Black Widow Porter
McMenamins

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From:
McMenamins
 
United States
Style:
American Porter
Ranked #260
ABV:
7.35%
Score:
86
Ranked #18,634
Avg:
3.81 | pDev: 8.92%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
26
Status:
Active
Rated:
Nov 12, 2023
Added:
Feb 09, 2013
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  4
Originally created at the Thompson Brewery over 21 years ago on October 15, 1991 and made by all Thompson Brewers to come after, Black Widow has become an expected and welcome Halloween treat at the Thompson Public House in Salem... This year, however, her web has enveloped the entire company, as every McMenamins brewery will be making a batch.

Malts Used: Bairds Pale Malt, Great Western Wheat, Great Western Munich, Flaked Barley, Bairds 135/165, Bairds Black, Bairds Roast

Hops Used: Nugget, Sterling
(No third addition)

Additional ingredient: 12 oz. licorice
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Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jason_nwx:
Photo of jason_nwx
Rated by jason_nwx from Oregon

3.82/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Jan 22, 2017
More User Ratings:
Photo of mintzmeet
Reviewed by mintzmeet from Washington

3.86/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Beautiful caramel lacing with dissipating head. Dark brown/black color. Strong burnt/roasted malt flavor. As the listing says, “further spirited with ethereal wisps of caramel and licorice.”
Nov 12, 2023
Photo of TheBricenator
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon

3.97/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Look: Pitch black and the aggressive pour starts forming a billowing tan head that eventually settles to a film, coating the glass with lacing as it does
Aroma: Baker’s cocoa, roasted barley, light coffee notes, wafts of licorice, mild earthiness, and dark caramel
Taste: Roast, dark chocolate, and licorice kick things off with a bang as light coffee notes trickle in behind to join the fray. Earthy notes cut into the malt from time to time and bring a robustness to it all before it closes with more chocolate, caramel, and earthiness
Mouthfeel: Full, smooth, medium carbonation, and a smooth finish with a hint of dryness
Overall: This is tasty stuff. This is a well-made and really tasty robust porter that hits all the right notes for me. A nice blend of chocolate, roast, licorice, and caramel with enough earthy hop presence to balance it out and a really nice mouthfeel that varies between super smooth and robust with each sip as the journey continues. I’d have it again and definitely worth trying
Jan 08, 2023
 
Rated: 4.27 by Anacross from Oregon

Nov 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.97 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Feb 24, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by cryptichead from Illinois

Jan 01, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by NickThePyro from Washington

Dec 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.06 by BeerAndFilm from Oregon

Nov 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.48 by drockney from Oregon

Dec 05, 2016
Photo of flagmantho
Reviewed by flagmantho from Washington

3.31/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
I had this beer on-tap in a pint glass at McMenamins Six Arms in Seattle.

Appearance: nice dark brown hue with a finger of frothy tan foam atop.

Smell: light aroma with a little roast and a little caramel. There's also a little hint of unwelcome sourness or something. Not terrible but not my favorite.

Taste: kind of astringent and bitter; usually good qualities in small amounts but kind of overdone here. Some caramel is present, but not much roastiness. It's OK.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with decent carbonation and ok creaminess.

Overall: a bit too astringent for my taste.
Nov 22, 2016
 
Rated: 4.21 by cshields from Oregon

Nov 15, 2015
 
Rated: 3.56 by jeff1973 from California

Nov 06, 2015
 
Rated: 3.67 by casapy from Idaho

Nov 02, 2015
 
Rated: 3.38 by EricMarzed from Oregon

Oct 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.78 by johnnyboy76 from Oregon

Oct 17, 2015
 
Rated: 3.52 by italianstallion from Wisconsin

May 18, 2015
Photo of Reidrover
Reviewed by Reidrover from Oregon

4.09/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Pint on tap at Thompsons Brewpub, Salem OR $5.50. Deepest brown,almost black small consistently tan head Good semi dark cocoa nib and coffee. Aromas Taste is much. The same. Nice Very good creamy mouth feel Fantastic stuff indeed.
Best beer from McMenamins in many a year!
Dec 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Nick29 from California

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by jackmax from Washington

Jul 10, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Eighty from Washington

Dec 05, 2013
Black Widow Porter from McMenamins
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 26 ratings