Draken Robust Porter
Kelsen Brewing Company

Draken Robust PorterDraken Robust Porter
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From:
Kelsen Brewing Company
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
Robust Porter
Ranked #4
ABV:
6.8%
Score:
93
Ranked #3,542
Avg:
4.2 | pDev: 8.33%
Reviews:
27
Ratings:
102
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 31, 2022
Added:
Aug 31, 2014
Wants:
  9
Gots:
  29
Big, malty and dark, Draken Robust porter exudes a roasty aroma from its tan head. You’ll taste a complex and rich chocolate and caramel malt character followed by a touch of warmth and light malt sweetness. Draken has subtle flavors of raisins and dark fruits and a touch of hop bitterness to balance the flavor on the palate. Despite its dark appearance, the beer is medium-bodied with a wonderful mouthfeel that allows the rich flavors to linger on your tongue just long enough to last until the next sip.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by 4DAloveofSTOUT:
Photo of 4DAloveofSTOUT
Reviewed by 4DAloveofSTOUT from Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
22 fl oz bottle sealed with gold pressure cap. bottle # 14607494

poured into HF wine stem.

Appearance: Black body with 3 fingers tall head from a moderate pour. The head has great staying power and leaves ample lacing on the glass.

Smell: Nice big roasty malt aroma. Smoke, light dark fruits, and chocolates with a light earthy hop presence.

Taste: Moderately bitter roasted malt balanced with a nice chocolate sweetness and hint of smoke. Earthy hop that is fairly light, but easily detectable. Finish has a nice lingering roasty malt profile.

Mouthfeel: medium body with moderate carbonation levels. Fairly creamy carbonation, but also has a very light dry finish. No booze what-so-ever. Well made porter and it shows with the texture of this porter.

Overall: This is a fantastic and world class Robust Porter. Draken is almost as good as HF Everett. It falls just a little short of Everett in the complexity of the flavor profile and the mouthfeel isn't quite as dialed in as Everett. Though with all that said...this is the second best porter that I have ever drank. Extremely well crafted robust porter that is no frills and is seriously awesome.
Dec 01, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3 by LAM01833 from Massachusetts

Jul 31, 2022
 
Rated: 3.84 by lakewy17 from New Hampshire

Jan 21, 2022
Photo of Sludgeman
Reviewed by Sludgeman from District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Served in a plastic solo cup.

O - Come just for this beer. Almost a RIS but not. Tastes like a much stronger ABV beer with its great body, richness, and alcohol but not hot flavor. 4.5

A - Pours a opaque black with a creamy one finger light brown head. 4.5

S - Aromas of roasted malts with just a faintness of dried fruit. 3.75

T - Toasted malts, slight sweetness, with a good almost burnt bitterness in the finish 4.75

MF - Great MF, medium heavy body, smooth, with a slightly dry and bitter finish. 4.75
Dec 04, 2021
Photo of jlindros
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts

4.29/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Draft at the brewery
Big creamy dense tan head with good retention and soapy lacing, very dark brown black color

Nose roasted malt but tamed with smokey character, little chocolate and coffee, fruity almost like cherry wood or raisin, fair fruity smoke

Taste dark roasty malts but again tamed, hint if smoke, dark chocolate and bakers, cocoa, some bitterness from roast and spicy hops, a bit fruity again, dark fruits like dried cherry or raisin, dry bitter spicy hop finish

Mouth is med to fuller bod, med frothy carb

Overall an interesting take, d definitely a good robust porter, the smokey and fruity aspect plays well
Sep 10, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by atlbravsrno1 from Maine

Aug 20, 2021
 
Rated: 4.14 by Mickt465 from New Hampshire

Feb 24, 2019
Photo of NotAlcoholicJustAHobby
Reviewed by NotAlcoholicJustAHobby from Vermont

4.34/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned 11/06/2018

L-The beer pours a glossy black with a 2 finger mocha head. The head recedes to a thin ring with central island leaving minimal lacing
S-First to my nose is the bitter black malt. Following behind this is a bit of dark chocolate and light roast.
T- The taste is nice blend of the malt with some dark chocolate which shows itself a little more here than on the nose. Light roast is present and pleasant even for this non coffee drinker. The flavors mix around with each other and I'm able to find each of them with little effort all throughout the sip.
F-Mouthfeel overall is on the lighter side of medium. Carbonation is light. Finish isn't quite what I would describe as dry, but I find myself returning for further sips as I'm trying to type this review.
O- This is one of the best porters I've had. Up there with my other favorite Black Butte. Highly recommended.
Feb 10, 2019
 
Rated: 4.25 by Pippuri from New Hampshire

Dec 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.21 by KMcGrath from Massachusetts

Dec 03, 2018
Photo of dainsleif
Reviewed by dainsleif from New Hampshire

4.31/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
On draft right the keg had been tapped. Great aroma, great taste. Had worked up a thirst after yardwork, and it really hit the spot. Creamy taste to it, an all around excellent porter. Filled a growler to enjoy that evening.
Nov 27, 2018
Photo of sulldaddy
Reviewed by sulldaddy from Connecticut

4.48/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
Sampling a cellar temp 16 oz can poured into a snifter. The beer pours a rich chocolate brown color that is fairly clear and produces a creamy tan head of 3 .5 cm that slowly fades to a sturdy surface layer. This sticks around for the entire sampling and makes for a fine looking beer. The aroma is roasted malt and some dark chocolate with just a bit of sweet brown sugar. All malt with no hop presence or scent to be found here. I also dont detect any booze on the nose.
The first sip reveals an average body with fine and slightly spacious carbonation. The texture is fairly crisp up front and lingers with some stickiness on the swallow. Very easy drinking physical traits on this brew.
Flavor is rich chocolate malt sweetness up front and then some roasted notes that linger a bit on the finish. The finish also dries out my palate making me thirsty for the next sip. I also get no hops nor booze at any point on the flavor profile here.
This is a malt forward very drinkable brew. Im glad to have tried it and Im starting to think that Kelsen is one hell of a solid brewery. Next time in New Hampshire, Im gonna have to get a visit to them on the agenda.
Sep 17, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by Michaelhornwilson from Massachusetts

Jun 19, 2018
 
Rated: 4.27 by CharlesK from Pennsylvania

May 22, 2018
 
Rated: 4.17 by meatyard from Florida

May 05, 2018
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
I have to admit that I had not heard of either this brewery, or by extension, their beers, but we recently got distribution of their CANs & so I was quick to snap one up for The CANQuest (tm).

From the CAN: "Brewed and Packaged in Londonderry, NH".

I Crack!ed open yet another massive 16-fl. oz. craft CAN & CANmenced a slow, gentle Glug into the awaiting glass. Once it was sufficiently deCANted, an in-glass swirl raised two-plus fingers of dense, foamy, rocky, deep-brown head with moderate retention, slowly falling to wisps with light lacing left behind. Color was Black/Opaque (SRM = 44), allowing cola highlights only at the edges. Nose was very roasty with lots of dark chocolate, light charcoal, moderate treacle and burnt caramel in the mix. Mouthfeel was medium. The taste remained very roasty and quite chocolaty, but not necessarily as intense as dark or bittersweet chocolate, more towards baker's chocolate, like chocolate chips. Along with the roasty smokiness, there was also the taste of raisins & prunes as well as treacle. When they identified it as "Robust", they weren't kidding. Finish was dry, but very easy-drinking. I put away easily half of the CANtents while I typed this review. A very nice American Porter that edged up on being a Dry Stout while remaining in the style.
May 03, 2018
 
Rated: 3.99 by madelf66 from Pennsylvania

Apr 26, 2018
 
Rated: 4.12 by Wizzle32 from Pennsylvania

Apr 13, 2018
 
Rated: 4.17 by Wheels2532 from Pennsylvania

Apr 13, 2018
 
Rated: 3.89 by hozersr from Pennsylvania

Apr 13, 2018
Draken Robust Porter from Kelsen Brewing Company
Beer rating: 93 out of 100 with 102 ratings