Shoo-Fly Pie Porter
Lancaster Brewing Company

 

Poured from a 12oz can into pint glass in January 2026. There was a "NO BOTHER 08026" stamped on the bottom of the can. I drank it within two weeks of purchase.

Appearance: Very dark brown with a dark tan head. Head was 2 fingers high, and lasted a minute. It left very little lacing on the glass, and ended with a little head still on the beer.

Smell: strong aroma of molasses, and a little vanilla and chocolate.

Taste: There is a interesting mix flavors, with sweet flavors including vanilla & chocolate flavors. There is very little bitter hop flavors. There is a mild alcohol presence, which matches the 6.2% on the label.

Mouth-feel: Medium body, but also smooth. It has a little edge, as a Porter should.

This is a good Porter, and I enjoyed the variety of flavors. It is sweet, with a medium-body and is smooth and enjoyable to drink. I would buy this again.

Very attractive, deep dark brown pour with a foamy head that does not stick around for very long. Initial impression is that one should be especially fond of dark molasses before sampling this brew. Initially, the molasses flavor is all that comes through to my taste buds, and I don't perceive all that much of a flavor change as the beer warms. Not quite as sweet as the actual pie that bears its name, and the molasses largely overwhelms the other promised flavors. There's an aftertaste to this one that is hard to pin down, slightly metallic/sour... as strange as it might sound, there is a tinge on the finish that I would liken to the same kind of umami that you might get from soy sauce, liquid aminos seasoning, or even Gravy Master. I know, weird, but that's just how my own taste buds are reading it. Overall, it's an interesting beer, not an everyday sip, and one that I might want to try on tap, as my only experience thus far has been from a can (which might be magnifying some of the unexpected flavors that I am perceiving).

Toasty cocoa, vanilla and molasses porter. Kind of a tangy aftertaste.

Transforms a Pretentions Glass Co. Small Dimpled Mug dark brown (SRM 35-37), while a dark chestnut head slowly builds to 1". After about one minute, the head has completely dissipated to a thin ring, leaving no lacing. Dark cola highlights appear when held to the light.

The aroma opens with dark roasted and charred sugar, almost like an over charred crème Brulé. Molasses and graham crackers are strong. Brown sugar and vanilla are also evident. Warmth brings out sweet black coffee and roasted pecans. There is a lot going on here.

Unfortunately, the flavors are a bit muddled. While all of the above can be found, it blurs together with little definition. The roasted malt, charred sugar, and coffee are more evident as flavor than the other aromas. Warmth does bring molasses forward. It is mildly bittersweet, gradually oscillating between the two. The finish is long and mild, allowing the vanilla to show.

A medium body with a slick texture and modest carbonation. Abv is as expected, possibly a tad light. Interestingly, the slick texture becomes creamy smooth with warmth.

My thanks to Dana for this can. It is a good dessert beer, approximating its namesake pie fairly well. It also feels like a Porter to me, not a Stout, which will still never settle the issue of where that line really falls.

12 oz can, unclear date code on bottom

Pours dark brown, almost black with cream colored head. Aroma of molasses and vanilla. Taste is similar - the mollasses flavor is fairly strong and a little tangy. Medium bodied.

Purchased as part of a 4 pack from Wegmans in Collegeville, PA on 10/23/23.

L- Pitch black with virtually no head.

S- Vanilla.

T- Sweet tangy bitterness of the molasses
is upfront. Vanilla present, but neither
are overwhelming.

F- Rather thin mouthfeel with very delicate
carbonation.

O- I really like this! A little sweet but not
cloying. I’ll definitely buy this again!

 

 

 

Purchased at Pennridge Beverage, Perkasie, PA. 4/pk, 12oz. cans.

Pours a deep, nearly opaque, brown color. A one finger head on the initial pour that fades to a skim.

A slightly sweet aroma.

A good porter with flavors of sweet vanilla and burnt sugars (molasses). Not nearly as sweet as I expected. A tangy, sour-like aftertaste. ABV isn’t noticeable.

Light to medium constancy. Not heavy at all.

Overall, a decent brew that was worth the try. The flavor profile is definitely different. Probably won’t seek out again but that is more based on my personal preference in beers rather than a negative mark towards the beer itself. Cheers!

 

9/25/22 Bought a four pack in Cranberry Twp. on our trip for Jake and Amy's wedding. The color is deep amber, light copper. Taste is VERY irony, mineral and a different sweet-sour we weren't expecting. Very light sweet, deep black-strap molasses. Certainly not as sweet as actual shoo-fly pie, but we enjoyed the effort!

Dark murky blackish brown appearance.
Medium light carbonation with about a medium body.
Aroma is molasses, malt,vanilla, pie crust, caramel and brown sugar.
Taste is mildly sweet,a bit sour,otherwise very close to aroma.
To me it was an excellent dessert like beer that was made more enjoyable by the fact that it wasn't too sweet.

Healthy sized beige head on a black body. Initial aroma while cold is vanilla and lactose with faint molasses. As it warmed the molasses became very prominent, like smelling a bottle of molasses itself. Taste is fairly potent between the molasses and toasted malts. The vanilla takes a backseat to the molasses but I'm also getting some lemon peel notes throughout as well. More complex flavors I've noted are dark fruit and tobacco. Good overall, especially if you like molasses.

 

 

Look: It pours dark brown with a tan head. Head retention is good.

Smell: There are some roast aromas with caramel, molasses and vanilla. There are also low notes of bread.

Taste: There are roasted elements, but overall it is sweet. It has some molasses flavors with a bit of vanilla. There are very low citrus notes with a bit of pine.

Feel: It has a medium body.

Overall, the flavors, for me, just don't work that well together. Additionally, the carbonation throws the balance in the flavors off a bit as well.

 

Look is black in color. Head dissipates to nothing. Smells of vanilla extract, dough, coffee. Taste follows the nose with a string vanilla character throughout. Feel is slick and silky.

The best vanilla flavor I’d ever had in a beer but could be lighter in mouthfeel. Still amazing.