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Payback Porter
Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
- From:
- Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
- California, United States
- Style:
- Robust Porter
- ABV:
- 7.5%
- Score:
- 88
- Avg:
- 3.91 | pDev: 9.46%
- Reviews:
- 95
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jun 18, 2021
- Added:
- Dec 21, 2009
- Wants:
- 17
- Gots:
- 47
American hops provide a smooth distraction for Payback Porter’s robust strength, which is concealed within the shadows of dark imported malts. Brewed with English chocolate malts and rolled oats, this Robust Porter pours a deep chocolate brown and is rich in roasted malt aromas and coffee flavors. With notes of espresso, baker’s cocoa, and sweet, toasted maltiness, Payback finishes with a creamy mouthfeel.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BcOneSeven:
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by MikeWard from Pennsylvania
3.92/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
22oz bottle into a pint glass. NO freshness dating.
Looks decent enough. Black/dark brown body. Small tan head shrinks to a thick ring and faint covering. A little scattered lacing.
Faint roast malt aroma, a little licorice.
On tasting, quite robust, strong tasting. Roast, a little sweetness, lightly bitter. That licorice feel running though it.
Mouth a touch above medium, finish roasty, meaty, a little bitter.
Overall, not bad. 12oz would have been enough. Strong tasting porter, certainly not smooth
Jun 18, 2021Looks decent enough. Black/dark brown body. Small tan head shrinks to a thick ring and faint covering. A little scattered lacing.
Faint roast malt aroma, a little licorice.
On tasting, quite robust, strong tasting. Roast, a little sweetness, lightly bitter. That licorice feel running though it.
Mouth a touch above medium, finish roasty, meaty, a little bitter.
Overall, not bad. 12oz would have been enough. Strong tasting porter, certainly not smooth
Reviewed by GarrettB from Colorado
3.14/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
3.14/5 rDev -19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
July 28th, 2015 - The Payback Porter comes in a taster glass that looks like the outward end of a recorder, which affords me almost no opportunity to smell it. But the flavor is there, and quite awkward at first. It's brusque and sudden and a bit sharp with roasted notes, and offers a long aftertaste of chocolate milk. Mediocre, it's got some darkness and helps to signal the end of a long day of drinking beer.
Apr 15, 2019Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
3.63/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev -7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
This was poured into a pint glass. The appearance was a dark brown color with a one finger off white to tan head that held around for a good minute and a half before gently dissipating. Subtle sticky lacing slides into the beer. The smell takes roasty coffee beans subtly blending with a light licorice/star anise sort of spicy sweetness. The taste was mildly sweet with an adequate back up by the spice of the licorice/star anise. Mildly sweet to spicy licorice aftertaste runs into the finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a sly sessionable sweet creamy feel moves in a nice wet feel on my tongue, almost slick. Overall, an American Porter with an almost slick sort of wet feel, hey, I like it. Feels great, I’d have this again.
Jul 01, 2017Reviewed by nick_perry from North Carolina
3.79/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Almost a reddish hue to the color, especially in the head. Surprisingly hoppy for a porter, which affords a nice balance with the malts and an overall unexpected complexity. Thick & creamy mouthfeel.
Mar 11, 2017Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
3.73/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.73/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Deep and robust dark brown color, 1/2" lesser brown head. Aroma went with chocolate, coffee, hop bitterness, roast, i was impressed.
Taste was a very hoppy porter. This went in the Sierra Nevada and Deschutes hoppy porter tradition. The malt was far from insubstantial. The bomber format makes it unnecessarily more expensive than had they put it in 4 or 6 packs, but I dunno, I guess if you can get that $ why not from their perspective. Respectable beer for sure.
Oct 28, 2016Taste was a very hoppy porter. This went in the Sierra Nevada and Deschutes hoppy porter tradition. The malt was far from insubstantial. The bomber format makes it unnecessarily more expensive than had they put it in 4 or 6 packs, but I dunno, I guess if you can get that $ why not from their perspective. Respectable beer for sure.
Reviewed by hman43 from North Carolina
4.28/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Look: It pours dark brown, almost black, with a moderately brown head that does have a bit of lacing.
Smell: It has aromas of chocolate, dark fruits, coffee, and citrus.
Taste: There are sweet flavors from the beginning from the chocolate. There are also flavors of coffee, citrus, plums, and toast.
Feel: It has a moderate feel that is smooth and creamy. It finishes moderately bitter.
Overall this is a chocolate ale from the initial flavors that turns into a complex blend of malts and hops that is easy to drink.
Jun 26, 2016Smell: It has aromas of chocolate, dark fruits, coffee, and citrus.
Taste: There are sweet flavors from the beginning from the chocolate. There are also flavors of coffee, citrus, plums, and toast.
Feel: It has a moderate feel that is smooth and creamy. It finishes moderately bitter.
Overall this is a chocolate ale from the initial flavors that turns into a complex blend of malts and hops that is easy to drink.
Reviewed by elNopalero from Michigan
4.17/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.17/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This pours a cola coffee with cocoa foam. There's a decent roasty note on it, followed by a hint of cocoa nibs. The flavor has a roasty bite. Lots of chocolate and coffee, with just the right amount of heft.
May 23, 2016Reviewed by Bunman3 from Canada (AB)
4.24/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.24/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Damn. I'm not sure why I was hesitant about this brewery, but I'm glad I put in my big boy undies. This is a rich and balanced coffee Porter - dark roast, chocolate and overall tasty smoothness prevail. I really enjoy the coffee exclamation point as it disappears down your throat. Wonderful!
Apr 20, 2016
Payback Porter from Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
Beer rating:
88 out of
100 with
289 ratings
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