Bellingham Beer Week #2 Imperial Porter
Fremont Brewing Company

Have had this bottle for a while (thanks Terry/Beertunes), and the other day figured the time had come to crack it open. At this point in it's life, I didn't pick up too much in the nose (some light dry licorice, vanillan and coffee), but on the palate, this was pretty easy to take. Initially, I got some dark chocolate as well, but as the beer opened up, there was more of a milk chocolate, creamy aspect to the flavor profile. The beer had good presence and length in the finish, and drinkability was pretty good.

Nothing really outstanding here, but this still came across as a solid, easy to appreciate and enjoy porter.

 

 

 

 

Poured into a Reuben's Brew snifter. Pours a very dark brown, appearing black in the glass with a thin medium brown head with good retention and light lacing. Aroma of sweet toasted malt, vanilla, bare hints of coconut and coffee. Flavor is sweet chocolate and toasted malt, vanilla and light coconut, a tiny hint of coffee; profile is a lot like a milk stout, probably from the vanilla. Medium bodied, a bit thinner than I expected from such a dark, richly colored porter. They really threw a lot of ingredients that are naturally tasty in a porer, and I was wondering if it would be too confused. However the vanilla and coconut are very lightly done and the coffee element is small, I would not have known it was there if I wasn't looking for it. I waited a bit too long to drink this bottle and it may have decreased the coffee influence, but there is plenty here to keep my interest. The light touch of the ingredients works well; the flavor is well integrated and results in a pleasant, sweet and interesting porter. I wouldn't mind seeing this as a regular brew from Fremont. The usual excellent, well made beer from this brewery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A: Poured a dark brown, nearly black with good carbonation presenting a nice tan cap. Decent head retention provides some decent lacing on this. A few spotty rings clinging to the glass.

S: Roasted malts, milk chocolate, whiff of espresso with light hints of vanilla and coconut

T: A roasted malt presence upfront with a milk chocolate, coupled with coffee. A milk chocolate with bakers powder cocoa is felt mid taste with a underlying vanilla note. The finish is a mild bitterness with some roasted malts.

M: Medium-full bodied, well carbonated, has velvety sweet, light decadence to it. Lots of roastiness and cocoa on the mouthfeel

O: Not bad. I was hoping the vanilla anc coconut would shine a bit more.

 

 

 

Bottle opened on 9.29.13

A - Pours a very dark brown with a foamy light brown head that fades quickly.

S - Coffee hits first, then roasted malt, finishes with nice vanilla.

T - Coffee and coconut with stellar, but subtle vanilla.

D - Good carbonation with a medium body.

O - Nice balance and all flavors make a welcome appearance.