Harry Porter And The Curiously Spiced Cocoa Bean
Great Lakes Brewery

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Great Lakes Brewery
 
Ontario, Canada
Style:
American Porter
ABV:
7%
Score:
Needs more ratings
Avg:
3.61 | pDev: 4.99%
Reviews:
1
Ratings:
6
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jun 25, 2017
Added:
Apr 07, 2016
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews.
Ratings by biegaman:
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

3.79/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
There's a ton of variation in the Harry Porter series - vanilla, cherry, coffee, bourbon, fruitcake - but they all look essentially the same. Visually speaking, there's nothing to really separate the opaque black complexion and spongy, light brown head of Harry Porter And The Curiously Spiced Cocoa Bean from its other incarnations.

Let's pick apart the name for starters. "Curiously Spicy". Apropos given the vague baking spice bouquet that doesn't brandish one conspicuous, unmistakable spice but rather a general and very subtle pantry kind of aroma. Even on the palate, the aftertaste has a brief flare but we're talking birthday cake candles, nothing even close to a five-alarm fire.

And "Cocoa Bean". You betcha. This smells and tastes like cocoa - not chocolate. What's the difference? Next time you feel like a snack treat yourself to some cocoa powder instead of a chocolate bar. You'll get the picture. This doesn't taste like it has a spoonful of vanilla, sugar, or butter - rather it's just the raw, unrefined shavings of the bean itself.

Taken together, this combination of unadulterated cocoa and mild ghost peppers makes for something fit for a Mayan king. They wonderfully complement the beer's inherently gentle roast, subtle coffee and toffee notes, adding dimension without taking any away. Those sensitive to spice shouldn't have any problem with this one. You can enjoy it from a distance.

Some spiced beers are all about self-satisfaction - a brewer has a penchant for heat and wants to boast about it. Harry Porter And The Curiously Spiced Cocoa Bean doesn't exhibit that kind of indulgence; it uses spice to enhance the cocoa and create a sum intentionally greater than its parts. It's another good one in this series.
Aug 21, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.66 by Coronaeus from Canada (ON)

Jun 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by Kmat10 from Canada (AB)

Apr 23, 2017
 
Rated: 3.27 by byronic from Canada (ON)

Jan 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.68 by Corson from Canada (AB)

May 18, 2016
 
Rated: 3.76 by Sammy from Canada (ON)

Apr 10, 2016
Harry Porter And The Curiously Spiced Cocoa Bean from Great Lakes Brewery
Beer rating: 3.61 out of 5 with 6 ratings