Naughty & Spiced Porter | Russell Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Russell Brewing Company
British Columbia, Canada | website
Style: American Porter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.50%
Availability: Winter
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by Derek on 12-01-2012
Reviews: 12 | Ratings: 30
3.43/5 rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Black as coal, with a couple fingers of head the colour of chocolate milk, dissipating slowly leaving lacing behind down the sides of the glass.
S: Dark roasted malts, cocoa.
T: Like strong, bitter coffee. I'm not really tasting the spice. It's definitely not bad, but it doesn't seem to fit the bill.
F: Lingering bitter finish.
O: I'm not sure I'd buy this again.
★ 368 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Black as coal, with a couple fingers of head the colour of chocolate milk, dissipating slowly leaving lacing behind down the sides of the glass.
S: Dark roasted malts, cocoa.
T: Like strong, bitter coffee. I'm not really tasting the spice. It's definitely not bad, but it doesn't seem to fit the bill.
F: Lingering bitter finish.
O: I'm not sure I'd buy this again.
★ 368 characters
3.58/5 rDev -5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Naughty & Spiced has an attractive label but the beer itself is also sleek; this definitively black porter has a grey-ish tinted head that looks solid as marble and adds plenty of flair in the form of Jackson Pollock-like patterns of lace. Coal in your stocking - no good. Liquid coal in your glass - yes, please.
A 6.5% porter aged with oak chips, spices and vanilla beans sounds like a distinctive and bold offering. But it doesn't smell like one. Here's hoping things will change after it's had a chance to warm up a little (note: they don't really). How is this so subtly scented when it's made with such aromatic ingredients!?
I don't mean to imply that no spiciness is appreciable. It's somewhat noticeable. But to pick out individual notes of cinnamon, allspice, ginger or nutmeg is doubtful. Even the vanilla - typically a very conspicuous flavour - is mild, when tasted at all. Likewise, the oak chips are pretty much missed entirely.
So what's left? A pretty conventional, plain porter. There is barely enough roasted malt presence to evoke notes of coffee or dark chocolate. Spices, subtle though they may be, are the most impressionable part of the profile. A little more sweetness and I might be noting baked treats like gingerbread cookies.
I want to like Naughty & Spiced more than I do. It's an agreeable beer (owing mostly to its blandness) that will likely suit most people. Me, however, I cannot understand how the addition of oak chips, vanilla beans, and four dynamic spices didn't result in more flavour or distinction. Disappointing.
★ 1,564 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Naughty & Spiced has an attractive label but the beer itself is also sleek; this definitively black porter has a grey-ish tinted head that looks solid as marble and adds plenty of flair in the form of Jackson Pollock-like patterns of lace. Coal in your stocking - no good. Liquid coal in your glass - yes, please.
A 6.5% porter aged with oak chips, spices and vanilla beans sounds like a distinctive and bold offering. But it doesn't smell like one. Here's hoping things will change after it's had a chance to warm up a little (note: they don't really). How is this so subtly scented when it's made with such aromatic ingredients!?
I don't mean to imply that no spiciness is appreciable. It's somewhat noticeable. But to pick out individual notes of cinnamon, allspice, ginger or nutmeg is doubtful. Even the vanilla - typically a very conspicuous flavour - is mild, when tasted at all. Likewise, the oak chips are pretty much missed entirely.
So what's left? A pretty conventional, plain porter. There is barely enough roasted malt presence to evoke notes of coffee or dark chocolate. Spices, subtle though they may be, are the most impressionable part of the profile. A little more sweetness and I might be noting baked treats like gingerbread cookies.
I want to like Naughty & Spiced more than I do. It's an agreeable beer (owing mostly to its blandness) that will likely suit most people. Me, however, I cannot understand how the addition of oak chips, vanilla beans, and four dynamic spices didn't result in more flavour or distinction. Disappointing.
★ 1,564 characters
3.59/5 rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance - Pours a dark cola brown with two fingers of frothy tan head.
Smell - roasted malts, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, woodiness from oak barrels, hint of earthy hops.
Taste - Same as the aromas with the roasted malts starting it off followed by the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, slight woodiness from the oak barrel, and finishes with a hint of the earthy hops.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with light to moderate carbonation. Finishes with the lingering spices.
Overall - An easy drinking porter from Russell. The flavours could be more predominate in the taste, but otherwise nice to try another offering from this brewery.
★ 646 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance - Pours a dark cola brown with two fingers of frothy tan head.
Smell - roasted malts, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, woodiness from oak barrels, hint of earthy hops.
Taste - Same as the aromas with the roasted malts starting it off followed by the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, slight woodiness from the oak barrel, and finishes with a hint of the earthy hops.
Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with light to moderate carbonation. Finishes with the lingering spices.
Overall - An easy drinking porter from Russell. The flavours could be more predominate in the taste, but otherwise nice to try another offering from this brewery.
★ 646 characters
3.72/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
A: Deep, rich espresso black tinged with a red glow. Clear with no sign of sediment. Poured with 2-3 fingers of light tan soapy head with a good amount of lacing up the sides of the glass.
S: Very earthy, wet moss and oak with a solid espresso base and high notes of dried orange peel, nutmeg and cloves. Very reminiscent of Christmas spice cake.
T: The first noticeable taste is a rich oak earthiness, followed by acrid coffee and smooth vanilla. Dried cocoa flashes through mid-palate. Spicy notes of nutmeg and cloves are present with a slight bitterness on the finish.
M: Mouthfeel is on the lighter side for a porter, leaving no discernible aftertaste.
O: An attractive beer in the glass with great soapy head and lacing. The addition of oak chips is apparent and deepens the richness of both the smell and taste. A heavier, more present mouthfeel would transform this into a lush nightcap that I would seek out on a cold winter night.
★ 946 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
A: Deep, rich espresso black tinged with a red glow. Clear with no sign of sediment. Poured with 2-3 fingers of light tan soapy head with a good amount of lacing up the sides of the glass.
S: Very earthy, wet moss and oak with a solid espresso base and high notes of dried orange peel, nutmeg and cloves. Very reminiscent of Christmas spice cake.
T: The first noticeable taste is a rich oak earthiness, followed by acrid coffee and smooth vanilla. Dried cocoa flashes through mid-palate. Spicy notes of nutmeg and cloves are present with a slight bitterness on the finish.
M: Mouthfeel is on the lighter side for a porter, leaving no discernible aftertaste.
O: An attractive beer in the glass with great soapy head and lacing. The addition of oak chips is apparent and deepens the richness of both the smell and taste. A heavier, more present mouthfeel would transform this into a lush nightcap that I would seek out on a cold winter night.
★ 946 characters
3.74/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
650 ml bottle, gave a couple bottles away as Christmas gifts, but had to keep one for myself.
This beer is basically black, fluffy bubbles of beige foam. Head slowly fades, strings of laces all over glass.
Smell starts almost like a pumpkin ale, clove, and nutmeg, but then the porter qualities come through. Cocoa, caramel, coffee come out as it warms.
Medium body, dry finish. A bit sticky, not really smooth though.
Pretty decent, nothing bad, just not what I was expecting.
★ 481 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
650 ml bottle, gave a couple bottles away as Christmas gifts, but had to keep one for myself.
This beer is basically black, fluffy bubbles of beige foam. Head slowly fades, strings of laces all over glass.
Smell starts almost like a pumpkin ale, clove, and nutmeg, but then the porter qualities come through. Cocoa, caramel, coffee come out as it warms.
Medium body, dry finish. A bit sticky, not really smooth though.
Pretty decent, nothing bad, just not what I was expecting.
★ 481 characters
3.9/5 rDev +3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
Bottle shared by Jason, 650ml into a tulip.
Dark brown, deep red highlights. Khaki head, with a ring of retention and some film remains. Nose is lightly syrupy, smokey, light coffee/roast and a slight gingerbread character. Spices are prominent on the palate, more gingerbread spice notes and general "Christmas" spices. Didn't pick up too much on the advertised oak chips. Mouthfeel is thinner than I'd like, but this had some nice flavours all around.
★ 455 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
Bottle shared by Jason, 650ml into a tulip.
Dark brown, deep red highlights. Khaki head, with a ring of retention and some film remains. Nose is lightly syrupy, smokey, light coffee/roast and a slight gingerbread character. Spices are prominent on the palate, more gingerbread spice notes and general "Christmas" spices. Didn't pick up too much on the advertised oak chips. Mouthfeel is thinner than I'd like, but this had some nice flavours all around.
★ 455 characters
3.98/5 rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Russell Brewing 'Naughty & Spiced Porter' @ 6.5% , served from a couple of 650 ml bottles purchased for $6 each
A-pour is cola brown from the bottle to darker brown in the glass with a small tan head leaving a streaky lace along the pint
S-a certain sweet vanilla start with hints of nutmeg & clove spices in the background
T-sweet start especially cinnamon on the initial taste , the oak really comes thru on the swallow
MF-ok/good carbonation , medium to full body , the oak bitterness lingers on the palate
Ov-ok beer , decent American porter
prost LampertLand
★ 570 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Russell Brewing 'Naughty & Spiced Porter' @ 6.5% , served from a couple of 650 ml bottles purchased for $6 each
A-pour is cola brown from the bottle to darker brown in the glass with a small tan head leaving a streaky lace along the pint
S-a certain sweet vanilla start with hints of nutmeg & clove spices in the background
T-sweet start especially cinnamon on the initial taste , the oak really comes thru on the swallow
MF-ok/good carbonation , medium to full body , the oak bitterness lingers on the palate
Ov-ok beer , decent American porter
prost LampertLand
★ 570 characters
4.02/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A: Deep chestnut with a tan head, not much retention but it shows a bit of leg.
S: Smells more like pumpkin pie than many so-called pumpkin brews. Some nice espresso... a bit like a pumpkin latte.
T: Quite a bit of spice here, but it works (I was a little intimidated by the spicy aroma). Espresso, pumpkin pie, mocha, pumpernickel rye, solid bitterness, subtle alcohol warmth.
M: Moderate body is extremely smooth with a hint of roasted acidity and an off-dry finish.
O: They could easily sell this as a pumpkin porter. It all comes together well, but personally I'd prefer a lighter spicing...
Aside: Oh how I miss Black Oak's Nutcracker Porter... the spicing was there, but it was subtle, so you could barely discriminate the individual spices.
★ 754 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A: Deep chestnut with a tan head, not much retention but it shows a bit of leg.
S: Smells more like pumpkin pie than many so-called pumpkin brews. Some nice espresso... a bit like a pumpkin latte.
T: Quite a bit of spice here, but it works (I was a little intimidated by the spicy aroma). Espresso, pumpkin pie, mocha, pumpernickel rye, solid bitterness, subtle alcohol warmth.
M: Moderate body is extremely smooth with a hint of roasted acidity and an off-dry finish.
O: They could easily sell this as a pumpkin porter. It all comes together well, but personally I'd prefer a lighter spicing...
Aside: Oh how I miss Black Oak's Nutcracker Porter... the spicing was there, but it was subtle, so you could barely discriminate the individual spices.
★ 754 characters
4.1/5 rDev +8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
A: Slight tan head that dissipated quickly over cola coloured liquid.
S: Cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, toasted malt, and caramel malt.
T: Cinnamon, chocolate, nutmeg, vanilla, caramel, grass, pine and some peppermint.
M: Thin viscosity and a medium to low level of carbonation.
O: I liked the flavours in this porter, but other aspects of it were lacking somewhat.
★ 361 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
A: Slight tan head that dissipated quickly over cola coloured liquid.
S: Cinnamon, nutmeg, oak, toasted malt, and caramel malt.
T: Cinnamon, chocolate, nutmeg, vanilla, caramel, grass, pine and some peppermint.
M: Thin viscosity and a medium to low level of carbonation.
O: I liked the flavours in this porter, but other aspects of it were lacking somewhat.
★ 361 characters
4.33/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
As we dip into the Holiday season, I have been wanting to sink into a good brew to get me started. I've already had the GIB Winter Ale, which is a staple to anyone in B.C., and the Whistler Winter Ale, which is the hidden gem of winter ales in B.C.
However, I have yet to taste a 2013 version of a Winter Porter, until tonight. My girlfriend brought me the Russell Naughty & Spiced Porter (6.5% ABV; 30 IBU). She bought it out of the blue...because she knows my 3 favourite things, and beer is one of them.
I popped the bottle open, and poured into my glass, only to be initially saddened by a lack of head from the pour. Honestly, it looks like every other porter under the head. You can't see through the damn glass; that's a porter for you.
During the initial smell test, it smells like a black porter would, strong hints of roasted malts, and cocoa powder. However, the bottle says it's naughty and spiced. I could sniff a hint of something, but couldn't tell what it was.
As I took my first sip, I could immediately taste hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. It smelled like a little bit of the holidays thrown into a porter. The inital taste was surprisingly good. The texture and mouthfeel were calm and smooth. This brew is very drinkable, especially for being 6.5%.
What would I pair this with? A gingerbread cookie. Seriously.
My girlfriend's sister baked me a delicious assortment of baked goods, consisting of gingerbread cookies, among other things. The gingerbread cookie went so well with this beer. Having this beer without a gingerbread cookie would be like drinking rich hot chocolate without whipped cream.
If you get a chance this holiday season -- regardless of what you celebrate, this brew is a great addition to any stocking. If you're just in the mood for a brew, this will do, too!
The Russell Brewing Co. Naughty & Spiced Porter gets a silky, smooth, and spiced 4.25 / 5
★ 1,898 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
As we dip into the Holiday season, I have been wanting to sink into a good brew to get me started. I've already had the GIB Winter Ale, which is a staple to anyone in B.C., and the Whistler Winter Ale, which is the hidden gem of winter ales in B.C.
However, I have yet to taste a 2013 version of a Winter Porter, until tonight. My girlfriend brought me the Russell Naughty & Spiced Porter (6.5% ABV; 30 IBU). She bought it out of the blue...because she knows my 3 favourite things, and beer is one of them.
I popped the bottle open, and poured into my glass, only to be initially saddened by a lack of head from the pour. Honestly, it looks like every other porter under the head. You can't see through the damn glass; that's a porter for you.
During the initial smell test, it smells like a black porter would, strong hints of roasted malts, and cocoa powder. However, the bottle says it's naughty and spiced. I could sniff a hint of something, but couldn't tell what it was.
As I took my first sip, I could immediately taste hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. It smelled like a little bit of the holidays thrown into a porter. The inital taste was surprisingly good. The texture and mouthfeel were calm and smooth. This brew is very drinkable, especially for being 6.5%.
What would I pair this with? A gingerbread cookie. Seriously.
My girlfriend's sister baked me a delicious assortment of baked goods, consisting of gingerbread cookies, among other things. The gingerbread cookie went so well with this beer. Having this beer without a gingerbread cookie would be like drinking rich hot chocolate without whipped cream.
If you get a chance this holiday season -- regardless of what you celebrate, this brew is a great addition to any stocking. If you're just in the mood for a brew, this will do, too!
The Russell Brewing Co. Naughty & Spiced Porter gets a silky, smooth, and spiced 4.25 / 5
★ 1,898 characters
4.42/5 rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 650ml bottle. Pours a red-tinged brown with a nice tannish head. The smell is amazing: macerated fruit, plums, brown sugar, chocolate, malt, spices. Definitely smells like like holiday sweets! Taste offers up an equally complex combo of flavours that are well integrated nutty, fruity (raisin), chocolate, coffee and the hint of holiday spice. A little sweetness, but the nice bitter finish balances it all out. Great winter brew.
★ 444 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 650ml bottle. Pours a red-tinged brown with a nice tannish head. The smell is amazing: macerated fruit, plums, brown sugar, chocolate, malt, spices. Definitely smells like like holiday sweets! Taste offers up an equally complex combo of flavours that are well integrated nutty, fruity (raisin), chocolate, coffee and the hint of holiday spice. A little sweetness, but the nice bitter finish balances it all out. Great winter brew.
★ 444 characters
Naughty & Spiced Porter from Russell Brewing Company
3.78
out of 5
based on 30 ratings.
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
650ml bottle - not entirely sure that this is supposed to be different from Fort Garry's version from a few years back. Whatevs, it's brewed at a different location, so ho ho ho it is.
This beer pours a solid near-black, with thorough cola highlights, and two chubby fingers of puffy, rocky, and rather bubbly beige head, which leaves some stellar cobwebbed lace around the glass as it slowly ebbs away.
It smells of sharply metallic ginger, clove, and nutmeg spice, a husky men's deodorant muskiness (for reals, and not in a particularly bad way, either), bittersweet cocoa powder, bready caramel malt, ethereal cheap wooden notes, and muddled boozy vanilla. The taste is still big on the overwrought seasonal spices - clove and nutmeg smacking me over the palate, in the manner of walking too near a trendy coffee shop right now - semi-sweet grainy caramel malt, subdued crackery toffee, chalky mocha, dry vanilla-tinted wood chips, and a lurking alcohol astringency.
The bubbles are held pretty tight to the virtual chest (and more validly, the palate) in their peppy fizziness, the body just a tad on the lee side of medium weight, and a bit too acrid to be deemed particularly smooth. It finishes dry and metallic, like that time when you were too drunk on St. Patty's Day to realize how much spice you were giving the stew (and how much wood you were giving the missus, amirite?).
Yeah, this isn't all that, to use a pithy phrase, as the spice, wood, and maybe even the vanilla, are employed with little thought given to blending and harmony, concepts I thought had a lot of mileage right about this time of year. Anyway, anything porter-like gets lost in the mire, the same one that gives numerous Christmas-themed offerings a bit of a bad name - not all, but they should know who they are.
★ 1,805 characters