aroma has notes cocoa, toffee, some dark fruits, dark bread, and a definite hint of a woodsy smokiness.
Taste follows the nose with notes of dark fruit - that dark fruit comes through much more prominently in the flavor profile than It did on the nose. Some dark bready malts, cocoa, toffee, molasses, a hint of smoke and finally a slight honey like sweetness on the finish. Light bitter hop notes peep through on the finish as well.
I remember loving this beer years ago when I used to live in Jersey, and revisiting it tonight, its every bit as good as I remember.
Mar 13, 2021Taste follows the nose with notes of dark fruit - that dark fruit comes through much more prominently in the flavor profile than It did on the nose. Some dark bready malts, cocoa, toffee, molasses, a hint of smoke and finally a slight honey like sweetness on the finish. Light bitter hop notes peep through on the finish as well.
I remember loving this beer years ago when I used to live in Jersey, and revisiting it tonight, its every bit as good as I remember.
Reviewed by jonphisher from New Jersey
3.96/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This one pours a beautiful very dark brown but held up to light you get almost a touch of red/amber. The light brown creamy head makes it’s a very appetizing beer to look at and it leaves a nice amount of lacing as I’m drinking it down.
The most prominent smell to me is cocoa powder. That is followed by toffee and a slightly toasty syrup smell, which I’m guessing is the molasses peaking through. As it warmed it gives off that amazing boiling wort smell. I’m not sure I ever noticed it before In the past but it’s unmistakable
The flavor leans towards the toffee, cocoa not as noticeable. The molasses is definitely there as well with something almost like smoky cocoa.
It has a very nice mouthfeel to it, medium body but feels very full. Carbonation is nice and appropriately lower to give it a nice creamy sensation. Touch of bitter on the finish, as well is a kiss of sweetness.
Mar 12, 2021The most prominent smell to me is cocoa powder. That is followed by toffee and a slightly toasty syrup smell, which I’m guessing is the molasses peaking through. As it warmed it gives off that amazing boiling wort smell. I’m not sure I ever noticed it before In the past but it’s unmistakable
The flavor leans towards the toffee, cocoa not as noticeable. The molasses is definitely there as well with something almost like smoky cocoa.
It has a very nice mouthfeel to it, medium body but feels very full. Carbonation is nice and appropriately lower to give it a nice creamy sensation. Touch of bitter on the finish, as well is a kiss of sweetness.
Washington's Porter from Yards Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
853 ratings
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