Full Sail Imperial Porter
Full Sail Brewery at Riverplace / The Pilsner Room

Full Sail Imperial PorterFull Sail Imperial Porter
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From:
Full Sail Brewery at Riverplace / The Pilsner Room
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
Imperial Porter
ABV:
7.5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.86 | pDev: 8.81%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
37
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 17, 2015
Added:
Apr 18, 2008
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  1
*** NOTE: This beer is not brewed at the Pilsner Room location, rather at the main Full Sail brewery in Hood River. Please post reviews here (http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/5316/48420 ) until listings can be merged ***
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Latarnik:
Photo of Latarnik
Rated by Latarnik from New Jersey

4/5  rDev +3.6%

Jun 01, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of rodbeermunch
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada

3.53/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Very dark brown pour, just a shade away from black. Full on 1" of tan head on her. Lots of roast in the aroma.

Chocolate malt, 2 row, plenty of 'em. Chewy, toffee, caramel. A little bitter, surprising despite how chewy it is. I guess because its plenty hoppy.

One of the few bombers that was priced decently.
Dec 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.76 by Beer21 from Florida

Sep 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by paulytasker from New York

Feb 22, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by BillRoth from Maryland

Dec 16, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Sep 29, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by speak72 from Georgia

Nov 15, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by zillo043068 from New Jersey

Jun 15, 2012
Photo of KajII
Reviewed by KajII from North Carolina

4.3/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
[Best served in a Snifter]

The pour was a very dark brown, almost black with a large (2-3 finger) dark beige rocky head that lasted a good amount of time, leaving behind a large frothy collar and a bit of puddling creating some excellent sticky lacing.

The aroma was screaming of milk chocolate along with a strong dark roasted malt and a sweet doughy yeast and had notes of roasted coffee, molasses, and a bit of vanilla.

The taste was bitter sweet and quite malty with notes of molasses and a good bit of coffee early on. Then it became a slight bitterer and really smooth and creamy with notes of milk chocolate and a very distinct vanilla presence at the end. The flavor lasted a decent duration with a nice mocha coffee flavor left lying on the taste buds.

Mouthfeel was just a bit under full in body with a smooth creamy texture and a soft carbonation.

Overall an exceptional Imperial Porter that is so well put together you can hardly notice the high alcohol content. Shame this brew is now retired...
Feb 20, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by BeerFMAndy from Wisconsin

Feb 03, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by Dan25D from California

Dec 28, 2011
 
Rated: 4 by doughanson78 from Washington

Nov 15, 2011
Photo of DarthKostrizer
Reviewed by DarthKostrizer from California

3.61/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Look: black with a brown ring around the bottom of the beer. Wonderful tan 1 inch head with decent retention and good lacin

Smell: Faint hints of coffee and roasted malt. Dark chocolate is present but all the scents are very faint

Taste: Follows the nose. there is not much going on upfront but in the middle and end is where the flavors really start to shine. roasted malt and traces of chocolate coffee and nuts are there

Mouthfeel: Medium to full with a medium level of carbonation and a slightly dry finish

Overall: I really hoped this beer was gonna be better. However it lacks flavor. I want my imperial porters to be full of flavor and this one is not. Damn you full sail for letting me down on this one
Jul 18, 2011
Photo of Beerandraiderfan
Reviewed by Beerandraiderfan from Nevada

3.91/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I've been in this rap/beer game so long I can remember when you could get this in 12 oz bottles in a 6pack. Anyways, was about the biggest porter you could find back in the 90s. Its appearance is very black, head is tan, ok, seriously, an imperial porter is at least a standard stout. I digress.

Aroma of deep charred coffee malt, big woody notes. Gritty powder cocoa taste, super chewy, bitterness held in check somehow. Small amount of sweetness in there, but its very small compared to all the other big ass flavors.

Very good, thick beer, somewhere between a sipper and a refresher (leaning to the sipping side), wish Full Sail still had these in 6packs.
May 24, 2011
Photo of Nordicmonk
Reviewed by Nordicmonk from Utah

3.8/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A - Pours to a deep black color, thick tan chocolate colored head of about 3/4 of an inch that recedes slowly to leave nice laced halo.

S - A nice dark malty character and a defiant dried Italian plumb aroma as well as some chocolate and coffee whiffs. There is a slight order of hops that does come through.

T - Dark, caramel, toasty, smoked malts, some coco. Flavor is very well balanced and the hops do add to the finish.

M - Creamy feeling and hops give a slight mordancy that give it a smooth finish. Good carbonation.

O - Curious experience and well liked well made with nice aromas and a easy drink. Well worth the try.

Presentation - Poured into a tulip glass.
May 24, 2011
Photo of LuthersMug
Reviewed by LuthersMug from Virginia

3.26/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
I enjoyed this beer in the presence of good neighbors on a warm spring night. The beer poured a nice dark rich color. Chocolate was the flavor of the beer that jumped out at me. I also noticed the pleasant malts in the beer. The beer finished with bitter hops, which I found to be okay, but not my favorite.
Jun 01, 2010
Photo of Tucquan
Reviewed by Tucquan from Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had this from a 22 oz bomber in Portland, OR on 2009-03-29.

A - A black brew with a foamy, brown head with good retention.

S - Mild caramel and coffee

T - Bold, toasted malt with caramel and coffee. Nice finish with medium hop bitterness. Nice.

M - Very creamy with mild carbonation

D - Good flavors make this a nice treat but not a session beer.
Mar 27, 2010
Photo of SPThirtyThree
Reviewed by SPThirtyThree from Colorado

4.62/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
A: As I pour the deep black beer that calls itself an imperial porter, rather than an imperial stout as it should be labeled, a thick, creamy, chocolate-colored foam emerges, rumbling out of the thick brew. This beer doesn't let light through, and it doesn't apologize for not doing so. The lush, fluffy head slowly falls to a tiny, though everlasting, skin of microbubbles atop the motor oil.

S: Aromas of molasses and honey are the first to emerge, sticky and sweet. Then, with a stronger sniff, much more hops come through. Raisins, toffee, and espresso are present, as well as a smidge of nutty, biscuit aroma, all from the malts, along with tarry pine and juniper, and a citrusy pineapple scent, all from the hops.

T: WOW! Dark, roasty smoked malts. Strong hop bite. A slight burn from the alcohol, but not much as expected, as it is well hidden behind the deep, black malts. Or is that roasted barley? The hops are bitter but still very earthy. A noble hop, perhaps Mt. Hood? Most of the same tastes as the above smells, with the addition of vanilla and a thicker, smokier taste than the smell suggests.

M: Creamy, like an oatmeal stout. The strong hops give a fair amount of astringency, but this is a very smooth beer considering its potency. The carbonation perfectly balances the creamyness and the sharpness.

D: I want to say high, but unfortunately, the 7.5% alcohol content and the 22oz. size bind me, since that much ethanol would make one bomber enough to destroy my ability to evaluate any subsequent beers, so I have to demote the drinkability to medium.

Remarkably similar to Flying Dog's Gonzo, this is a perfect imperial porter. There was a snowstorm today, and I cannot fathom a better beer for a frigid winter night than this beer. It is rich and smoky, deep and complex, and most importantly, warming
Mar 22, 2010
Photo of Flashsp2
Reviewed by Flashsp2 from New Mexico

4.07/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Full Sail Imperial Porter

Poured from bomber into Duvel. Generated a half inch head of caramel colored head with decent retention. Thins down to a small ring which lingers throughout. Some spotty lacing here and there.

Some chocolate on the nose, as well as a bit of alcohol and dark fruit. Very faint molasses as well. The aroma is rather delicate, but with a nice complexity.

Taste starts with baking chocolate, some light vinous qualities, a bit more chocolate again, and a small bitter at the finish. Not much in the way of roasted or burnt flavor, except a small lingering after the finish. Some dark fruit (currant maybe) in there toward the center. There is some roasted coffee here and there, but the other flavors seem to overwhelm.

Mouthfeel is a bit thin considering the ABV, but the carbonation provides a good balance considering the lightness on the palette. The carbonation is held at bay pretty well, without overpowering the rest of the brew.

Overall a good brew with a nice complexity, even though it isn't intense in any way. I'd buy again, especially for the price/size/ABV.
Mar 15, 2010
Photo of WYVYRN527
Reviewed by WYVYRN527 from Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A: pours black at the bottom, thinning to a translucent brown towards the surface. Head is light tan, and settles quickly. Lacing is very decent.

S: Mainly dark malt character with notes of dried fruit, toffee, chocolate, and coffee. The hops are almost non-present.

T: The beer starts off with caramel, chocolate, coffee, and dried fruit character. It is more balanced in the flavor than the smell. Hops lend a nice dry finish to it.

M: The one thing this beer lacks for it's style. It is a bit thin on the palate, especially for being called an imperial porter.

D: Full Sail did a good job with this release. Although lacking in body, the flavors and aromas are very nice, and is quite easy to drink. Not my favorite porter, but it's still worth a try.
Mar 05, 2010
Full Sail Imperial Porter from Full Sail Brewery at Riverplace / The Pilsner Room
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 37 ratings