Bourbon Vanilla Porter
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

 

 

Thanks to akorsak for sharing this corked and caged 750ml bottle on 10/18/09.

A - A delicate pour revealed a dark coffee brown body with virtually no head or lacing at all.

S - The initial aroma is all about the vanilla bean. Mmmmm. Sweet and malty with traces of bourbon and oak that have mellowed over time.

T - Sweet vanilla notes render this Baltic Porter quite smooth and mellow. The bourbon presence is quite subtle, offering just a hint of heat and nice complexity to the flavor profile. There is perhaps some slight oxidation, but nothing that really disrupts the flavor.

M - Medium bodied with a smooth, creamy/oily blend and mild bristly carbonation.

D - I found this to be a fantastic Baltic Porter with a smooth, creamy character and mellow borubon presence. The vanilla character really shined through and was easily the focal point of this brew. The subtlty of the bourbon really bolstered the drinkability of this 7.5% beer.

A 750 mL corked and caged bottle from 2004, purchased at Iron Hill North Wales' first big beer event during that year (it was the summer before my oldest son was born).

A: The porter is dark, a deep brown color that is almost black. For a five year old porter, there isn't much head. Maybe half a finger at most. There is no lace associated with it.

S: The nose has a mild bourbon aroma that accentuates the vanilla. Cocoa powder and sweet chocolate stand out.

T: Delicious. These early Iron Hill bourbon offerings are excellent. The bourbon is sweet, driving a strong vanilla flavor. It is coupled with the cocoa powder and chocolate of the baltic porter, and the result is very good. The combination of baltic porter and barrel is nearly divine.

M: Cocoa powder is sweet and, when coupled with the bourbon barrel, lingering. The occasional coffee flavor is an added bonus in the brew.

D: When compared to the earlier 5 year old brew from the session, this is absolutely divine. The vanilla, bourbon and baltic porter work nicely together. A top-notch barrel-aged brew from Iron Hill.

A five year old aged corked and caged bottle broken out and shared from akorsak's cellar.

A-Deep, dark, clear brownish copper with a thin tan head that reduced to a thin veil and left spotty lace.

S-Deep, rich and pungent vanilla with lighter notes of oak, roasted malt, chocolate and bourbon sweetness.

T-Sweet vanilla, oak dryness, milk chocolate, dark roasted malt. This brew presents little bitterness and a lot of sweet smoothness. Drying cocoa powder like finish.

M-Medium bodied, very smooth with just a touch of bittering astringency in the background.

D-Very nice aged stuff! Smooth and rich with a most pleasant vanilla sweetness and light bourbon notes. A true treat from the vaults!

Had on tap at the Phoenixville location.

A: Dark coffee brown brew with a pillow of velvety smooth head crowning the pint glass, which has staying power, the head never truly goes away, but it does leave behind a sheet of lace.

S: Very boozy vanilla with just undertones of coffee, milk sweetness and leaves off with cold bourbon.

T: If you put a shot of spiced rum in a stout, you'll get an idea of this beer. Very strong alcoholic tendency with vanilla tagging close behind.

M: As per nitro, silky smooth.

D: To me, this is a dessert beer. A good way to cap off a meal if you don't want more food. Nice tasting when it's right in front of you, but once it's gone, you're left slouched in your chair digesting and thinking.

Appears a semi-transparent dark brown, nearing black with a thick, creamy head of velvet that never fades away. Plenty of scattered lacing is left around the glass.
Smell is of light traces of bourbon, followed by oaky vanilla, cocoa, and caramel, with a mild dusting of java.
Taste echoes the aromas with more vanilla sweetness coming to the forefront of the brew. Light caramel and cream notes, combined with the more apparent bourbon keep this interesting.
Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, with enough nitro/co2 mix to sink the teeth into and have some texture along the palate.
This one drinks very well for being over 7%. I thought it was well done. A great example where the take a middle of the road beer for me (Pig Iron Porter) and turn it into something interesting and exciting.

On nitro tap at Phoenixville 8/3/08

Poured a clear dark brown almost black with chestnut colored hues in the light. 1 finger of creamy light tan head has great retention and leaves nice lacing. Smells of bourbon, vanilla, roasted malt, chocolate, and oak. Taste has lots of vanilla from the start followed by a touch of chocolate and lightly roasted malt. Finishes with a nice soothing punch of bourbon. Medium in body and low in carbonation. Very smooth and creamy with lots of vanilla sweetness. A great smelling brew with lots of vanilla and bourbon, but it can get a little sickening after a while with how much vanilla there is.