-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Victory At Sea - Coffee And Vanilla
Ballast Point Brewing Company
- From:
- Ballast Point Brewing Company
- California, United States
- Style:
- Imperial Porter
Ranked #14 - ABV:
- 10%
- Score:
- 97
Ranked #535 - Avg:
- 4.39 | pDev: 8.66%
- Reviews:
- 1,513
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 10, 2024
- Added:
- Mar 17, 2009
- Wants:
- 1,152
- Gots:
- 2,316
Our Victory at Sea Imperial Porter is a bold, smooth brew with just the right amount of sweetness. We infused this robust porter with whole vanilla beans and San Diego’s own Caffe Calabria coffee beans. The subtle roasted notes and minimal acidity of the cold brewed coffee, balances perfectly with the sweet caramel undertones of the malt, creating a winning combination for your palate.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by oline73:
Reviewed by oline73 from Maryland
4.17/5 rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
4.17/5 rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured from a bomber into a snifter.
Appearance: Pours an opaque dark brown color with a little light coming through at the edges. There is a half finger of tan head that dissipates fairly quickly.
Smell: Definitely getting the coffee along with some vanilla. There are some dark fruit notes along with a roast. I'm getting the alcohol burn as well.
Taste: Coffee and roasted malts dominate the flavor right off the bat. I'm getting some dark fruit and vanilla notes as well. As the sip progresses, you get some bitterness along with a burn from the alcohol. The finish is roasty and a bit boozy. Not overly sweet, especially considering the ABV.
Mouthfeel: The body is on the thicker side with lots of carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: A very good coffee beer. The flavor was quite full and there was a lot going on. I actually wish this beer was a bit sweeter, but I still enjoyed it.
Jul 26, 2012Appearance: Pours an opaque dark brown color with a little light coming through at the edges. There is a half finger of tan head that dissipates fairly quickly.
Smell: Definitely getting the coffee along with some vanilla. There are some dark fruit notes along with a roast. I'm getting the alcohol burn as well.
Taste: Coffee and roasted malts dominate the flavor right off the bat. I'm getting some dark fruit and vanilla notes as well. As the sip progresses, you get some bitterness along with a burn from the alcohol. The finish is roasty and a bit boozy. Not overly sweet, especially considering the ABV.
Mouthfeel: The body is on the thicker side with lots of carbonation and a dry finish.
Overall: A very good coffee beer. The flavor was quite full and there was a lot going on. I actually wish this beer was a bit sweeter, but I still enjoyed it.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Whyteboar from Michigan
4.44/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +1.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured very dark brown and capped with an ambitious light brown head that climbed three inches very quickly.
The aroma to my chemically damaged nose was mild but still featured proper porter smells- roasted malts, coffee, a touch of chocolate.
The taste- I grabbed the can again to verify, but vanilla plays top position. Not sweet at all, but no mistaking there is vanilla in here. Coffee shows up later, this drinks true as it warmed.
The feel was good, ideal even. Not sure if it could be better. Ideally viscous.
OA- very happy to have been able to try this finally!
Jun 05, 2022The aroma to my chemically damaged nose was mild but still featured proper porter smells- roasted malts, coffee, a touch of chocolate.
The taste- I grabbed the can again to verify, but vanilla plays top position. Not sweet at all, but no mistaking there is vanilla in here. Coffee shows up later, this drinks true as it warmed.
The feel was good, ideal even. Not sure if it could be better. Ideally viscous.
OA- very happy to have been able to try this finally!
Reviewed by griffinwelsh from Texas
4.97/5 rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
4.97/5 rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
If you've ever wondered what could make a great porter even better it is notes of vanilla. This beer has a rich coffee flavor and a satisfyingly vanilla aftertaste. Color is dark and consistency is very smooth. It's a shame I can't buy it in Texas.
May 04, 2022Reviewed by sjrider from California
4.43/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.43/5 rDev +0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Can pour- dark as night with foamy khaki head leaving frosty/foamy lacing and a ring of bubbles. Nose is vanilla and coffee for days. Taste follows with some roasty malt and mild espresso bitterness. Vanilla lingers on the finish. Tasty.
Dec 18, 2021Reviewed by Beersnake from California
4.21/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
2021 release from can. Poured from fridge temp. Pours black with a really good amount of light brown head. Sticks around for quite a while as well. Nose is incredible. Vanilla, marshmallow, coffee, dark chocolate, red licorice, burnt toffee, and a nice amount of dark fruit. The taste nicely follows the nose, but with a distinct bitterness on the back end. Vanilla and coffee (very dark) are dominant. Definitely some charred wood, black licorice, roasted malts, almonds, and tar. Not sweet at all. Mouthfeel is fairly thick. Overall a really nice coffee stout.
Sep 17, 2021Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts
4.37/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.37/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
After being impressed by the High West BA version of this a few weeks ago I figured I'd give this a shot. Quite affordable at $3 for a single bottle given it currently sits at #323 of all time on this site
Pours a very dark brown with just a finger of espresso colored head that quickly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing and decent legs
The aroma here is sweet but not overly so, bringing a nice balance of vanilla, hazelnut, toast, milk chocolate, medium roast coffee, and a slight dark fruit note
A bittersweet balance is maintained throughout the entire sip, starting off with notes of cocoa powder, lightly toasted malt, raisin, and a touch of grain alcohol. The swallow makes this one a bit sweeter, bringing notes of rich vanilla, slightly astringent coffee, milk chocolate, and almond
A medium silky body pairs with gentle carbonation for a smooth slow sipper. The finish is mostly dry, due to the roasty character of the coffee
Damn delicious beer right here. It hits all the notes expected and doesn't feel overly sweet or strong despite the high abv. I'd definitely get it again
Dec 29, 2020Pours a very dark brown with just a finger of espresso colored head that quickly fades to a thin cap and leaves minimal lacing and decent legs
The aroma here is sweet but not overly so, bringing a nice balance of vanilla, hazelnut, toast, milk chocolate, medium roast coffee, and a slight dark fruit note
A bittersweet balance is maintained throughout the entire sip, starting off with notes of cocoa powder, lightly toasted malt, raisin, and a touch of grain alcohol. The swallow makes this one a bit sweeter, bringing notes of rich vanilla, slightly astringent coffee, milk chocolate, and almond
A medium silky body pairs with gentle carbonation for a smooth slow sipper. The finish is mostly dry, due to the roasty character of the coffee
Damn delicious beer right here. It hits all the notes expected and doesn't feel overly sweet or strong despite the high abv. I'd definitely get it again
Victory At Sea - Coffee And Vanilla from Ballast Point Brewing Company
Beer rating:
97 out of
100 with
7159 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!