Cafe Noir
Santa Maria Brewing Co. / Tap It Brewing Co.

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From:
Santa Maria Brewing Co. / Tap It Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
Imperial Porter
ABV:
9.3%
Score:
89
Avg:
4.01 | pDev: 12.72%
Reviews:
8
Ratings:
32
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 24, 2018
Added:
Mar 14, 2014
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  7
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by AgentMunky:
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Rated by AgentMunky from New York

4.25/5  rDev +6%

Jun 03, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.23 by SteveTheDog from Texas

Mar 24, 2018
 
Rated: 4.23 by goopy from California

Jan 28, 2018
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Reviewed by TruePerception from California

3.84/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Tap It's Cafe Noir, imperial coffee porter aged in Pinot Noir barrels. 9.3% ABV.

A: Over a finger of light tan head. Really dark brown, nearly black, in the glass. Hazy, dirty toffee color in the dimple. Solid lacing. Faint sheeting.

S: Dry wine notes of concentrated red grape and grape skin. Earthy, funky toffee/tree sap. Dirt. Dates. I was expecting the coffee aromas to be more prominent, but the Pinot and oak really shine through. A hint of roast and char in the way back.

T/MF: Very soft mouthfeel. The flavor is an odd conglomeration of sickly sweet tree sap, char, medium-light coffee, funk, grassy/leafy, a hint of Pinot grape, ash, and a faint edge of medicinal quality. Probably more. It's very complex. Not sure if it's a good thing. I would have preferred more dominant porter/stout characteristics. Considering coffee was added, it doesn't really come across as a porter. Slight chocolate cake note.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle, into a Belgian tulip glass.
Aug 06, 2016
Photo of BWood
Reviewed by BWood from California

2.63/5  rDev -34.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5
L: great khaki head that lingers

S: all wine barrel. No porter or malt.

T: again all wine barrel. Not what I wanted. I never read the bottle. Deschutes does this much better.

F: nothing good here.

O: drain pour.
Jul 10, 2016
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Rated by CraftBeerRunner from California

3.92/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Ben and nicks, Oakland CA, June 2016
Jun 19, 2016
 
Rated: 4.81 by Vylo from New Jersey

Apr 21, 2016
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Reviewed by ccg from Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle labeled 2014, opened in early March of 2016.
It a deep, murky brown. Minimal head dissipates quickly, leaving a seemingly permanent ring of tiny bubbles around the edge. Some nice, temporary lacing if you swirl it around or tilt it.
The smell is almost all chocolate and red wine, maybe figs and raisins. Not getting any coffee on the nose.
The flavor is similar. There is a clear red wine component with chocolate and figs. The coffee is subtle. If the bottle didn't mention the coffee component, I probably would not have known what it was, other that a general earthy/roastiness with a hint of bitterness, but that could be hops and roasted malt. The flavor is pretty mild overall.
It's moderately carbonated and somewhat light on the tongue.
I wish I could have tried this beer fresh. The pinot noir-barrel aging has held up nicely, but the coffee has definitely faded (I'm assuming it was stronger fresh). Still, it's a pleasant weekend afternoon sipper.
Mar 06, 2016
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Reviewed by Zorro from California

4.3/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
2015 Bottle.
Quoted from the Label:

"Café Noir

An imperial coffee porter, barrel-aged 8 months in pinot noir barrels from the California central coast then cold infused with a blend of locally roasted coffee hand-selected by Tap It’s brewing team, added just before bottling for the freshest of coffee flavors. We fermented this whack job of a beer at a slightly higher temperature to lend the warmth and mouthfeel of a Hot Toddy. With the seasonal temperature changes of the 8 months of barrel aging, we believe this imperial porter gained the nuances of old ale in some of its malt character and body."

Clear brown colored ale with a medium sized light brown colored head.

Smells Strongly of chocolate and grapes. Scents of plum and cherries. Coffee and black pepper in the ethanol fumes. Alcohol clearly detectable. Scent of Kahlua and white rum.

Starts out strongly roasted with the taste of wine. Coffee and chocolate with a wine tartness in the finish. Long lasting fruit after taste. Mildly sweet, a weird beer with lots of wine qualities. Abundant alcohol warmth in the stomach but in no way does this taste like the big beer it is, very smooth.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall one of those beers that is more than the sum of its parts. Exceedingly easy to drink. Seems about as strong as a Kona - Pipeline Porter when you are drinking a beer twice that strong
Nov 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.43 by Two40addict from California

Aug 26, 2015
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Rated by BasicUserAccount42

5/5  rDev +24.7%
Dark Carmel color, terrific nutty aroma. Full mouth feel with a rich bourbon flavor. Great beer all around.
Nov 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.94 by Canada_Dan from Colorado

Oct 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by gelasin from California

Oct 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by Mshea805 from California

Oct 05, 2014
Photo of riotontheroad
Reviewed by riotontheroad from California

4.43/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
the pinot barrels have an amazing effect on this beer! coffee gives way to wine, and finishes with an incredibly clean, dry oak flavor.
not what i was expecting with this beer, but i was pleasantly surprised.
Oct 03, 2014
 
 
Rated: 4.52 by battdan from California

Aug 21, 2014
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Reviewed by DPETRIILO79 from California

5/5  rDev +24.7%
Might be my favorite beer. Flavor is amazing. It's like drinking coffee that turns into Port. The flavors and layers of this beer seem to continually change as you sip it. I'm addicted.
Aug 19, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Swedgin from California

Jul 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by arcman001 from California

Jul 27, 2014
Cafe Noir from Santa Maria Brewing Co. / Tap It Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 32 ratings