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Robust Porter
Smuttynose Brewing Company


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Smuttynose Brewing Company
- New Hampshire, United States
- Style:
- Robust Porter
Ranked #8 - ABV:
- 6.2%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #4,994 - Avg:
- 4.13 | pDev: 10.17%
- Reviews:
- 1,111
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 10, 2023
- Added:
- Oct 18, 2000
- Wants:
- 208
- Gots:
- 485
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding


Notes:
This hearty, mahogany colored ale is brewed to evoke the dark, full-bodied ales that were a favorite of dockworkers and warehousemen (hence the name “Porter”) in 19th century London. It is a good bet that when Dickens’ Mr. Pickwick sat down for a pint, we would have been drinking an ale much like our Robust Porter.This is a smooth and very drinkable beer, characterized by its well-balanced malt and hops, plus subtle notes of coffee and chocolate.
43 IBU
43 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts
4.13/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.13/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
This is a classic that I’ve yet to get around to. In fact I’m surprised it’s still brewed at all, who is actively drinking Robust Porters in 2022? Well I know I’m always down to try one when I see it, so I’m excited to try one of the OGs. Let’s crack it open and see what it’s all about
Pours a very dark brown with a finger of creamy tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing
The nose definitely has a light fruity sweetness as I’d expect, but the roast dominates more than I expected. I’m picking up aromas of brown sugar, dark roast coffee, char, earthy hops, milk chocolate, raisin, light toffee, and toasted nuts. There’s a very light salty/briny note that I get every now and then
It remains pretty similar in taste and a touch elevated without the hint of salinity from the nose. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting medium roast coffee, toffee, dark chocolate, charred toast, brown sugar, and light raisin. The swallow brings notes of raisin, milk chocolate, earthy hops, molasses, black pepper, medium roast coffee, smoked malt, and toffee
A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes dry and roasty
This is solid stuff. Very drinkable for the abv but nicely complex
Dec 08, 2022Pours a very dark brown with a finger of creamy tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing
The nose definitely has a light fruity sweetness as I’d expect, but the roast dominates more than I expected. I’m picking up aromas of brown sugar, dark roast coffee, char, earthy hops, milk chocolate, raisin, light toffee, and toasted nuts. There’s a very light salty/briny note that I get every now and then
It remains pretty similar in taste and a touch elevated without the hint of salinity from the nose. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting medium roast coffee, toffee, dark chocolate, charred toast, brown sugar, and light raisin. The swallow brings notes of raisin, milk chocolate, earthy hops, molasses, black pepper, medium roast coffee, smoked malt, and toffee
A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes dry and roasty
This is solid stuff. Very drinkable for the abv but nicely complex
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
4.07/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.07/5 rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Look: It pours very dark brown with a brown head. Head retention is excellent.
Smell: It has aromas of chocolate and coffee with some light dark fruits.
Taste: It has roast and chocolate flavors with dark fruits. The most prominent dark fruit is plums. There are low levels of coffee in the background.
Feel: It has a medium body and has medium high bitterness in the finish.
Overall, well balanced and flavorful porter that is quick easy drinking in spite of the bit of a bitter bite.
Jun 24, 2022Smell: It has aromas of chocolate and coffee with some light dark fruits.
Taste: It has roast and chocolate flavors with dark fruits. The most prominent dark fruit is plums. There are low levels of coffee in the background.
Feel: It has a medium body and has medium high bitterness in the finish.
Overall, well balanced and flavorful porter that is quick easy drinking in spite of the bit of a bitter bite.
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut
4.29/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.29/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
I honestly dont know how I have never reviewed this beer on BA. Ive consumed this beer well over 100 times for sure.
Im pouring a cellar temp 12 oz can into my snifter. the beer pours a rich mahogany color but doesnt allow any light to pass through when I hold up the glass.
A dense creamy head of 3 cm foams up even with a gentle pour and this foam remains as a sturdy surface layer throughout the sampling. I also scattered lattice when I take a sip or swirl my glass.
The aroma on this beer is roasted malt, a bit of char, maybe tobacco too. This mixes some dark chocolate and just a hint of caramel. Spot on nose and appealing. Reminds me why I used to drink this beer so often.
The first sip reveals a medium body and medium tingly carbonation. The beer drinks really easy on the physical traits.
Flavor is roasted malt, some dark chocolate, hints of caramel and brown sugar too. This creates some balance and doenst make the beer sweet, just increases the complexity of flavors. There is also a bit of molasses on the finish and then the roast malt lingers long after each sip.
No hints of any booze and I dont get much hop profile. Very nice porter, that I will get back to buying more frequently again!
Mar 14, 2021Im pouring a cellar temp 12 oz can into my snifter. the beer pours a rich mahogany color but doesnt allow any light to pass through when I hold up the glass.
A dense creamy head of 3 cm foams up even with a gentle pour and this foam remains as a sturdy surface layer throughout the sampling. I also scattered lattice when I take a sip or swirl my glass.
The aroma on this beer is roasted malt, a bit of char, maybe tobacco too. This mixes some dark chocolate and just a hint of caramel. Spot on nose and appealing. Reminds me why I used to drink this beer so often.
The first sip reveals a medium body and medium tingly carbonation. The beer drinks really easy on the physical traits.
Flavor is roasted malt, some dark chocolate, hints of caramel and brown sugar too. This creates some balance and doenst make the beer sweet, just increases the complexity of flavors. There is also a bit of molasses on the finish and then the roast malt lingers long after each sip.
No hints of any booze and I dont get much hop profile. Very nice porter, that I will get back to buying more frequently again!
Reviewed by officerbill from New York
4.17/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
L: The stoutest looking porter I've had. It pours a solid black with a tall, foamy dark tan head that slowly dissolves into a thick film, leaving some nice lacing along the way.
S: Coffee, cocoa, smoke from a good cigar
T: very complex flavors that meld well. Roasted malts, strong coffee with a little sugar, 90% cocoa dark chocolate, tobacco, caramel or molasses, the burnt crust of a roasted marshmallow, toasted Russian rye bread, all followed by some bittering hops
F: medium-full bodied and smooth, slight tingle from little carbonation and a bitter-sweet finish.
O: This is damn good. Buy it.
Mar 13, 2021S: Coffee, cocoa, smoke from a good cigar
T: very complex flavors that meld well. Roasted malts, strong coffee with a little sugar, 90% cocoa dark chocolate, tobacco, caramel or molasses, the burnt crust of a roasted marshmallow, toasted Russian rye bread, all followed by some bittering hops
F: medium-full bodied and smooth, slight tingle from little carbonation and a bitter-sweet finish.
O: This is damn good. Buy it.
Reviewed by RozzieBoy from Rhode Island
4.36/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.36/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
L - dark brown with thick two-finger deep tan head. Good, sticky lacing.
S - roast malt. Oak?
T - follows the nose for sure. Nice.
F - thick mouthfeel with semi - dry finish.
O - really good beer! Really enjoyed it. One heck of a solid beer.
Feb 07, 2021S - roast malt. Oak?
T - follows the nose for sure. Nice.
F - thick mouthfeel with semi - dry finish.
O - really good beer! Really enjoyed it. One heck of a solid beer.
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
4.18/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Large but short lived dense mocha colored head leaves good lacing atop a black body. Roasted malt aroma with threads of chocolate, chicory and dried fruit. Earthy, smoky flavors of the roasted malts are reminiscent of hearty pumpernickel bread washed down with a strong cup of coffee. Aftertaste swings toward a bitter, modestly hopped, long lasting finish. Mouthfeel is smooth, full bodied and moderately carbonated.
Dec 18, 2020Reviewed by tradershmulie from Connecticut
4.21/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Very delicious beer.
Nice dark color - deep, deep brown.
Some light pleasant smell.
Very nice taste. Full flavored. Very slight bitterness.
Excellent porter.
Nov 08, 2020Nice dark color - deep, deep brown.
Some light pleasant smell.
Very nice taste. Full flavored. Very slight bitterness.
Excellent porter.
Reviewed by gooddaydiablo from Texas
4.46/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.46/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: black,
smell: burnt bread :D
taste: burnt, smoky, malty, roasty, coffee, complex
feel: creamy, thin, burnt/sweet finish, crushable
overall: I love it
Sep 11, 2020smell: burnt bread :D
taste: burnt, smoky, malty, roasty, coffee, complex
feel: creamy, thin, burnt/sweet finish, crushable
overall: I love it
Reviewed by GC2020 from New Hampshire
2.75/5 rDev -33.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.75/5 rDev -33.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
This beer has gone downhill, sadly, since my last taste in 2013. We got a growler fill at the brewery ($6/64oz) and poured some into a pint glass when we arrived home. The look was as inviting now as it was then - dark brown, almost shimmering. The smell was our first clue. It smelled - artificial. We don'r homebrew so we don't know what we were smelling, but it wasn't good. We took a sip, followed quickly by a healthy gulp. It tasted as if the malted grain had been scorched, like old coffee grounds. There was that artificial taste again. I was disappointed; this had been a great beer. For the first time ever, I drain poured the rest of the 64oz. Something not good's going on at Smuttynose.
May 17, 2020Reviewed by 1009 from Massachusetts
3.4/5 rDev -17.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
3.4/5 rDev -17.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3
I'm not a porter lover but this wasn't awful. This is the Tennessee Titans of porters. Average. Smooth and goes down easy but I just don't see the BA love for this. It's decidedly ok. Not great. Not Terrible, definitely not a 92 though. Like the Titian's they have promise with Derrick Henry, but they also have Ryan Tannehill.
Feb 19, 2020Reviewed by Peach63 from New York
4.22/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.22/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Pours deep copper with a 1/4 inch tan head, which quickly dissipates. Minimal lacing.
Aroma of molasses, chocolate, coffee.
Tastes of molasses, chocolate malt, coffee, cascade hops and possibly magnum hops?
Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Oily, slightly bitter finish.
Pretty tasty. Lack of a lasting head is a bit of a bummer, but a darn good porter none-the-less. "Make mine a Smutty"!
Jan 22, 2020Aroma of molasses, chocolate, coffee.
Tastes of molasses, chocolate malt, coffee, cascade hops and possibly magnum hops?
Medium bodied, moderate carbonation. Oily, slightly bitter finish.
Pretty tasty. Lack of a lasting head is a bit of a bummer, but a darn good porter none-the-less. "Make mine a Smutty"!
Reviewed by PMakowski from New Hampshire
4.05/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.05/5 rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
12 Oz Can poured into glass
Look - very dark brown colored, frothy medium foam head lingers. Lots of lacing.
Smell - not super pungent but there is some roasted malt, some milk chocolate. Subtle earthiness.
Taste - crisp roasted malt almost burnt. Creamy dark roast coffee. Bitter hops in the finish. It has balance but the lingering aftertaste is bitter almost burnt marshmallow malt. Carbonation is medium and body is medium-heavy.
Overall, starts out pleasant on the palate but turns from sweet into quite bitter. One of the more charred porters out there. The name says it all, it is robust. Good but not something i would go for regularly. Grade is an A-
Dec 26, 2019Look - very dark brown colored, frothy medium foam head lingers. Lots of lacing.
Smell - not super pungent but there is some roasted malt, some milk chocolate. Subtle earthiness.
Taste - crisp roasted malt almost burnt. Creamy dark roast coffee. Bitter hops in the finish. It has balance but the lingering aftertaste is bitter almost burnt marshmallow malt. Carbonation is medium and body is medium-heavy.
Overall, starts out pleasant on the palate but turns from sweet into quite bitter. One of the more charred porters out there. The name says it all, it is robust. Good but not something i would go for regularly. Grade is an A-
Reviewed by izraelc from New York
4/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours dark. Light head. Not much of an aroma. Clean smooth body followed by a heavy malt finish. Tastes burnt and smokey. Good balance. A very good porter.
Nov 09, 2019Reviewed by beerdedking from Pennsylvania
4.36/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.36/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
One of the better porters available. Great feel, foreshadowed by a delicious bouquet of coffee dark chocolate roastiness wafting up your olfactory nerve. Tasty porter flavors leaning slightly towards stout territory (for me means minus raisin notes etc...). Easy drinking and smooth.
Apr 11, 2019Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.29/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.29/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Reviewed as part of BJCP training. 20A American porter
Thick tan creamy head, decent retention, good lacing, super dark brown basically black, opaque
Nose big dark malts, a little roasty almost char, plenty of chocolate, cocoa, little roasted coffee and slight Smokey burnt malts,
Taste rich dark malts, slight burnt smokey malt, with more dark chocolate and mild roasted coffee, despite heavy roasty it's smooth and not harsh or acrid, some mild earthy almost spicy hops kick in with medium to higher bitterness on combination with the malt, hint of sweetness, drier finish, lingering bitterness but smooth
Mouth is full bod, medium carb, smooth richness
Overall quite nice, not sure how I haven't reviewed this yet, great classic American robust porter
Feb 10, 2019Thick tan creamy head, decent retention, good lacing, super dark brown basically black, opaque
Nose big dark malts, a little roasty almost char, plenty of chocolate, cocoa, little roasted coffee and slight Smokey burnt malts,
Taste rich dark malts, slight burnt smokey malt, with more dark chocolate and mild roasted coffee, despite heavy roasty it's smooth and not harsh or acrid, some mild earthy almost spicy hops kick in with medium to higher bitterness on combination with the malt, hint of sweetness, drier finish, lingering bitterness but smooth
Mouth is full bod, medium carb, smooth richness
Overall quite nice, not sure how I haven't reviewed this yet, great classic American robust porter
Rated by southerner2 from Georgia
4.35/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
One of my all time favorites! I haven't seen this in a while, I'll find it and enjoy. Feliz Navidad'
Dec 15, 2018
Robust Porter from Smuttynose Brewing Company
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
2809 ratings
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