Creme Brulee Coffee Porter
Willoughby Brewing

 

 

 

I tried this at the brewery. It poured an opaque dark amber with thin white head that did not leave much lace. The scent had some caramel flare. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with a caramel creme brulee presence. The mouthfeel was medium in body with good carbonation. Overall its a very good beer.

Pouring brown filling to dull black with a thick, soft tan froth.

Smell is caramelized sugar, like its namesake, with some light coffee creamer and chocolate.

Palate is met with a frothy, semi-dry yet sticky medium body, and flavors of coffee creamer, light roasted coffee, vanilla, and an odd pepperiness. Malt brings varying levels of cracker, biscuit and shortbread

Despite how good Willoughby's PBCCP is, this is not at that same level, and Southern Tier still produces the template if you're going for the decadence of a creme brulee.

 

12 Oz pour on tap

A: Dark brown and black a,little light escaping. Not much of a head as it was a full pour.

S: vanilla, burnt sugars, toffee, custard.

T: Nice bits of sweet sugar, vanilla, toffee, a little bitter on the end.

M: Pretty high carbonation which is odd for a porter a tad thin but nothing unusual for a porter.

O: This is like a less sweet Southern Tier Creme Brulee. NOT a very complex beer pretty much straight forward tastes like creme Brulee.

 

 

 

 

Poured from a crowler into a snifter.

It is a thin, brownish black with red hues. Very nice foamy, dark tan head that has pretty good retention.

Smells incredible. Some expresso coffee, and vanilla and a touch of carmel.

Tastes like it smells for the most part. Falls off a little at the end with no real lingering flavor. The coffee really tames the rich vanilla and carmel. Let this puppy warm up a bit for full effect as the coffee seems more dominant cold.

I would have guessed that it was a little watery based on the appearance, but it is not. Very traditional porter body.

If you are looking for a Southern Tier Creme Brulee that doesn't taste like diabetes and regret, you will have none here. Outstanding beer.

32 OZ crowler
Served in a snifter

This beer pours black in color and is topped with a mountain of tan head that leaves a little lacing.

There is a healthy dose of coffee in the aroma. I also smell some vanilla.

The taste is also dominated by black coffee flavor. Vanilla and caramel come through enough to sweeten the taste.

Moderate to full mouthfeel

This beer drinks like an iced coffee with vanilla and caramel. It is delicious and flavorful. It is amazing how much flavor is packed into a low alcohol beer. Willoughby has done it again!

On-tap at Heinen's in University Hts., Ohio

Pours brown with some light getting through; fluffy light khaki head that fades leaving nice retention and lacing. The aromas have a nice balance between the vanilla and coffee, but I'd give the edge to the vanilla. The flavors follow the nose perfectly. The vanilla shines, but the coffee definitely does its thing. Roasted malts are there. It's not too sweet at all with a subtle bitterness. Alcohol goes completely unnoticed. Mouthfeel is light with moderate carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink.

This is a great porter. I suppose I still personally enjoy their original peanut butter version more, but this one is still awesome. Well done and worth checking out if you come across it.

Long story short, looks, smells, tastes, and feels like Willoughby's Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter with vanilla added (and peanut butter subtracted?). The vanilla smell and flavor are strong, but not overpowering and integrated well with the coffee and chocolate. Nothing is artificial here and the vanilla and coffee compliment each other perfectly...the sweetness of the vanilla up front is cut very nicely by the coffee on the finish. A great variation on a great beer (if indeed it is truly a variation on PBCCP...the identical ABV may also be a hint that this is the case) that actually improves on its predecessor. WBC is easily on the short-list for best breweries in the state of Ohio (though no distribution means greatly decreased recognition).