Black Jack Porter | Left Hand Brewing Company




Brewed by:
Left Hand Brewing Company
Colorado, United States
lefthandbrewing.com
Style: English Porter
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.80%
Availability: Year-round
Notes / Commercial Description:
Slight malt Sweetness with notes of dark chocolate, espresso and herbal hops.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 08-16-2001
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 1,399 | Reviews: 525
3.83/5 rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Looks: Dark brown, mahogany up to the light. Half a finger of lingering tan head that leaves some decent looking lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malt, earthy, chocolate, dark roasted coffee. Smells good.
Taste: Dark roasted malts, sweet dark chocolate in the middle, dark bread, very nice dark coffee that lingers on the finish. earthy.
Feel: About average carbonation, slick at first, but, dry on the finish, and medium thin body.
Overall: Just enough sweetness to go with that nice dark coffee quality. Pretty good brew.
513 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Looks: Dark brown, mahogany up to the light. Half a finger of lingering tan head that leaves some decent looking lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malt, earthy, chocolate, dark roasted coffee. Smells good.
Taste: Dark roasted malts, sweet dark chocolate in the middle, dark bread, very nice dark coffee that lingers on the finish. earthy.
Feel: About average carbonation, slick at first, but, dry on the finish, and medium thin body.
Overall: Just enough sweetness to go with that nice dark coffee quality. Pretty good brew.
513 characters
3.68/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured into a mug. The appearance was a nice looking dark brown close to black color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute. There was some light lacing sticking and then sliding down into the beer. The smell started off with some sweet to roasty coffee to cocoa. Light dark sweet fruitiness rounds it all out. The taste was mainly sweet with a big underscore of the bitter to roasty on the aftertaste and leading into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fairly decent sessionability about it. Carbonation runs fairly light allowing a decent stickiness all around. Overall, I say this was a pretty good English Porter that I would have again.
732 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was poured into a mug. The appearance was a nice looking dark brown close to black color with a one finger white foamy head that dissipated within about a minute. There was some light lacing sticking and then sliding down into the beer. The smell started off with some sweet to roasty coffee to cocoa. Light dark sweet fruitiness rounds it all out. The taste was mainly sweet with a big underscore of the bitter to roasty on the aftertaste and leading into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a fairly decent sessionability about it. Carbonation runs fairly light allowing a decent stickiness all around. Overall, I say this was a pretty good English Porter that I would have again.
732 characters
3.75/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.98/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The appearance is a very dark brown/black that is black in the middle, but dark brown or even ruby red on the very edges where the light catches. It's top by a thin white foamy head. Retention is fairly poor, but there's some decent lacing.
The aroma is very typical of a porter. Roasted barley and grains, some milk chocolate with vanilla, cocoa, toasted brown bread or pumpernickel bread, some coffee, faint hints of cherry and raisin, and earthy hops.
The taste follows the nose almost to a tee. Almost unnecessary to describe. Milk chocolate, cocoa and burnt toast upfront, with roasted barley and coffee notes in the middle, light earthy hop bitterness, and a big yeasty tart cherry and raisin note. Finishes lightly dry and very balanced between chocolaty sweetness and roasted bitterness. Very crisp and drinkable.
Smooth medium mouthfeel, leaning towards light, but very sluggable without being watery.
Yet another quintessential American porter. Very solid.
974 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
The appearance is a very dark brown/black that is black in the middle, but dark brown or even ruby red on the very edges where the light catches. It's top by a thin white foamy head. Retention is fairly poor, but there's some decent lacing.
The aroma is very typical of a porter. Roasted barley and grains, some milk chocolate with vanilla, cocoa, toasted brown bread or pumpernickel bread, some coffee, faint hints of cherry and raisin, and earthy hops.
The taste follows the nose almost to a tee. Almost unnecessary to describe. Milk chocolate, cocoa and burnt toast upfront, with roasted barley and coffee notes in the middle, light earthy hop bitterness, and a big yeasty tart cherry and raisin note. Finishes lightly dry and very balanced between chocolaty sweetness and roasted bitterness. Very crisp and drinkable.
Smooth medium mouthfeel, leaning towards light, but very sluggable without being watery.
Yet another quintessential American porter. Very solid.
974 characters
3.24/5 rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Not accustomed to being disappointed from Left Hand's offerings, but this one was a real let-down. Threadbare mouthfeel, so lacking in body in fact that it didn't even feel like a porter, but rather more of a scotch ale.
221 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Not accustomed to being disappointed from Left Hand's offerings, but this one was a real let-down. Threadbare mouthfeel, so lacking in body in fact that it didn't even feel like a porter, but rather more of a scotch ale.
221 characters
4.51/5 rDev +20.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
An extremely tasty porter. Thin head and deep brown in the glass. Very malty with lots of coffee that cover the alcohol content. Mouthfeel is a bit light but in an unusually refreshing way for a porter.
202 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
An extremely tasty porter. Thin head and deep brown in the glass. Very malty with lots of coffee that cover the alcohol content. Mouthfeel is a bit light but in an unusually refreshing way for a porter.
202 characters
3.22/5 rDev -13.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
4.26/5 rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
I'm the writer of practical reviews. It's hard to miss a coffee flavor. It is smooth and delicious... Because it's beer and Left Hand doesn't make a "bad" beer.
Sure, we can nitpick about color and smell (smells like espresso), but realistically if you like porters just try it out for yourself.
It will taste like a porter and a good one at that.
Plus, they get points for the label. It's pretty awesome. And you know, cool label means good beer. Always.
465 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
I'm the writer of practical reviews. It's hard to miss a coffee flavor. It is smooth and delicious... Because it's beer and Left Hand doesn't make a "bad" beer.
Sure, we can nitpick about color and smell (smells like espresso), but realistically if you like porters just try it out for yourself.
It will taste like a porter and a good one at that.
Plus, they get points for the label. It's pretty awesome. And you know, cool label means good beer. Always.
465 characters
3.51/5 rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
This porter is what a porter should be. Dark color with decent head and spotty lacing. I gt the coffee and chocolate that the bottle says I should get, but I also get a nice cool, black licorice that ads so much to this beer. Clean, cool finish !!!
248 characters
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
This porter is what a porter should be. Dark color with decent head and spotty lacing. I gt the coffee and chocolate that the bottle says I should get, but I also get a nice cool, black licorice that ads so much to this beer. Clean, cool finish !!!
248 characters
3.64/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.99/5 rDev +7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
DATE: February 18, 2017... OCCASION: Having finally tracked this one down after a decade of first tasting it, I look forward to remembering it again... GLASSWARE: Hop Devil nonick...pours a dark, opaque body that is velvet-red where light reflects... the head is pure cream, half-finger in height, with a beautiful ring of coral lacing... chocolate, peat, and small hints of spice and hoppiness--small caramel and dankness inhabits its breath... a pleasure to sip, with its creamy introduction giving way to a stern backbone... medium-bodied, agreeable, and hearty... dry at its conclusion.... the chocolate and peat are at the forefront of its profile, while the roasted malts evoke caramel and coffee bean with subtlety and relative sweetness... the sum of its parts, this porter is strong but not bold, formidable yet not big, and drinkable without being thin... worthwhile and a good reason to purchase the mix pack it came in...
933 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
DATE: February 18, 2017... OCCASION: Having finally tracked this one down after a decade of first tasting it, I look forward to remembering it again... GLASSWARE: Hop Devil nonick...pours a dark, opaque body that is velvet-red where light reflects... the head is pure cream, half-finger in height, with a beautiful ring of coral lacing... chocolate, peat, and small hints of spice and hoppiness--small caramel and dankness inhabits its breath... a pleasure to sip, with its creamy introduction giving way to a stern backbone... medium-bodied, agreeable, and hearty... dry at its conclusion.... the chocolate and peat are at the forefront of its profile, while the roasted malts evoke caramel and coffee bean with subtlety and relative sweetness... the sum of its parts, this porter is strong but not bold, formidable yet not big, and drinkable without being thin... worthwhile and a good reason to purchase the mix pack it came in...
933 characters
3.57/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.12/5 rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
4.11/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
One of my favorite porters to date. Dark chocolate appearance. Small head. Hints of caramel, cocoa, and malt. Hint of coffee char, bitter finish. Enjoyable cold weather porter.
177 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
One of my favorite porters to date. Dark chocolate appearance. Small head. Hints of caramel, cocoa, and malt. Hint of coffee char, bitter finish. Enjoyable cold weather porter.
177 characters
3.75/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4.35/5 rDev +16.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.56/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Black Jack Porter from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating:
3.73 out of
5 with
1,399 ratings
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