Santa's Little Helper - Brandy Barrel Aged
Port Brewing Company
- From:
- Port Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Imperial Stout
- ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 92
- Avg:
- 4.25 | pDev: 6.82%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Apr 02, 2015
- Added:
- Dec 12, 2012
- Wants:
- 2
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Texas
3.74/5 rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -12%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Vintage 2012. Served on-draught at 38 Degrees in Alhambra. Reviewed from notes. Served into a 4.5oz taster glass. 10% ABV confirmed. Cost was $4.00 USD. Expectations were quite high given the style and brewery.
A: Pours a gorgeous one finger head of tan colour. Lovely mocha cream. Luscious and attractive. Inviting. I can't wait to try it. Great thickness and retention. Body colour is a solid opaque jet black. Silky. A lovely appearance for the style.
Sm: Chocolate. Cream. Dark malts. Chocolate malt. Subtle brandy. Cocoa dust/powder. No alcohol or yeast is detectable. Not as rich as I expected. It's a nice aroma, and mild to moderate in strength. Subtle and complex, but I did expect a bit more. Excellent balance.
T/MF: Fucking lovely. Excellent build and balance, with guiding subtle brandy notes lending a focusing undertone throughout. Dark malts. Chocolate malt. Cocoa powder. Full bodied and rich. Creamy. Good thickness. Perfect carbonation. Really well put together. Great balance. Not as complex as it could be, though. As it warms, I do get some alcohol coming through. Silky and smooth. Lightly dry on the finish from the brandy.
Dr: Drinkable as hell for the high ABV. Really a delightful brew. The brandy works well here, accentuating the base beer. I'd definitely get this again if I were so lucky. Marvelous execution, but I did expect more subtlety. Another solid brew from Lost Abbey/Port. Great stuff. Highly recommended.
High B
Jun 10, 2013A: Pours a gorgeous one finger head of tan colour. Lovely mocha cream. Luscious and attractive. Inviting. I can't wait to try it. Great thickness and retention. Body colour is a solid opaque jet black. Silky. A lovely appearance for the style.
Sm: Chocolate. Cream. Dark malts. Chocolate malt. Subtle brandy. Cocoa dust/powder. No alcohol or yeast is detectable. Not as rich as I expected. It's a nice aroma, and mild to moderate in strength. Subtle and complex, but I did expect a bit more. Excellent balance.
T/MF: Fucking lovely. Excellent build and balance, with guiding subtle brandy notes lending a focusing undertone throughout. Dark malts. Chocolate malt. Cocoa powder. Full bodied and rich. Creamy. Good thickness. Perfect carbonation. Really well put together. Great balance. Not as complex as it could be, though. As it warms, I do get some alcohol coming through. Silky and smooth. Lightly dry on the finish from the brandy.
Dr: Drinkable as hell for the high ABV. Really a delightful brew. The brandy works well here, accentuating the base beer. I'd definitely get this again if I were so lucky. Marvelous execution, but I did expect more subtlety. Another solid brew from Lost Abbey/Port. Great stuff. Highly recommended.
High B
Reviewed by rand from California
4.35/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On tap at Sessions Public
Pours rich and viscous, jet black. Notes of brandy booze stream from the glass, along with heavy doses of roasted coffee and unsweetened chocolate. On the palate, the coffee dominates...even the strong notes of brandy are held at bay. The chewy complexion helps notes of toffee-sweetness linger. Delicious, actually adds to Santas Little Helper by sweetening and rounding-out the coffee bitterness.
May 03, 2013Pours rich and viscous, jet black. Notes of brandy booze stream from the glass, along with heavy doses of roasted coffee and unsweetened chocolate. On the palate, the coffee dominates...even the strong notes of brandy are held at bay. The chewy complexion helps notes of toffee-sweetness linger. Delicious, actually adds to Santas Little Helper by sweetening and rounding-out the coffee bitterness.
Reviewed by Halcyondays from California
3.85/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev -9.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
On-tap at Beachwood I,
A: Pours black with an impressive tan head which recedes fairly quickly with nary a trace of lace.
S: Definite notes of brandy barrel. Has that classic fermented plum character with vanilla, raisins. Notes of chocolate as well.
T: Spiritous with some ethanol play. A lot more of the stout comes out here with dark chocolate, hints of licorice, balanced well with the barrel character.
M: Full-bodied, heavy, too hot in the finish makes it a bit of a chore at times, soft yet biting carbonation.
O: A good -bal, but in the end I just wasn't as into it as I thought I'd be. Certainly worth a try for brandy barrel fans.
Apr 10, 2013A: Pours black with an impressive tan head which recedes fairly quickly with nary a trace of lace.
S: Definite notes of brandy barrel. Has that classic fermented plum character with vanilla, raisins. Notes of chocolate as well.
T: Spiritous with some ethanol play. A lot more of the stout comes out here with dark chocolate, hints of licorice, balanced well with the barrel character.
M: Full-bodied, heavy, too hot in the finish makes it a bit of a chore at times, soft yet biting carbonation.
O: A good -bal, but in the end I just wasn't as into it as I thought I'd be. Certainly worth a try for brandy barrel fans.
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
4.36/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.36/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On tap for Churchill's Renaissance 2013 at Churchill's Pub & Grille in San Marcos, CA.
Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, freshly baked gingerbread, molasses, and spices. Taste is much the same with a brandy flavor 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 very good beer with an incredible smell and some great flavors that make this beer a treat to drink.
Mar 05, 2013Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to wisps of film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, freshly baked gingerbread, molasses, and spices. Taste is much the same with a brandy flavor 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 very good beer with an incredible smell and some great flavors that make this beer a treat to drink.
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