Bourbon Barrel-Aged TenPine Chocolate Porter
Three Creeks Brewing Co.

 

This pitch-black beer smells like chocolate laced with a bit of whiskey. To the tongue, the flavors are reversed: it is a warm, malty, bourbony beer with overtones of bitter dark chocolate. It is a thick beer that leaves a clean finish.

$ 14.67 (Including shipping)/capped and waxed bomber ($ 0.667/oz) from Tavour, Seattle, WA.
“12/19/17” stamped on label above barcode, so probably the bottling date. Stored at 42 degrees prior to consumption and served at 48 degrees in a hand-washed and hand-dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.25.
Body – Dark brown, opaque. When held to the light, minimal penetration occurs at the meniscus.
Head – Large (Maximum 4.8 cm, aggressive center pour), khaki, dense with a few surface rocks, good retention, diminishing to an irregular 0.9 to 1.7 cm lacy ring and a thin complete layer with rocks.
Lacing – Excellent - wide bands of mostly tiny bubbles, connected by thin columns.
First pour – Medium brown, clear.
Aroma – 3.75 – Chocolate and only chocolate. This disappears toward the end.
Flavor – 4 - Begins with a sweet chocolate and rapidly morphs into a semi-sweet chocolate as the hops kick in. The bitterness is minimal and addresses the initial sweetness well. Not detecting any caramel typically associated with a porter. Also, NO bourbon-ness in either the nose or taste. No oakiness. No alcohol (11% ABV), although a transient gastric warming does occur. No diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3.75 – Medium, creamy, soft carbonation.
Impression and summation – 4.25 – Overall, a very enjoyable chocolate porter that apparently wasted nine months in bourbon barrels. By the end of the bottle, as the temperature approached 60 degrees, some oaky vanillin began to appear, but this is about ten degrees above the preferred temperature to consume a porter, so… Had I been drinking constantly instead of intermingling drinking with analysis and typing, I would have totally missed the vanillin. Next time I’m in Sisters, I’ll stop in and try to try the base beer – Fivepine chocolate porter.