Damn Dirty Ape
Greenbush Brewing Company

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From:
Greenbush Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
Imperial Porter
Ranked #177
ABV:
10.3%
Score:
85
Ranked #21,844
Avg:
3.73 | pDev: 10.72%
Reviews:
2
Ratings:
21
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 19, 2022
Added:
May 14, 2013
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  0
SCORE
85
Very Good
Notes: Brewed with bananas. walnuts and spices
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by tectactoe:
Photo of tectactoe
Reviewed by tectactoe from Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
On tap from Ashley's in Westland for the Shorts vs. Greenbush Throwdown. This was the one I was really excited for from Greenbush - "banana porter" sounds so delicious in my mind. To my confusion, the beer I was handed was the swampiest, murkiest shade of brown I've ever seen, like greasy mud, with a frothy, khaki-colored foam cap. Looks nothing like any "porter" I've ever seen - I actually thought they may have given me the wrong beer.

I take a whiff and it smells like hefeweizen yeast - it's got your standard aromas of some bubblegum, spice, clove, and of course, banana. So I see how this is now. They're using hefe yeast, which comes with naturally banana-flavored esters, and they're gonna call it a "banana" beer. Actually, a banana "porter". Seems like a cop-out. They could have just as easily called this "Bubble-Yum" porter. And by the way, Greenbush - this is NOT a porter.

The taste is nothing like a porter, either. It's actually stuck in some strange limbo between a double-hefeweizen and a Belgian strong ale. Of course, the yeast shines through with more rotten, somewhat sweet banana, bubblegum, and clove. Other spices seem present, but the only thing I can really gather is maybe cinnamon. A dry funky element makes itself known about halfway through and carries out into the finish. The more I drink, the less it tastes like a porter.

The aftertaste has a decent amount of nuts and a faint, wood-like funk with a strange dryness. The mouth feel is that of a dubbel or trippel - effervescent and light, it seems to evaporate as it hits your palate, mostly thanks to the very high level of carbonation. It's fairly medium bodied and leaves a bit to be desired upon swallowing. Certainly not as full as you'd expect for a "porter".

You can clearly tell that I'm upset, here. Mainly because Greenbush used hefeweizen yeast and called their beer a "banana" beer. Not only that, they somehow had the audacity to call it a porter, when it's nowhere close. I've had brown ales that were closer to porters than this. This would pass as some kind of dunkelweizen or Belgian strong or something else. But not a porter. And not a "banana" porter. Not a bad beer by any stretch, but I was completely let down based upon what I was expecting. For shame, Greenbush, for shame.
May 14, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.61 by blissfulNemo from Michigan

Jul 19, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by RAFH from Michigan

Dec 02, 2017
Photo of stortore
Reviewed by stortore from Illinois

3.97/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle into a weizen glass. Bottled 11/16/16, had 12/17/16. Thought this was a Dunkelweizen, not a porter.

Pours a hazy copper color, with a one and a half inch head and a fair amount of soapy lacing. Smells of caramel, malt, yeast. Get the walnuts more as it warms, and also a hint of banana, when warmed. Kind of expected more banana... The taste is malt, caramel, less walnuts than the nose, a restrained general spiciness, light yeast, and again, a hint of banana. Very smooth, especially with the high ABV for the style, creamy, a solid body, well carbonated.

Liked this more than I thought I would. Good flavor and feel, lots of good caramel and malt, the nose had less banana than a typical Dunkel, which was odd. Worth a purchase of a few bottles.
May 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.63 by Cotton_27 from Michigan

Jul 11, 2016
 
Rated: 3.86 by BLZR from Michigan

Jun 20, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by 2beerdogs from California

Jun 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.6 by BeerOps from Illinois

Jun 16, 2016
 
Rated: 4.21 by 1jstafan from Indiana

Apr 23, 2015
 
Rated: 4.34 by BDeibs from Colorado

Mar 27, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by TypsiYpsi from Michigan

Jun 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Williaar from Colorado

May 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by mgroothuis from Michigan

Apr 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by vinnyg76 from Indiana

Apr 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Filabee from Michigan

Apr 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Morakaton from Michigan

Nov 19, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by Kaveman from Illinois

Aug 25, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by Zuidman from Illinois

Jul 21, 2013
 
Rated: 2.75 by JasonR1975 from Michigan

Jun 20, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by anticipation23 from Wisconsin

Jun 17, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by CanisMajor from Indiana

Jun 14, 2013
Damn Dirty Ape from Greenbush Brewing Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 21 ratings