Barn Dog
Winding Path Brewing Co / Wyndridge Farm Brewing

 

A very nice pour empties the contents of a pint can into a clear glass liter mug. The color is the typical black coffee brown of a good porter. The overly generous head is in that light tan/dark biege range, so let's go with tan. There's enough roasted barley, chocolate and vanilla to smell, so you know this won't be a misleading label. But, they're more pronounced to the nose than to the taste buds. That doesn't make it bad, having only subtle inclusions of those flavors. A porter with roasted barley as its main flavor is not a porter with a problem. Overall, this drinks cleanly. Like many in its style, it's a little lighter in body than a stout, but this is just as fully flavored as most. Despite an enduring head, the glass lacing is erratic. If you want to advertise chocolate and vanilla flavor additions, it wouldn't hurt that they could actually be tasted. But, this isn't broken and needs no fixing as a stand alone porter. Even if the additional flavors are difficult to find, they must contribute in a positive way. One thing they don't do that's a positive, is make this sweet. There's much more flavor from the roasted barley, especially the good bite during the finish. Don't expect a desert beer, just a good porter.

 

Poured from 12-ounce can into a snifter. The deep chocolate-brown body with its cola-colored highlights and pillowy tan head makes for quite an attractive pour. Aromas and flavors of dark roasted malt, licorice, and molasses up front, with notes of vanilla and dark chocolate that intensify at cellar temperature. Good carbonation, medium mouthfeel, and quite a bit of char. Also a good bit of alcohol warmth as the beer warms from fridge temp. Dry finish, with hints of char and tart apple lingering on the palate. Overall, this is a very good brew (and worthy of my finest little artisan snifter!).

12 oz can, purchased in Huntsville, AL.
I misread the can date when I bought it back in January of this year. Turns out this was canned 11/5/18, not '19 as I had originally thought. Keep that in mind. Got some age on this one.

Pours a thin brown color which forms into a thick darker brown-black body with a creamy beige head of 1/2 finger and stays creamy and firm. Nice creamy layer on top.

Aroma is as advertised with copious amounts of vanilla and dry cocoa, with a fantastic balance of roasted malt and sweet malt.

Flavor brings roasted malt, caramel malt, caramel, dry cocoa, and vanilla bean scrapings. Slight molasses and cola. It's not too sweet nor too bitter. Very balanced.

Feel is creamy and smooth, with slight slickness, a piercing busy carbonation, and a drying roasty finish. Alcohol is nearly imperceptible. Slightly thin.

Overall, a very solid imperial porter and I was expecting way less than what I got here. Dare I say this is a great study on what an imperial porter with adjuncts should be, it's just damn straight enjoyable.

Price paid : $2.29 / can
Would buy again : it's likely

L: Small head with a little lace. Carbonation at the bottom of the glass
S: Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Vanilla Bean. As advertised
M: Biting bitter at first, very dry wash
T: Very boozy. Powdered chocolate. Vanilla bean flavor overpowers
O: Exactly what I thought it would be. It has a nice porter texture but the vanilla bean makes it a little fake tasting and really strong.

Thin tan head, dissipates swiftly, wisps of lacing. Black liquid and for its opacity you can see a lot of particulate floating inside, bubbles most visible as they break the surface. Milk chocolate to German chocolate cake fueled nose, licorice, toffee, creamy nostril texture, suggestion of plum fruit but that’s it. Medium-bodied, carbonation sparkles during mouth entry and then gone. Overall dryness firms it up as well as creates a mix of softer milk chocolate with more bitter dark chocolate. Here you get a touch of coffee roast. Challah bread, molasses, cola bean to vanilla bean. None of this is exaggerated and the parts fit together well. Towards the maybe some orange peel, not getting much fruit presence on the palate. Succinct finish. Excellent drinkability and has enough flavor to stand on its own or pair with a variety of medium bodied or intensity dishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First beer from Wyndridge.
a) Cellar temp this pours a lighter brown with an abrupt tan head, that settles fast but slashes lace round the snifter.
s) Roasted malt, charred wood, over which cocoa, vanilla, malted milk, powdery candies stir - pleasant.
t) ALL the aromas but in a bigger package. Vanilla and cocoa prevail, but balanced and not overly sweet.
f) Body is thinner than I'd like but its a soft texture with tingling carbonation. Finish is tangy not slick.
o) Works for me, malty fans apply.