Extra Special Chocolate & Vanilla
Two Ton Brewing

 

Pours a modest finger worth of dark brown foam, the surface dimpled by a host of large bubbles, leaves a thin if extended lacing streak. The liquid is full black and opaque, seems to be clean. Light roast to the nose, more by way of sugar and lactose, pain grille, moments of something close to cola bean, deriving more vanilla than cocoa, not much fruitiness, perhaps plum. Medium to light-bodied, after an initial flourish the carbonation just softly nudges it forward. Much more cocoa presence here, brings with it a certain nuttiness. More vanillin through the finish. Not altogether dry nor sweet, reminds me of a scaled down milk stout. Increased fruitiness. Fairly smooth and filled out a little when allowed to warm, this also heightened the roast. Very likable beer.

 

Pours dark brown with brown around the edges. Two fingers of light brown head in my pint glass eventually settle to a thin layer of foam across the top of the glass. No visible carbonation and no lacing.

The aroma is smooth and creamy cocoa. Dark bready.

Cocoa and vanilla are subtle and it’s hard to draw the line where the beer ends and they begin. Dry cocoa, nutty, toasty, bitter coffee, coffee bean, a flash of blackberry. Very nice offering from Two Ton.

Reviewed 8 days after can release. Poured into a Two Ton snulip glass. It pours mahogany with dark cola hues and sports and full finger of creamy, light khaki head and sheen of lacing. The first aroma is vanilla followed by dark chocolate and burnt nuts, leather, and just a whiff of tobacco smoke. The smell becomes more pronounced as the glass warms. The taste opens with bakers chocolate, burnt nuts, and earthy char, balanced nicely by medium-sweet vanilla. There is a bit of acidity but not much bitterness. I really like the mouth feel. for a Porter it's creamy and fairly viscous with medium carbonation and the 7.4% ABV gives it good substance. Overall, this is a very good American Porter. And it's improved a lot since I first had it on draught. This is one of Two Ton's regular offerings and it's fun to experience every batch getting better. The future's bright for this beer and for Two Ton.