Pier Rat Porter
Pizza Port Solana Beach

On tap at Pizza Port in San Clemente, CA.

I don’t believe in wanting to relive any moment already lived in one’s life. That said, without question, if I had the chance to, I would relive some of the best waves I’ve surfed during my adolescence. In my life now, there’s just nothing that could beat waking up on a Saturday morning at 6AM at my friends house, then driven to Newport Beach by his amazing “uncle” (he was my friend’s mom’s husband number 3’s brother [and she eventually had 5 husbands]). He was a man that adopted my friend and turned into an amazing parental figure. Yes, a man who was a Hollywood architect, built a home for Marylin Monroe - in which he told us that without make up, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Yes, being driven to the beach by my friend’s uncle, only hoping to show up with offshore winds and a pure west swell with head high waves is what I would relieve again if I could. And when I drink Pier Rat, I am almost there. I am almost there.

 

Brown body, small tan head. Lots of roast. Chocolate burnt malt.

Taste was smooth for a baltic porter, more than average chocolate. Coffee malt flavors in the background. Smooth caramel. This is a chewier more American version of a baltic, and its better for it.

 

 

 

Served on tap at Pizza Port, San Clemente in a shaker pint glass.

Appearance - Black as night. Good lacey stickage on the inside of the glass. A handsome brew.

Smell - CHOCOLATE!

Taste - Chocolate. Malt. Black liquorice. Herbal. A touch tangy. There's a lot going here. Very tasty!

Mouth - Effervecent. Oily. Alive.

Overall - What a wonderful beer. This brew does everything but sing! Admittedly, the setting might have something to do with my opinion. I was drinking the beer on the outside patio at Pizza Port's San Clemente location. Also, I'm a sucker for Porters. Regardless, this ale is very good!

 

On tap at Pizza Port in San Clemente, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, and slight coffee aromas. Taste is much the same with cocoa and char flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some solid aromas and flavors.

 

 

 

 

 

Getting to the end here.

A - Blackish colored beer with a brownish colored head. Little bit of lacing.

S - Some coffee, cocoa, toffee, roasted malt, a little bit of sweetness.

T - Roasted malts and slightly bittering coffee, and then toffee and chocolate, which makes it somewhat sweet. I like it, but not one of the best Baltic Porters I've had.

M - Medium bodied, carbonation is just a little higher than I would like.

O - Good porter, easy to drink, would have again if offered.

Brown body, a little thin head. Aroma was nice and roasty, all the hallmarks of a porter, coffee, toffee, chocolate, burnt malt.

Smooth flavor, decent hopping, but not over the top for the sake of making everything hoppy. Had this at the SDIBF. Definitely more smooth than bitter. Thick, chewy, but not heavy. Coffee is in the background. Probably smoothed out by oatmeal or caramel.

Would recommend, definitely something different from these guys (i.e. not deliciously hoppy).

Poured from the growler into a 0.5-liter mug.

A: Opaque black color with less than one finger of persistent beige foam head. Light lacing remains on the glass.

S: Weak coffee and chocolate in equal proportions are offset by stale cigarette smoke.

T: Begins nearly-dry, with strong roasted malt accented by used coffee grounds--complete with acidity and astringency of similar qualities. Flavors grow less intense in the middle, where some assertive herbaceous and charcoal qualities emerge. The finish is dry and vanishing, with lingering charcoal, cocoa powder, and herbaceous notes. Bitterness peaks fairly late, but does not exceed a moderate level.

M: Medium viscosity, aggressively acidic at times, with moderate carbonation.

D: On approach this porter sends mixed signals, appearing well enough but with a smell that is more repellent than appealing. The flavors assist in continued consumption, but don't leave too much of an impression. It does come across as more herbaceous than most porters; bitter green plant stems are not a typical flavor for the style.

On-tap at Pizza Port San Clemente

A: The pour is almost black with a thin tan/mocha colored head.

S: Starts off with a solid roasted character on the nose with plenty of chocolate (though more of a cocoa powder thing going on). A mild coffee aroma and a nice earthy hoppiness.

T: The flavor is similarly pleasing with lots of roasted malts and dark chocolate, both of which provide some bitterness to the beer. The coffee is minimal and there's a bit of a sweet caramel or toffee thing.

M: Medium in body with a moderate level of carbonation to go with it.

D: I liked this beer quite a lot. A lot easier to drink than InFamous (not surprising), but still a lot of flavor.

A - dark brown to blackish color, thin light tan head

S - earthy, nutty, cocoa powder, dark roasted malts

T - bitter chocolate, roasted malts, fresh bitter hops in the background

M - very fresh and crisp porter, med carbonation and a med body

D - I really liked this porter, well done Port

Recently stayed at Capistrano Beach, about 4 miles up the road from the Port. Was thrilled to be able to visit a Port finally!

Beer poured dark brown with an amazing long lasting tan head. Nose was light with a hint of malt. Taste was of chocolate malts, with bittering hops midway, finishes smooth and slightly hoppy. Mouthfeel was light bodied with a creamy smooth texture benefitting from the nitro tap. Drinkability was good. This was a decent porter that was very smooth and pretty drinkable. I am happy to have had the opportunity to try!