Shake Chocolate Porter | Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub
Brewed by:
Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub
Colorado, United States
boulderbeer.com
Style: American Porter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.90%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Our twist on the traditional robust American Porter, Shake Chocolate Porter is dark black in color with rich, sweet aromatics and flavors of dark chocolate, coffee and caramel. This unique brew blends five different grains, including Chocolate Wheat, that along with cacao nibs create a devilishly delicious chocolate finish with a velvety mouthfeel.
Added by cindyjeffsmith on 10-12-2013
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 1,924 | Reviews: 278
Reviews by burk1982:
More User Reviews:
4.02/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Shake looks as it smells and tastes: like chocolate liquor. It is dense, gritty, and such a deep, dark shade of brown that we might as well call it black (a good source of light, however, contradicts this by turning the thick-as-paste looking liquid clear and showcases ruddy highlights). And, apropos for the milkshake theme, the surface is coated in creamy white froth.
The aroma of bittersweet chocolate is clear as day and contains notes of both roasted, unrefined cocoa nibs (which are actually used in the brew, by the way) as well as a finely conched, velvety vanilla-accented bar from a top European chocolatier. All in all, it smells a lot like actual cocoa butter. One fully expects a "melt in your mouth" quality to follow on the palate.
Shake is sure to make a huge impression on those trying it for the first time (especially if they've never had a chocolate beer before). After trying it on-tap I went out the very next day to buy a six-pack. But the bloom fell off that rose pretty quickly. The bottled version didn't have the same hazelnut-cream and Swiss wafer notes. And each subsequent bottle was a little less impressive.
That six-pack lasted far longer than I imagined it would. By the time of this final bottle I find it to almost taste more of coffee beans than it does cocoa nibs. That gooey, rich, fudge-y bakers chocolate flavour and the silky vanilla note that lined it has faded substantially. I still consider it delicious, but it's not the decadent indulgence I initially thought of it as.
Shake Chocolate Porter is a beer impossible not to recommend (unless of course the person doesn't like chocolate, in which case they're insane anyhow). While it is admittedly a superficial offering (that can also taste a bit artificial at times), it's still the stuff of a choco-holic's dream. Were they around then, Boulder Beer would certainly have been in the service of Mayan royalty.
1,915 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Shake looks as it smells and tastes: like chocolate liquor. It is dense, gritty, and such a deep, dark shade of brown that we might as well call it black (a good source of light, however, contradicts this by turning the thick-as-paste looking liquid clear and showcases ruddy highlights). And, apropos for the milkshake theme, the surface is coated in creamy white froth.
The aroma of bittersweet chocolate is clear as day and contains notes of both roasted, unrefined cocoa nibs (which are actually used in the brew, by the way) as well as a finely conched, velvety vanilla-accented bar from a top European chocolatier. All in all, it smells a lot like actual cocoa butter. One fully expects a "melt in your mouth" quality to follow on the palate.
Shake is sure to make a huge impression on those trying it for the first time (especially if they've never had a chocolate beer before). After trying it on-tap I went out the very next day to buy a six-pack. But the bloom fell off that rose pretty quickly. The bottled version didn't have the same hazelnut-cream and Swiss wafer notes. And each subsequent bottle was a little less impressive.
That six-pack lasted far longer than I imagined it would. By the time of this final bottle I find it to almost taste more of coffee beans than it does cocoa nibs. That gooey, rich, fudge-y bakers chocolate flavour and the silky vanilla note that lined it has faded substantially. I still consider it delicious, but it's not the decadent indulgence I initially thought of it as.
Shake Chocolate Porter is a beer impossible not to recommend (unless of course the person doesn't like chocolate, in which case they're insane anyhow). While it is admittedly a superficial offering (that can also taste a bit artificial at times), it's still the stuff of a choco-holic's dream. Were they around then, Boulder Beer would certainly have been in the service of Mayan royalty.
1,915 characters
3.59/5 rDev -10.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Dark brown and opaque, with ruby highlights where the light gets through. An oatmeal colored head settles quickly leaving a fine head of dimpled bubbles. Low aroma of chalk and dusty cocoa. Rich and sweet chocolate flavor right up front, some dark malt, a bit toasty, notes of coffee come through. Low hop profile, but some floral notes offset the richness. Some roasty bitterness also emerges. Even and full mouthfeel, creamy and rich. Good beer, but leans more towards chocolate than porter.
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look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Dark brown and opaque, with ruby highlights where the light gets through. An oatmeal colored head settles quickly leaving a fine head of dimpled bubbles. Low aroma of chalk and dusty cocoa. Rich and sweet chocolate flavor right up front, some dark malt, a bit toasty, notes of coffee come through. Low hop profile, but some floral notes offset the richness. Some roasty bitterness also emerges. Even and full mouthfeel, creamy and rich. Good beer, but leans more towards chocolate than porter.
499 characters
4.08/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Speiglua stout glass.
Look is a dark center giving way to amber highlights around the edges of the glsss.
Lots of roast chocolate and malt on the aroma.
Starts thin and then opens up to a rich chocolaty almost peanut butter chocolate. Delicious.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Speiglua stout glass.
Look is a dark center giving way to amber highlights around the edges of the glsss.
Lots of roast chocolate and malt on the aroma.
Starts thin and then opens up to a rich chocolaty almost peanut butter chocolate. Delicious.
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4.25/5 rDev +6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This beer is crushing it on nitro around the Portland Oregon area. Friends have been raving about it for awhile. While I find it a bit to rich and dessert like for me for an occasional indulgence it hits the right spot.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This beer is crushing it on nitro around the Portland Oregon area. Friends have been raving about it for awhile. While I find it a bit to rich and dessert like for me for an occasional indulgence it hits the right spot.
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3.79/5 rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours an extremely deep brown, bordering on black, with a nice thick cap of tan head that settles down but doesn't disappear. The aroma has a distinct chocolate note to it, pleasant but a little one-dimensional and missing or overpowering some of the other porter traits. The taste is more nuanced and varied but the chocolate is still the heavy-hitter, with just faint hints of roasted malt and hops. The body is lighter and smooth, with just a little hint of carbonation on the finish.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Pours an extremely deep brown, bordering on black, with a nice thick cap of tan head that settles down but doesn't disappear. The aroma has a distinct chocolate note to it, pleasant but a little one-dimensional and missing or overpowering some of the other porter traits. The taste is more nuanced and varied but the chocolate is still the heavy-hitter, with just faint hints of roasted malt and hops. The body is lighter and smooth, with just a little hint of carbonation on the finish.
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3.95/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
best thing ive had from boulder beer maybe ever. looks thin and translucent from the bottle, but amounts to a pretty dense chocolate brown liquid in my globe with just less than an inch of soapy off white head. I wish it stayed heady longer, more cream, more sex appeal, but it is what it is. smells really chocolaty, which I adore. cocoa powder and melted milk chocolate are both present. nice medium roast malt base, slightly sweet, but bitter enough to balance the chocolate. very pleasant, not over the top at all. the flavor is a mix of so many chocolates. dark and white chocolate both flash in here, buttery and soft, distinctly flavored, long wintery finish. its warming in a comforting way, not an alcoholic one. I bought a single because I thought six would bee to much, but I am regretting that choice now. this is highly drinkable, and it is the perfect season for beer like this. I am most impressed by the way the various chocolate layers are woven into a porter that would be excellent as a standalone. I will be drinking plenty of this in the coming months.
1,073 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
best thing ive had from boulder beer maybe ever. looks thin and translucent from the bottle, but amounts to a pretty dense chocolate brown liquid in my globe with just less than an inch of soapy off white head. I wish it stayed heady longer, more cream, more sex appeal, but it is what it is. smells really chocolaty, which I adore. cocoa powder and melted milk chocolate are both present. nice medium roast malt base, slightly sweet, but bitter enough to balance the chocolate. very pleasant, not over the top at all. the flavor is a mix of so many chocolates. dark and white chocolate both flash in here, buttery and soft, distinctly flavored, long wintery finish. its warming in a comforting way, not an alcoholic one. I bought a single because I thought six would bee to much, but I am regretting that choice now. this is highly drinkable, and it is the perfect season for beer like this. I am most impressed by the way the various chocolate layers are woven into a porter that would be excellent as a standalone. I will be drinking plenty of this in the coming months.
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2.89/5 rDev -27.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
$1.89 for a 12oz bottle @ Siciliano's. Brewed with "five different grains, including Chocolate Wheat, that along with cacao nibs create a devilishly delicious chocolate finish with a velvety mouthfeel."
5.9% ABV, 39 IBU.
Pours out to a clear deep brown, forming a nice sized light tan head with excellent retention and lacing. Carbonation is moderate. No sediment in the bottle. Specs per the website and bottle. The aroma starts off with a blend between that fake "tootsie roll" chocolate extract and light cocoa powder (mostly the former), sitting on top of roast grains with a suggestion of black walnut. Cleanly fermented. Mouthfeel is initially prickly cola, then gives way to a strong mineral component (iron and chalk) and finishes a bit soapy in the mouthfeel. No hop nose to speak of. Medium bodied. The taste recaps the aroma. The iron and chalk is pretty strong and somewhat overwhelms the flavors going on here. As a matter of fact, I think this has the strongest iron taste I've ever had in a beer. The kind of water that makes your toilet turn orange in 2 days. Bitterness is mild and overall is slightly sweet. Fair amount of roast with associated acidity. Burnt marshmallows in the finish. More iron and chalk in the aftertaste.
Not really my cup of tea. The minerals are way overboard and combined with the chocolate extract tootsie roll twang, just doesn't sit well with me.
1,394 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
$1.89 for a 12oz bottle @ Siciliano's. Brewed with "five different grains, including Chocolate Wheat, that along with cacao nibs create a devilishly delicious chocolate finish with a velvety mouthfeel."
5.9% ABV, 39 IBU.
Pours out to a clear deep brown, forming a nice sized light tan head with excellent retention and lacing. Carbonation is moderate. No sediment in the bottle. Specs per the website and bottle. The aroma starts off with a blend between that fake "tootsie roll" chocolate extract and light cocoa powder (mostly the former), sitting on top of roast grains with a suggestion of black walnut. Cleanly fermented. Mouthfeel is initially prickly cola, then gives way to a strong mineral component (iron and chalk) and finishes a bit soapy in the mouthfeel. No hop nose to speak of. Medium bodied. The taste recaps the aroma. The iron and chalk is pretty strong and somewhat overwhelms the flavors going on here. As a matter of fact, I think this has the strongest iron taste I've ever had in a beer. The kind of water that makes your toilet turn orange in 2 days. Bitterness is mild and overall is slightly sweet. Fair amount of roast with associated acidity. Burnt marshmallows in the finish. More iron and chalk in the aftertaste.
Not really my cup of tea. The minerals are way overboard and combined with the chocolate extract tootsie roll twang, just doesn't sit well with me.
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4.22/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Interesting. Incredibly sweet and chocolaty, to the point where it tastes like it was infused with Nesquik. There's no denying that it's incredibly tasty, and would make for a great dessert beer.
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look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Interesting. Incredibly sweet and chocolaty, to the point where it tastes like it was infused with Nesquik. There's no denying that it's incredibly tasty, and would make for a great dessert beer.
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3.8/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle into a wine glass.
Appearance: Pours a very dark ruby color. The head is a finger high, with a mocha shade. I don't think it has good retention, but it does leave behind a bit of lacing on the glass. (3.5)
Smell: The "chocolate" part of this beer isn't lying. But it's also loaded with roasted malt goodness, and some vanilla beneath that. While the general aroma is quite sweet, there also seems to be a healthy roast note to it. (4)
Taste: It starts off with a ton of dark chocolate, and I do mean a ton. Despite this, it finishes with a nice roasted bite, and there's even some hoppiness floating around. Basically, it's chocolate milk without the lingering sweetness. Sure it's simplistic, but who cares? (3.75)
Mouthfeel: Really dry, despite its initial sweetness. Because of the richness of flavor, though, it isn't spectacularly drinkable. I don't really care that it's more of a sipper, though. Carbonation is slightly strong, but not stupid - just like this beer. (3.75)
Overall: Like many chocolate beers, it blends a sweet and chocolaty first half with a dry and roasty second half. That doesn't always work, but here it does, and quite well to boot. It's sweet enough to be a dessert beer and dry enough to be paired with a good steak - it's only hampered by its one-dimensional nature. Still, I'm loving the chocolaty nature. (3.75)
3.79/5: A chocolate porter/stout done right
1,409 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12 oz bottle into a wine glass.
Appearance: Pours a very dark ruby color. The head is a finger high, with a mocha shade. I don't think it has good retention, but it does leave behind a bit of lacing on the glass. (3.5)
Smell: The "chocolate" part of this beer isn't lying. But it's also loaded with roasted malt goodness, and some vanilla beneath that. While the general aroma is quite sweet, there also seems to be a healthy roast note to it. (4)
Taste: It starts off with a ton of dark chocolate, and I do mean a ton. Despite this, it finishes with a nice roasted bite, and there's even some hoppiness floating around. Basically, it's chocolate milk without the lingering sweetness. Sure it's simplistic, but who cares? (3.75)
Mouthfeel: Really dry, despite its initial sweetness. Because of the richness of flavor, though, it isn't spectacularly drinkable. I don't really care that it's more of a sipper, though. Carbonation is slightly strong, but not stupid - just like this beer. (3.75)
Overall: Like many chocolate beers, it blends a sweet and chocolaty first half with a dry and roasty second half. That doesn't always work, but here it does, and quite well to boot. It's sweet enough to be a dessert beer and dry enough to be paired with a good steak - it's only hampered by its one-dimensional nature. Still, I'm loving the chocolaty nature. (3.75)
3.79/5: A chocolate porter/stout done right
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3.75/5 rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Beer advocates New system is ridiculously stupid
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look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Beer advocates New system is ridiculously stupid
48 characters
3.08/5 rDev -23.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3
Look: Porter black/brown, on the darker side. Nice fluffy tan head that leaves some lacing and retains a film and bubbles throughout
Smell: Bitter chocolate syrup dominates the nose - not much else to speak of
Taste: Again, the chocolate comes through strong though not as syrupy as in the nose. There are other flavors as well, such as a deep roastiness that goes fairly well with the chocolate and a bit of acidity. There is a dry bitter patch as well.
Feel: Pretty good - enough carbonation but overall pretty smooth with medium body
Overall: The Shake is definitely one of the most chocolatey beers I've had. Being a chocolate lover I wish I could say that was a good thing, but the chocolate has a kind of Hershey's syrup quality and tends to dominate the other flavors and aromas. Considering all the great porters out there I won't be coming back, but still a somewhat enjoyable beer and worth a try for porter/stout fans.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3
Look: Porter black/brown, on the darker side. Nice fluffy tan head that leaves some lacing and retains a film and bubbles throughout
Smell: Bitter chocolate syrup dominates the nose - not much else to speak of
Taste: Again, the chocolate comes through strong though not as syrupy as in the nose. There are other flavors as well, such as a deep roastiness that goes fairly well with the chocolate and a bit of acidity. There is a dry bitter patch as well.
Feel: Pretty good - enough carbonation but overall pretty smooth with medium body
Overall: The Shake is definitely one of the most chocolatey beers I've had. Being a chocolate lover I wish I could say that was a good thing, but the chocolate has a kind of Hershey's syrup quality and tends to dominate the other flavors and aromas. Considering all the great porters out there I won't be coming back, but still a somewhat enjoyable beer and worth a try for porter/stout fans.
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5/5 rDev +24.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Awesome beer. It tastes just like chocolate shake. It's awesome.
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look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Awesome beer. It tastes just like chocolate shake. It's awesome.
64 characters
4.04/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Had on nitro today in Daleville,VA.Came in a standard pint a deep chocolate brown with the nitro creamy head that never really settled completely.Milk chocolate and mild roast in the nose,very dessert-like.Creamy smooth with great chocolate flavors without getting overly sweet,a touch of vanilla and roast comes into play as well.One of the better Boulder beers i have had,good stuff.
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look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Had on nitro today in Daleville,VA.Came in a standard pint a deep chocolate brown with the nitro creamy head that never really settled completely.Milk chocolate and mild roast in the nose,very dessert-like.Creamy smooth with great chocolate flavors without getting overly sweet,a touch of vanilla and roast comes into play as well.One of the better Boulder beers i have had,good stuff.
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2.97/5 rDev -25.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Shake Chocolate Porter from Boulder Beer / Wilderness Pub
Beer rating:
4.01 out of
5 with
1,924 ratings
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