Vanilla Java Porter (VJP)
Atwater Brewery
- From:
- Atwater Brewery
- Michigan, United States
- Style:
- American Porter
Ranked #566 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 79
Ranked #37,282 - Avg:
- 3.47 | pDev: 18.73%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 570
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 28, 2026
- Added:
- Oct 21, 2006
- Wants:
- 37
- Gots:
- 425
SCORE
79
Okay
79
Okay
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bschmidt_37:
Rated by bschmidt_37 from Illinois
3.77/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Jan 29, 2022
3.77/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Jan 29, 2022
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by klarcbarr3 from Michigan
3.61/5 rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.61/5 rDev +4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
L = Nice dark brown color. Not as nice substandard 1/4 inch off-white head. Clearly under carbonated look.
S = Best aspect of this beer. A very nice coffee roasted smell, with a strong vanilla undertone.
T =Weaker in the taste, than the nose. Coffee, vanilla... and a stretch from there to identify anything else. It tastes like malt is in the deep memories of this brew. The supposed chocolate is undetectable. Thin, one dimensional taste.
F = Watery and under carbonated. Pretty blah.
O = Mediocrity at it's finest. I really wanted to like this beer. Atwater made a very nice 5% ABV chocolate beer, which I bought when we first moved to Michigan, in Feb., 2021. Local stores ran out in May 2021, and they haven't made it since. The several Atwater beers I have tried since have been mostly disappointing.
Mar 11, 2026S = Best aspect of this beer. A very nice coffee roasted smell, with a strong vanilla undertone.
T =Weaker in the taste, than the nose. Coffee, vanilla... and a stretch from there to identify anything else. It tastes like malt is in the deep memories of this brew. The supposed chocolate is undetectable. Thin, one dimensional taste.
F = Watery and under carbonated. Pretty blah.
O = Mediocrity at it's finest. I really wanted to like this beer. Atwater made a very nice 5% ABV chocolate beer, which I bought when we first moved to Michigan, in Feb., 2021. Local stores ran out in May 2021, and they haven't made it since. The several Atwater beers I have tried since have been mostly disappointing.
Reviewed by The_Snow_Bird from Michigan
3.08/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
3.08/5 rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Pours a very dark brown with a medium dark caramel head. Has a sweet roasted coffee smell. Taste is of watered down roasted malt with just a hint of vanilla.
Feb 23, 2026
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
4.1/5 rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.1/5 rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The pour is almost stout black and sported a 1 finger light beige head. Looks good.
The taste is a pretty well balanced porter with vanilla; definitely present but not dominant. The coffee seems to blend into the porter to amplify the flavor. For a 5% beer, this drinks above its weight.
The feel is between thin and viscous, light body maybe?
OA, this is still Atwater’s flagship beer and that makes sense.
Sep 28, 2025The taste is a pretty well balanced porter with vanilla; definitely present but not dominant. The coffee seems to blend into the porter to amplify the flavor. For a 5% beer, this drinks above its weight.
The feel is between thin and viscous, light body maybe?
OA, this is still Atwater’s flagship beer and that makes sense.
Reviewed by mwink from Michigan
4.06/5 rDev +17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.06/5 rDev +17%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pours very dark, minimal head, some lacing. Very smooth, easy drinking, only mild bitterness because of the vanilla notes, and decent mouthfeel. Didn’t get a lot of coffee flavor. I liked it, seems to be underrated here.
Jan 11, 2025Reviewed by Dimagio
4.18/5 rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.18/5 rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This beer is a lot better than a 79. I've had porters that taste like flavored water. This one is a good tasting porter. Not the best, but definitely better than a 79.
Sep 26, 2023
Reviewed by Brook82 from Ohio
3.04/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
3.04/5 rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
Ordered on tap, Dark brown/ black color, no head by the time it was brought to my table. Left some lacing. Vanilla dominated both aroma and taste. Full, rich flavor and came across a bit like a dessert beer. Okay overall, doubt I would order again.
May 13, 2023
Reviewed by Arttooo
4.01/5 rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.01/5 rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Solid beer. My only real complaint is the mouthfeel, it's just thin, nothing else about it. That's probably just a consequence of the 5% abv though, which makes it a little more approachable, so I'll cut it some slack for that.
Jan 28, 2023Rated by Bierwizard from Pennsylvania
3.41/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
3.41/5 rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25
Tastes and smells a bit like a chocolate milkshake. I’ve had better.
Nov 18, 2021
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