Cthulhu The Dread
Reaver Beach Brewing Company

 

 

Bottle shared at Mike's thanks!
Inky black color with a decent sized bubbly tan head that persists. Strong warming alcohol with bits of roast and chocolate. Pretty nice sipper.

 

 

 

Had a sample at a beer fest. Best thing I can say is there would be no way to tell how boozy this is - the 14% is hidden incredibly well.

It is blacker than black.

Little to no head formed or retained.

I picked up a bit of standard porter chocolate on the nose but not much else.

Flavor on this was way softer than expected. Incredibly nice. Impossible to believe this is as high in alcohol as it is. It is sweet and very rich. The port seems to mute all the other profiles a bit which isn't a bad thing. I'd definitely seek out and have this again.

Burn on the tongue. Strong port vanilla and coffee. 14% does not hurt. Much like this breweries other beers the alcohol is well masked. THis is a unique beer and a definite must have.

Just sampled this while on vacation. Tremendous beer; absolutely loved it out of the flight of all 8 of Reaver's beers. Clayrock & montman's reviews are accurate regarding the delicious coffee, cocoa, and vanilla bean notes on top of the port wine barrel presence. The lactose adds a nice, smooth & creamy mouthfeel. Very surprisingly, the 14% ABV is not too hot and heavy. Honestly, this is one of the best beers I've had.

 

 

They list this as an imperial milk porter aged in port barrels with coffee, cocoa, and vanilla beans. It sounds like a lot and it definitely delivers. The port is subtle but all the other flavors come through, and blend together well. I hope to see this one again regularly.

Full disclosure: the beer is listed as an Imperial Milk Porter by the brewery. Since this style is not on BA, I picked the closest thing to it going by beer itself. Poured a black body with two finger khaki head that goes quick, no lace, and beer has an aroma that is woody, lactic, has vanilla sweetness with hints of bitter chocolate and there are also notes of figs/plums (the port wine aspect since this beer is aged in port wine barrels). Overall, I found the beer to be heavy bodied and a slow sipper but thankfully the ABV and port wine barrel aspects don't make beer too heavy or give off any medicinal/alcohol burn notes (you will notice the booze here and there, though). Flavors include vanilla, cocoa, wood, hints of dark fruits, with the beer being summed up as a sweet vanilla milk beer with some heft to it. Interesting beer and is worth trying.