Maple Bacon Coffee Porter
Funky Buddha Brewery

 

Poured from bottle into tulip, good 2 plus finger dark tan head, good retention and lacing. Jet black in the glass. Big maple and smokey bacon on the nose coffee doesn't stand much of a chance. Taste goes way of roasted malt, coffee and slight smoke, with maple sweetness thru the middle. Good bitterness on the finish with residual maple and smokiness left on the palate.

This is my favorite beer. It really is unbelievable and you should definitely try it if you haven't. It appears to be seasonal as I have a hard time finding it.

 

Poured at 52°. Ruby brown body with clarity under tight khaki head; poor cap retention, no ring; some spots of lace with agitation; looks like opaque ruby-brown water. Strong maple nose; some smoke as beer warms. Sweet caramel malt and maple sugar; light smoky char; no coffee; maple candy finish. Thin watery feel; medium light body; no warmth from 6.4% abv; moderate minus carbonation. Overall a tasty take on a maple forward breakfast beer; the char almost tricks my brain into tasting bacon; did not get any coffee; on the thin side; otherwise a very good flavored porter.

2017 vintage

Carrying on with the Funky Buddha beers I recently got, I’m running through the entire series of Maple Bacon Coffee Porter. That includes this beer, the imperial version of it, and the barrel aged version of it. These have been long time wants of mine (among ny first logged on BA), and I’m very excited to start off with this one, the 2nd highest rated American Porter on BA

Pours almost completely pitch black with a finger of light tan head that slowly fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

Wow, this is an incredibly aromatic beer, just so much maple and coffee. I’m picking up on aromas of sweet maple, medium roast coffee, cocoa powder, vanilla bean, smoky bacon, honey, and light caramel

It’s definitely dropped off a bit in taste from where I’m sure it was in its prime, but I’m still digging it. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting light roast coffee, salty bacon, dark bread, milk chocolate, caramel, light maple, and a touch of raisin. The swallow brings notes of smoky bacon, milk chocolate, medium roast coffee, burnt caramel, vanilla, and roasted peanut

A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a smooth yet sharp beer. Finishes a tad sticky at first, but the smokiness dries it out like hell over time

This one is absolutely wild. The bacon does more than I would’ve expected, but it can be a bit overpowering. I’m interested to see if the higher abv of the imperial version allows the flavors to integrate better

 

This porter looks lighter than it would taste. The maple and bacon flavor is pretty strong which makes it unique. Reminds me of a much lighter and smoother version of Founders CBS, but with no bourbon and much easier drink. Really want to get my hands on the imperial version of this!

 

 

Smells heavenly, like a refined haute take on a simple breakfast dish brewed in a can. The bacon is there as a salty after note, while the maple is done nicely and is not overwhelming. Dark black and carbonated with a tan dissipating head. As it warms up in a glass the bacon becomes more pronounced almost like spam in a can. It’s good, though I’m not sure where the line is between ingredients brewed into the beer and simply added like a soda. Either way it's a very enjoyable beer. Drank fresh from bottles in Florida.

Look: Like Coca-Cola. Mostly black with some dark amber highlights against a light. Thick foam head.
Smell: Immediate blast of maple syrup. Pleasantly sweet. Followed by vanilla. A boozy kick on the nose. Slight caramel.
I am not detecting bacon.
Feel: Very smooth porter. Light/Medium body.
Taste: Up front I get a smokey, roasted malt flavor. Then a nice taste of vanilla. The maple shines most in the smell more than the actual taste of the porter. I am still not really getting any hint of bacon but otherwise implied with the smokey taste and possibly a good pairing for a breakfast platter with bacon. Beer tastes like a mild, sweet vanilla-coffee porter as it warms up yet still retaining that strong taste of cold brew and roasted malt.
Overall: A nice porter for the sweet-tooths like myself. Can't go wrong with maple syrup and coffee!

12 oz bottle poured into a tulip

A- Black with a two finger tan head

S- Coffee, maple, dark chocolate, just enough smoke/bacon.

T- Coffee, dark chocolate, some smoke, maple, slightly earthy, touch of toffee, very well balanced.

M- Smooth, medium body.

O- Very well balanced and easy to drink. I remember tons of hype around this when it was first released and all these years later this is still a beer worth hyping.

 

L - Dark brown with a frothy mocha head.
S - Maple, coffee and dark roasted malt.
T - Maple, coffee, dark roasted malt.
F - Medium bodied.
O - What you would expect from the name of this beer. I am sure that this was revolutionaly when initially released. I bought this the first time that I saw it this week. Its a great beer. Very well crafted

 

 

 

 

 

Review #76, was ok..wasn't getting much bacon flavor and was watery.

Excellent porter! It is delicious and highly recommended. Definitely maple, vanilla and coffee, but not getting the bacon. It may be there, but not up front. I lean towards Imperial porters, but fully enjoyed this!

Chocolate brown with a rimming crust of creamy taupe foam; dark roast coffee, demerara sugar, hints of wood smoke + dried meat; fig, chocolate ganache, coffee grounds, Grade A Medium maple syrup, hints of blueberry + pecan pine, a thread of Texas BBQ pork with a dry roasty finish; medium to full, creamy, dead smooth, mild fizz.

4.25 4.75 4.25 4 4.5

The nose is just insane: a sting of acidic French roast, wave upon wave of sticky, darker maple syrup that almost hints of bark and an undercurrent of smokehouse pork.
That carries through to the taste, which is a delicate balance between the three named flavours, decorated with bits of cocoa and honey roasted almonds and other tasty treats.
The maple is huge and genuine and constantly threatens to cloy but is always pulled back by the acidic coffee + woody bacon - it’s a lovely dance to behold.
What’s absolutely crushing it here is that this is a regular strength porter: the body might be a bit heavy for that, but it’s definitely sweeter and less roasty than a stout, so it’s just plum crazy that this intensity of flavor comes at this ABV.
If I have a quibble, this should be called Maple Coffee - the bacon is definitely in third place. Then again, that savoury meatiness peaking through occasionally adds a depth that brings this from very good to excellent.

An easy sipper and a luxuriant classic.

 

**
07/19/21

Bottle to rocks glass.

LOOK: cola black/brown color, minimal tan head, poor retention. Looks thick for porter.

AROMA: maple bacon heaven, smokey and sweet, every bit as perfect as the Wide Awake imperial version.

TASTE: mild roasted barley upfront, maple kicks in next with bitterness and some li geri g sweetness. Smokey bacon flavors never really "hit" but end up lingering in the background more as you sip through.

FEEL: thinner body than expected. A true porter and not tbe stout-porter mix that the appearance may have suggested. Hypothesis is tbat the maple syrup tamps down carbonation and head, but doesn't really thicken the body.

Very nice. Comparing to memory of Wide Awake, this is right there with Aroma, but falls shorter almost everywhere else. Guessing the imperial porter treatment allowed for more body and hence more melding and retention of flavors.

This one is still outstanding in its own right, and even more impressive considering it seems to be pretty available in South Florida.


**

 

Bought in Tampa, FL. Poured from the 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: The beer is a cloudy cola brown with a dark tan frothy head of 2-3 fingers with good retention.

S: Smells like dessert. Heavy on the maple as if smelling a bottle of syrup. Bacon is of the candied sort and is just a light note in the nose. There is more cinnamon and a slightly roasted character. Vanilla, caramel. Biscuits or pancakes or pie crust. Like the smell of an IHOP when you open the door. A really good smelling beer, noticeable from a distance.

T: Actually a strong smoked malt character comes out in front. The coffee really leads this, more like a vanilla latte than a roasted black coffee which was interesting. Then some smoked meat comes in, the idea of the bacon creeping in at the edges. It really comes in layers - next is the maple, like a side of pancakes, and a buttery malty character behind. For as strong as the maple was in the nose, this actually was lighter on the sweetness which was a pleasant surprise, and it's not at all cloying.

F: The weakest aspect of the beer is it can be called that. A bit lighter feeling, but still coating.

Overall: This is a really elevated porter. Drinkable yet unique. Dessert but not cloying. I'll definitely get this again if I see it.

 

I received 2 bottles from @roguer in the NBS BIF #13. Poured into a stout glass at 54 degrees. It pours nearly ink black with a half finger of creamy, light mocha-colored head and a generous sheen of creamy lacing. Its fragrant nose features roasted malt, maple syrup, toffee, freshly-brewed coffee, and a whiff of molasses. Oh. wow! It's like eating pancakes with maple syrup and drinking a good cup of coffee in a favorite diner. It's nutty and roasty and the coffee provides an acidic bitterness that balances the sweetness of the maple syrup. There are notes of toffee, fudge, tobacco, and earthy char. There's no real taste of bacon but the depth of the flavors trigger the imagination. What's truly amazing is the mouth feel. For a 6.4% Porter the mouth feel is amazingly thick and creamy. It's like drinking an imperial stout. It's moderately carbonated and really drinks easily. Overall, I now understand why so many BAs love this Porter. It causes sensory overload. Just superb!

 

 

Mar 2021 Siesta Key Spring Break
12oz bottle poured into tall water tumbler.

Pour: rich brown, huge 2-3 finger foamy tan head. Lots of lacing and clouds. Very nice looking. 4.5

Nose: coffee, maple, chocolate. Fragrant, nothing overpowering. 4.0

Taste: big coffee, maple, chocolate fudge, hint of salt, I think. Bitterness from the coffee and/or hops compliments the maple sweetness. Some caramel, stone fruit notes. Not sure I got much smokiness but maybe mixed eight the previously mentioned bitterness. Complex, but not overdone, well balanced. Delicious. 4.75

Feel: not stout thick, but thicker than typical Porter. Velvety smooth, moderate carbonation. Super easy drinking. 4.5

Overall: really good, absolutely worth trying if you have any interest in the style. Going to try and get back to the store and buy another one or two to take home. 4.5 but could be 4.75

Deep, dark brown body; huge dense and creamy light khaki head. Immense smell composed of maple syrup, molasses, caramel; a smidge of coffee. The taste amplifies the smell; maple syrup and caramel (again); very mild bourbon note; a touch of coffee bitterness; very sweet overall. Heavy body; thick and oily; lots of residual sugar heft.

Despite the maple, bacon, and coffee adjuncts, the brown ale parentage is quite evident. Perhaps more like an English brown ale (low hop bitterness) / American brown ale (all the adjuncts) hybrid. Call it what you will, this is one amazingly complex and balanced barrel aged dark beers out there.

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Late note (05/17/21) - bumped the taste up to 4.75 from 4.5 with my second bottle today...

 

Pours dark brown. 1 finger tan head. Head retention is very good. No lacing on the glass.
The nose hit me hard. Some smoke, chocolate, caramel, and vanilla.
Taste - Vanilla hits me hard up front, that mellows out on the back with the caramel, chocolate, and smoke flavor. There's also a hint of coffee here.
Smooth, creamy, full bodied.
Damn! This is worth the hype!