Mocha Marlin
Ballast Point Brewing Company

Mocha MarlinMocha Marlin
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From:
Ballast Point Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
American Porter
Ranked #45
ABV:
6%
Score:
91
Ranked #7,554
Avg:
4.07 | pDev: 7.86%
Reviews:
104
Ratings:
374
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 23, 2023
Added:
Nov 22, 2015
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  60
Coffee and chocolate come together in this brew.
Our Black Marlin Porter is the perfect beer for a mocha mashup. The addition of coffee and cocoa plays perfectly off the roasty, chocolaty flavors of this English porter, while a hint of vanilla smooths it all out. It’s full-bodied, but not too sweet; try it for breakfast…or dessert.

42 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bobhits:
Photo of bobhits
Reviewed by bobhits from Kentucky

4.57/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5
So this is a bad time to review this but debate 3 in the election. So I'll try to avoid that horrible taste.

Dark brown color with an amazing head, creamy as hell and thick mocha.

The nose is coffee and chocolate and vanilla with a malty sugary back.

A light roast coffee with some tropical fruits in the coffee/hop bill along with dark chocolate.

I like this one a lot, it's got some ipa notes and some coffee stout notes. I can't explain a similar example, love it. Just love it. It isn't perfect beer, flaws are here but man this was a good test.
Oct 20, 2016
More User Ratings:
Photo of GarrettB
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado

4/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
November 5th, 2016 - I've always loved the regular Marlin, so I was very pleased to see a special version out that brings in some more bitter notes and an extra layer of chocolatey sweetness. The aroma smells of Mexican chocolate with a peppery adobo edge, but the same low and dulcet tone of the chocolate. The flavor carries this complexity forward, adding spice and chocolate notes onto the delicious malt body that the Marlin has already established.
May 23, 2023
Photo of JKENNEKE
Rated by JKENNEKE

3.88/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
March 2023. Athens. Overall another solid beer from ballast point.
Apr 02, 2023
 
Rated: 3.54 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Nov 27, 2021
Photo of artiefufkin
Reviewed by artiefufkin from New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 oz can pkg Aug 2019
Visual - black with reddish tinge. Pours with dark tan head which disappears quicker than expected
Aroma- cocoa nibs, mix of roasted coffee beans and espresso, tr vanilla, vsl nutmeg/baking spices
Taste - nice carbonation, hits you pleasantly with dark chocolate and espresso, evolves into bitter chocolate and sl burnt coffee
Overall - great mocha porter, one of the best out there. Would love to try fresher and on tap, think some of the bitter linger would be softened in youth.
Sep 06, 2020
Photo of Vetbidder
Reviewed by Vetbidder from Pennsylvania

4.04/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Another Covid hibernation try. This beer pours a nice dark color with a chocolate colored head to boot. Nose has elements of both vanilla and chocolate with sweetness throughout the scent. Flavor is more of a bitter dark chocolate with some coffee notes. Feel is somewhat thicker with less carbonation. Could use a bit more zip to the carbonation in my eyes. Decent beer here.
Apr 14, 2020
Photo of Act25
Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey

4.21/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
If you're gonna add to your beers, you need to fine-tune the recipe so all play well together, such is my experience with Ballast Point, San Diego, and Carton, Atlantic Highlands, as this Marlin is outstanding every day sweet chocolate porter.
a) As everything BP does looks just right.
s) The most chocolate porter ever without being cloying, and balanced against toast, char, and hops.
t) follows the aroma, adds real cold-brew esspesso coffee up front, and a touch of vanilla and more hop bite on the exit.
f) Silky.
o) Deserves a blind taste test in a batch of mid-weight porters and stouts.
Mar 27, 2020
 
Rated: 3.96 by Mustela_Man from California

Mar 19, 2020
 
Rated: 2.98 by FakeDoctor96 from New Jersey

Mar 18, 2020
Photo of defunksta
Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
Appearance: Pours a nearly jet black color with a darker, tan head that is extremely bubbly and active. SRM of 24. (4.25)

Aroma: The aroma is a spectrum. Upfront hints you with sweet milk or vanilla cream that dissolves into milk chocolate, then dark chocolate (all for a blink of an eye) before a mild roasted mocha & coffee flavor comes through for the middle and ending. Very chocolate and nice but a little sandy. (3.75)

Flavor: Strong flavors of chocolate, cream, milk dance upfront, before it evolves into a a sandy, dark chocolate, & espresso flavor coming forth in the middle. Blends into a Mocha flavored finish with hints of dark chocolate & vanilla lingering on the tongue. Has the sweetness, but also the bitterness of dark chocolate. Enough bitterness to leave you satisfied, yet enough sweetness to make you want more. (4.00)

Feel: Lighter-bodied. Low carbonation. Sort of sandy at first from the coffee, but then as it finishes it leaves a nice dark chocolate mocha flavor on the tongue. The coffee sandiness in the middle is sort of unpleasant.

Compared w/ Central Waters' Satin Solitude: Pours a slightly darker color. Stronger dark chocolate and coffee aromas. Much more dark chocolate. Lighter, roasty, and more bitter.

Compared to Bent Paddle Black 4/8/20: Pours a similar color with a stronger and darker tan head. Stronger aromas. More rich chocolate, cream, vanilla but also espresso and roast. Less smoke and ham. Fuller and sweeter overall.

Overall: Well the beer is what it's described. Strong dark chocolate, coffee, and mocha flavors which are fantastic. The coffee sandiness is sort of unpleasant, and I like my beers to have the coffee more restrained. However, it finishes rather dry and leaves a strong dark chocolate/mocha flavor on the tongue which is satisfying. There are things here I like and things I dislike, but overall it is for sure a Mocha Marlin Porter. Second rating is better than the first and I wouldn't discount this one. (Final Rating: 3.80)
Mar 07, 2020
 
 
Rated: 4 by powdersoldier from Washington

Feb 29, 2020
Photo of klarcbarr3
Reviewed by klarcbarr3 from Michigan

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Mocha Marlin is a fine porter, and exceptionally tasty. The appearance is a deep black-brown, indicative of the depth of flavor you are about to experience. I poured a 12 oz. can into a pint glass, creating one inch head which would lace nicely, as you drink the beer down. A pleasant coffee, chocolaty smell greets you, with a hint of vanilla. The smell does not prepare you for the taste, which is the smell amped up 10x.. The coffee is strong, the chocolate supportive, the vanilla just a beautiful smoothing wisp. The beer is reminiscent to me of one of my all time faves, Ballast Point Victory at Sea, but toned down, particularly in the vanilla and alcohol content. The mouthfeel is substantial, the carbonation appropriate, and the beer, overall, is a welcome improvement over unrefined acidic coffee brews I have previously experienced. I don't know if this is available all year or seasonally, but I will seek this info out, and cellar it, if needed, to have this robust, tasty brew available to me, year round.
Jan 21, 2020
Photo of Troy-Hawaii
Reviewed by Troy-Hawaii from Hawaii

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Added picture you see.
Bought a 6-pack cans $10.49 Tamuras
Smell of chocolate
Medium-heavy mouthfeel
Medium carbonation
Tastes of chocolate, coffee, creamy taste.
Overall a great beer. Would buy again.
Jan 09, 2020
Photo of HoppingMadMonk
Reviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

4.12/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Just above average body with just under medium carbonation.
Aroma is milk chocolate, espresso, roasted malt,molasses and a little brown sugar. Vanilla and what seems to be a little doughy bread
...taste is mildly sweet but coffee and dark chocolate balance it out. Molasses ,cream and coffee coat the tongue and linger
Excellent well made complex flavorful beer. Manages to be a dessert beer with out being gimmicky, artificial, or too sweet
Jan 02, 2020
Photo of CaptainCoco
Rated by CaptainCoco

3.37/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 2.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4.25
Well balanced
Dec 15, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by rfreed from Washington

Dec 05, 2019
 
Rated: 3.64 by Jcreek from Illinois

Nov 16, 2019
 
Rated: 3.85 by jchanley from Illinois

Nov 16, 2019
 
Rated: 4.6 by antihero404 from California

Nov 12, 2019
Mocha Marlin from Ballast Point Brewing Company
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 374 ratings