Damon - Port Barrel Aged
Hill Farmstead Brewery

Damon - Port Barrel AgedDamon - Port Barrel Aged
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From:
Hill Farmstead Brewery
 
Vermont, United States
Style:
Russian Imperial Stout
Ranked #98
ABV:
10.5%
Score:
95
Ranked #1,524
Avg:
4.29 | pDev: 9.56%
Reviews:
40
Ratings:
284
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 07, 2023
Added:
Apr 25, 2013
Wants:
  191
Gots:
  42
Aged for over 16 months in port barrels.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.34 by CraftFan5 from New Jersey

Jun 07, 2023
 
Rated: 4.35 by JLK7299 from North Carolina

May 31, 2023
 
Rated: 4.46 by ScaryEd from New Hampshire

Dec 19, 2022
 
Rated: 4.25 by SkiBum22 from New York

Nov 06, 2022
 
Rated: 4.75 by paulish from New York

Nov 05, 2022
 
Rated: 3.77 by vfgccp from New York

Nov 04, 2022
 
Rated: 4.36 by Eman17 from Illinois

Nov 03, 2022
Photo of Luscious_Malfoy
Reviewed by Luscious_Malfoy from Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
poured from a 500mL bottle into a perennial snifter. pours a dark brown but gathers in the glass a shiny black with a big mocha brown foam head. aromas of dark fruits - raisins, plums, sweet grape - plus chocolate and oak. taste follows with a full, silky smooth mouthfeel. this is really good. a well constructed base beer laid to rest in barrels that compliment the aromas and flavors of a Russian imperial stout. i’ll admit that i do like the port barrel treatment on imperial stouts though. time in the bottle has done this one justice and as it warms and opens up over the course of the bottle its full potential is reached.
Oct 21, 2022
Photo of jrc1093
Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut

4.04/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Bottled on 12/12/2019 (batch 3); consumed on 6/8/2022

Pours a silky, motor-oil black body topped with two fingers of rich, creamy, tawny foam; solid head retention leaves ¾ of a finger of rocky cap, a large, frothy collar, and thick chunks of soapy, webby lacing layered down the walls of the glass.

Aromas of licorice open to lesser tones of cherry and strawberry as a classic malt char/roast encroaches; a tinge of dry, residual smoke fades over the middle as Port tannins and shades of oak overwhelm the near-entirety of the bouquet on the back end.

Taste brings bakers cacao building to raspberry torte as richer milk chocolate shades linger over the mid-palate; wispy oak accents a lingering espresso while sticky Port on the back end imparts fading raspberry on the finish.

Mouthfeel shows a medium-light body and a cloudy fluff of moderate-high carbonation, dispersing to creamy textures with a touch of grit through the mid-palate; a subtle roast/bitterness is cut by an encroaching tannic overlay on the back end, while a quiet twang eases through an oily finish.

Semi-dry tannins course through the stylistically classic sensory displays of bittersweet char with a more passive oak presence supplementing; an amplification of the RIS base with a massive Port-fruit overlay and the typically effortless Hill Farmstead presentation results.
Jun 09, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by HOPTOMIC_BOMB from California

May 20, 2022
 
Rated: 3.73 by Bhubbard34 from Pennsylvania

May 19, 2022
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Rated by NCSapiens from Indiana

4.02/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Small head and carbonation, but a nice port flavor, almost like drinking an actual port.
May 09, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by rodmanfor3 from Vermont

Apr 03, 2022
 
Rated: 4.31 by Chuckdiesel24 from Illinois

Mar 14, 2022
 
Rated: 5 by JeffNev from Nevada

Jan 20, 2022
Photo of Beersnake
Reviewed by Beersnake from California

4.08/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured at fridge temp, but allowed to warm over ~30 min. Pours black as night with slight brown head. No bubbles noticeable in the glass.

The nose is beautiful. A great mix of port and roasted malts. Chocolate, raspberries, red grapes, and maybe a bit of cherries. Very fruit forward, which is obviously a result of the port barrel aging. Can't wait to try this one.

Taste follows the nose. Again, very fruit forward. However, some nice bitter roasted malts, oak, and black licorice as well. Quite sweet overall. The port barrels comes through a LOT. It's almost odd - I feel like I'm sipping on port! I think I would prefer a different barrel on this one. It's fine, but the sweetness is a bit much. Anyway, warming a little bit brings out notes of honey, raisins, brown sugar, and more charred wood.

Mouthfeel is medium to thick. Overall, a pretty solid stout. The port influence isn't my favorite, but it definitely is what it says it is!
Jan 17, 2022
 
Rated: 4.35 by PhineasMcClintock from Massachusetts

Oct 26, 2021
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Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.58/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Bottled on 12/12/19 batch.

This one pours a very dark black color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells like tobacco, roasted malt, dark fruit, raisin, dark chocolate, and oak.

This is a classic take on a port barrel aged stout. There's loads of dark fruit (raisin, black cherry, etc) and bittersweet tobacco, along with heavy but clean roast, a hit of oak spice, and dark chocolate. This is not something for pastry boiz.

This is medium bodied, clean, with no real booziness to it. It's quite drinkable for the style.

This is very intriguing and very complex, and one of the best uses of port barrel that I've ever had.
Aug 31, 2021
 
Rated: 4.68 by Hallertau from Wisconsin

Jul 28, 2021
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Reviewed by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Full beer review #1550.

500ml bottle poured into HF wine stem.

Per the bottle label- "bottle conditioning since 12/12/2019"

Appearance: black bodied beer with khaki colored head. The head is dense & creamy and has a lots of staying power. Heavy lacing on the side of the glass.

Smell: milk chocolate. Red fruit like cherries and raspberries. Port wine notes with ashen oak & light smoke.

Taste: "Extra dark" gourmet dark chocolates. Roasted malts and coffee. Earthy. Hint of milk chocolate sweetness. Lightly tart cherries and big juicy red raspberries notes; rich port wine with deep tannin's. Dry Leather; lightly charred dry oak barrel with a light smoke note. Complex layers that complement and balance each other so flawlessly. Earthy coffee, cocoa powder, and red wine all balance well together into the finish & aftertaste. This is really complex barrel aged stout.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied stout with the carbonation level on the lower end of medium. Impressive texture, its got such a creamy body. Lightly dry finish. Not a hint of 10.5% abv. No bite or heat to this stout at all.

Overall: My first experience of Damon; an experience I have waited for, for quite some time. Port barrel Damon is all about layers of rich flavors with an incredible texture. A stout that is both rich and savory, yet extremely well balanced through all the layers this stout keeps throwing at your palate that have such discernible flavors. It's a really classy stout. I have drank several Hill Farmstead stouts and they all have this trait in common... Based on the texture of the stout & balancing of flavors, I could tell you with utter confidence that Shaun Hill brewed/blended any stout he brewed in a blind stout tasting. This is his calling card and no one in the craft beer world can brew and blend stouts like Shawn does. Sure, I love my motor oil from Toppling Goliath and Side Projects... Yet I continue to have a strong affinity for the balance of flavors, layers of complexity, and just straight elegance that all the Hill Farmstead stouts I have drank truly embody. The finesse that Shaun Hill has for this beer style is dripping with raw talent.
Jul 15, 2021
Damon - Port Barrel Aged from Hill Farmstead Brewery
Beer rating: 95 out of 100 with 284 ratings