Wolaver's Alta Gracia Coffee Porter
Otter Creek Brewing
Beer Geek Stats:
| Print Shelf Talker
- Style:
- Porter - American
- ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 89
- Avg:
- 3.97 | pDev: 12.34%
- Reviews:
- 255
- Ratings:
- From:
- Otter Creek Brewing
- Vermont, United States
- Avail:
- Retired (no longer brewed)
- Wants
- 33
- Gots
- 107
SCORE
89
Very Good
89
Very Good
Notes:
Unfiltered and unpasteurized porter brewed with Vermont grown organic coffee and aged on organic vanilla beans.
Reviews: 255
| Ratings: 782
| Log in to view all ratings and sort
Reviews by DoctorDog:
More User Reviews:
cbutova from Massachusetts
3.65/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A- Pours out black but some light shines through the edges. A fairly creamy two finger head builds up but dies down fairly quickly to a thick cloud atop the beer. Leaves a small bit of lacing.
S- Fairly faint. Coffee hints come through the most. Some brown sugar and caramel roast malts are behind the coffee. Definitely needs some strength because I can hardly pick it up.
T- Pure coffee, wow. Some roasty malt notes and caramel malt in the background but mostly pure coffee. The coffee taste is not as good as Peche Mortel or Breakfast stout but it is one of the strongest ones there is. There is some bitterness from the coffee.
MF- Fairly creamy but the body is pretty light, needs some more thickness for the flavors that the beer contains. The carbonation is moderate and appropriate. A coat of coffee stays on the palate. No alcohol effects.
DB- Good taste, decent everything else. The price is good as with most Wolaver's stuff. No huge off flavors but the coffee gets to be too strong for me after a bit, but it is a coffee porter. Would like to try it again on tap sometime.
May 02, 2010
3.65/5 rDev -8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A- Pours out black but some light shines through the edges. A fairly creamy two finger head builds up but dies down fairly quickly to a thick cloud atop the beer. Leaves a small bit of lacing.
S- Fairly faint. Coffee hints come through the most. Some brown sugar and caramel roast malts are behind the coffee. Definitely needs some strength because I can hardly pick it up.
T- Pure coffee, wow. Some roasty malt notes and caramel malt in the background but mostly pure coffee. The coffee taste is not as good as Peche Mortel or Breakfast stout but it is one of the strongest ones there is. There is some bitterness from the coffee.
MF- Fairly creamy but the body is pretty light, needs some more thickness for the flavors that the beer contains. The carbonation is moderate and appropriate. A coat of coffee stays on the palate. No alcohol effects.
DB- Good taste, decent everything else. The price is good as with most Wolaver's stuff. No huge off flavors but the coffee gets to be too strong for me after a bit, but it is a coffee porter. Would like to try it again on tap sometime.
May 02, 2010
Dave1999 from North Carolina
4.08/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours black in colour with a red tint almost no head.
Smells of coffee and sweet malts.
Tastes of coffee and vanilla as you would expect. Very well done and tasty.
Feels smooth maybe just a tiny bit over carbonated but does not spoil the beer.
Overall a very good beer.
Feb 14, 2012
4.08/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours black in colour with a red tint almost no head.
Smells of coffee and sweet malts.
Tastes of coffee and vanilla as you would expect. Very well done and tasty.
Feels smooth maybe just a tiny bit over carbonated but does not spoil the beer.
Overall a very good beer.
Feb 14, 2012
jsdunlop from North Carolina
4.6/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
12 ouncer poured into a Samuel Smith pint glass.
Nice pitch black color, tan 1 1/2 finger head. Strong aroma of coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malts and slight vanilla undertones. This porter tastes just as great as it smells. My gustatory receptors were blasted up front with freshly brewed coffee, chocolate and a perfectly balanced residual sweetness with a minor hop bitterness to finish it off. Matched with the minimal carbonation and moderate body, this porter is quite possibly one of the best I have tasted yet! Thank you Otter Creek Brewing Company!
Dec 23, 2009
4.6/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
12 ouncer poured into a Samuel Smith pint glass.
Nice pitch black color, tan 1 1/2 finger head. Strong aroma of coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malts and slight vanilla undertones. This porter tastes just as great as it smells. My gustatory receptors were blasted up front with freshly brewed coffee, chocolate and a perfectly balanced residual sweetness with a minor hop bitterness to finish it off. Matched with the minimal carbonation and moderate body, this porter is quite possibly one of the best I have tasted yet! Thank you Otter Creek Brewing Company!
Dec 23, 2009
rebcwood from Pennsylvania
3.35/5 rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.75
Looks very dark and deep but closer look shows a solid caramel color.
Coffee smell is very bold. Smell caramel as well.
Bitter starts the intense coffee tastes. Tastes exactly as it smells. Finishes with a smooth caramel coating.
Not very impressed but I will chalk it up to me being a novice.
Nov 11, 2013
3.35/5 rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.75
Looks very dark and deep but closer look shows a solid caramel color.
Coffee smell is very bold. Smell caramel as well.
Bitter starts the intense coffee tastes. Tastes exactly as it smells. Finishes with a smooth caramel coating.
Not very impressed but I will chalk it up to me being a novice.
Nov 11, 2013
gcamparone from Rhode Island
3.95/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Samuel adams pint glass. Purchased in Wakefield, Rhode Island
A- Pours a deep brown, nearly opaque body with mahogany highlights and a thinnish mocha head that reduces quickly and leaves little lacing. Nice head color.
S- Fresh ground coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, and an interesting grassy note in the background.
T- Coffee beans, toffee, with a slight roastyness on the finish. It's an easy drinker.
M- Slightly watery for a porter. Medium carbonation.
Overall quite an enjoyable brew. It's a smooth drinker that demands sip after sip and doesn't really fill you up. I'd buy it again
Dec 20, 2012
3.95/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Samuel adams pint glass. Purchased in Wakefield, Rhode Island
A- Pours a deep brown, nearly opaque body with mahogany highlights and a thinnish mocha head that reduces quickly and leaves little lacing. Nice head color.
S- Fresh ground coffee, dark chocolate, vanilla, and an interesting grassy note in the background.
T- Coffee beans, toffee, with a slight roastyness on the finish. It's an easy drinker.
M- Slightly watery for a porter. Medium carbonation.
Overall quite an enjoyable brew. It's a smooth drinker that demands sip after sip and doesn't really fill you up. I'd buy it again
Dec 20, 2012
JArt from Pennsylvania
3.6/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Jul 22, 2015
3.6/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Jul 22, 2015
sisuspeed from New Hampshire
3.92/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottled on 10/22/09. Stored at cellar temperature.
Poured this into a "Drink Vermont Beer" pint glass. The color of the body is dark brown, almost black, with a small white head that eventually fades away.
Lots of coffee on the nose. Very roasty, almost burnt. A little on the metallic side. Some of the vanilla comes through as well. I thought this might get overshadowed by the coffee, but it manages to come through nicely. Roasted malts.
Good coffee flavor. Not as strong as some coffee brews I've had, but there's no mistaking that there is coffee in here. Roasted malts and some of the vanilla come through next. The vanilla is a great addition to this beer and helps to smooth out some of the acidity and bitterness from the coffee. There is also a faint bit of dark chocolate in the background as well. Unfortunately, the metallic taste/aroma still lingers, but seems to be fading somewhat as the beer warms.
Mouthfeel is ok. The carbonation is a little more prickly than I would like and the body could be a little thicker, but overall its not too bad.
Drinkability is good. I could see myself having more than one of these in a sitting if I were in the mood for coffee and beer.
Overall, I'm liking this new addition to the Wolaver's line. They've managed to execute a tasty coffee porter and have probably produced the best organic beer I have ever had. I think if they could beef up the body a little bit and cut back on the carbonation and metallic flavors, then they would have a stellar brew on their hands. Either way, I'm glad I got to try this.
Dec 13, 2009
3.92/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottled on 10/22/09. Stored at cellar temperature.
Poured this into a "Drink Vermont Beer" pint glass. The color of the body is dark brown, almost black, with a small white head that eventually fades away.
Lots of coffee on the nose. Very roasty, almost burnt. A little on the metallic side. Some of the vanilla comes through as well. I thought this might get overshadowed by the coffee, but it manages to come through nicely. Roasted malts.
Good coffee flavor. Not as strong as some coffee brews I've had, but there's no mistaking that there is coffee in here. Roasted malts and some of the vanilla come through next. The vanilla is a great addition to this beer and helps to smooth out some of the acidity and bitterness from the coffee. There is also a faint bit of dark chocolate in the background as well. Unfortunately, the metallic taste/aroma still lingers, but seems to be fading somewhat as the beer warms.
Mouthfeel is ok. The carbonation is a little more prickly than I would like and the body could be a little thicker, but overall its not too bad.
Drinkability is good. I could see myself having more than one of these in a sitting if I were in the mood for coffee and beer.
Overall, I'm liking this new addition to the Wolaver's line. They've managed to execute a tasty coffee porter and have probably produced the best organic beer I have ever had. I think if they could beef up the body a little bit and cut back on the carbonation and metallic flavors, then they would have a stellar brew on their hands. Either way, I'm glad I got to try this.
Dec 13, 2009
stewfnrocker from New Jersey
4.17/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured this from the bottle to a pint glass, it pours a dark brown almost black look with a visible tan head. The smell is of coffee, vanilla and roasted malts. When I took that first sip and swirled it in my mouth I got a good taste of coffee, vanilla bean, a little bit of a roastiness. The mouth feel is of a full body porter and a bit of overpowering sweetness, but I probably shouldn’t have eaten this with dinner, but with dessert. There is no hint of alcohol when drinking and the taste is very balanced. My only complaint would be it might be a little to on the sweet side. I recommend if drinking, either drink it alone or with some dessert.
Apr 27, 2011
4.17/5 rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured this from the bottle to a pint glass, it pours a dark brown almost black look with a visible tan head. The smell is of coffee, vanilla and roasted malts. When I took that first sip and swirled it in my mouth I got a good taste of coffee, vanilla bean, a little bit of a roastiness. The mouth feel is of a full body porter and a bit of overpowering sweetness, but I probably shouldn’t have eaten this with dinner, but with dessert. There is no hint of alcohol when drinking and the taste is very balanced. My only complaint would be it might be a little to on the sweet side. I recommend if drinking, either drink it alone or with some dessert.
Apr 27, 2011
Wolaver's Alta Gracia Coffee Porter from Otter Creek Brewing
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
782 ratings
0 characters. We love reviews! Turn your rating into one with ≥ 150 characters.
Explain why you're giving this rating. Your review must discuss the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) and your overall impression in order to indicate that you have legitimately tried the beer. Nonconstructive reviews may be removed without notice and action may be taken on your account.
Close