Schell’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter

 Schell’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter.

6% ABV, 25 IBU, August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN.

Dark brown color, fully opaque, rich, full, creamy head. Looking good. 

In the nose: big aromatics, bold p.b. & chocolate. Sweet, but balanced. 

In the mouth: full bodied, rich, and well-rounded. Smooth (not chunky), slightly toasty and altogether malty. The p.b. / cocoa combo is kept in check, displaying sweetness, but never too much. Ends on a delicious dry note.

Well done! Good work, Schell’s!

This porter is a full-bodied drinking experience with strong notes of peanut butter and chocolate—a delicious dessert beer. The porter’s base malt is Golden Promise, and the other seven malts make up  chocolatey-caramel joy. The peanut butter flavor comes from an extract that was slowly dosed into the fermenter as a secondary addition. Cacao nibs were added to the fermenter as a secondary addition to further enhance the chocolate notes. This porter is all about balance and finding ways to experiment with the boundaries of what beer is and how good drinking beer can be. 

Able Pbp Peanut Butter Porter

Able Pbp Peanut Butter Porter.

6.8 % ABV. Able Brewery + Seedhouse, Minneapolis, MN. 

"Choosy mothers choose Pibup."

Just about black, fully opaque, slim brown head. 

In the nose: peanut butter pops up right away, followed by cocoa, nice and sweet, but well-balanced. 

In the mouth: Some roasted malt character, some cocoa, with peanut butter over it all. To be honest, though, I could have used a little more of it. Feels like it's possible to go a little harder. I can't taste the graham cracker, not sure if you're supposed to, or if you really can. Medium bodied, smooth, easy-drinking. Tasty, yes, but I wish it went a bit longer & stronger with the flavor. 

A robust porter with roasty toasty chocolate notes on a bed of peanut butter and graham cracker

Headflyer Kingfield Coffee Porter

Headflyer Kingfield Coffee Porter.

5.8 %, 28 IBU. Headflyer Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Dark brown, nearly black, fully opaque, with a slim, soon-gone brown head. 

In the nose: Rich & earthy, coffee/cocoa/malt bonanza. Wonderful. Almost indulgent. 

In the mouth: Big coffee flavors on the palate at first sip, slightly bittersweet, warm, delicious. Just the right balance. Medium bodied, smooth, scrumptious. Yes, I said "scrumptious" and I'm sticking to it. Chocolate notes keep time with the coffee. 

I liked this one tremendously. These notes are from can 3 of 4. Good thing I saved one more, so I don't have to mourn it's loss so soon. 

A delicious collaboration between Headflyer and Five Watt Coffee. A vanilla bean infused, lacto-porter infused with Five Watt espresso concentrate, Five Watt Crossover coriander bitters & black Hawaiian sea salt to perfectly emulate the Kingfield latte.

Boulevard Early Riser Coffee Porter

Boulevard Early Riser Coffee Porter.

5.2 % ABV, 20 IBU. Boulevard Brewing, St. Louis, MO. 

Final bottle from a sampler 12-pack that I bought months ago. Still chipping away at the backlog...

Dark black, nearly opaque, slim cocoa-tinged head. 

In the nose: Caramel and cocoa meet coffee. Toasty-Toasty, bittersweet. Alert and lively. 

In the mouth: Medium bodied, lots of roasty, coffee flavor. Malt forward, but not heavy. Low bitterness, just enough for balance. Just enough cocoa to match the coffee. A nice, easy drinker for a coffee porter. Not too shabby. 

We start with a smooth, dark, rich and roasty porter then we add a blend of Costa Rican, Brazilian and Ethiopian coffee to create the perfect marriage of two of our favorite beverages. 

Malt 

Pale malt

Cara malt

Wheat malt

Chocolate malt

Hops 

Magnum 

Cascade

Coffee blend from Second Best Coffee Co. 

50% Brazil City Roast – 30% Costa Rica Medium roast – 20% Ethiopian

WarPigs Forge of Mars Intergalactic Porter

WarPigs Forge of Mars Intergalactic Porter. Ale with Coffee and Vanilla.

6.8 % ABV, 25 IBU. Brewed and packaged under supervision of Warpigs Brewing USA, LLC, Munster, IN. 

Deep black color, thoroughly opaque, large, if brief, brown head. 

It he nose: Coffee is here in abundance, with cocoa behind and vanilla sneaking in at the end. Earthy, nutty.

In the mouth: Coffee flavor is in command of the palate, with berries and nuts doing a cameo on the side, vanilla pops in to add a dash of sweetness. Medium bodied, smooth and drinkable. Some commenters have said that the coffee flavor feels "stale", and while I'm not sure I agree, I can certainly see what they're talking about. It lacks freshness, and the flavor falls off the palate far too soon.

This one has is good points, but not enough of them. Simply an average coffee porter, at best. Far from my favorite. 

Powered by solar flares and stoked by grim artisans, martian smiths craft the finest wares for exploring the Milky Way and beyond. Infused with coffee and vanilla. 

Waldmann German Porter

Waldmann German Porter.

5.5 % ABV, Waldmann Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 

What? German Porter? There's no such thing! You gotta be kidding me....but, if they say so, I mean, who knows, right? Let's give it a whirl. 

Dark brown, nearly black, with full opacity, and small, short-lived brown head. 

In the nose: Bittersweet. Caramel and cocoa. Expresso notes, too. Mostly malty. 

In the mouth: Chocolate and coffee hit the palate first. Small dose of bitterness, there for balance. Malt rises up to take over. Medium bodied, slightly sweet, but ending dry and earthy. Smooth stuff, easy drinking, fairly delightful. 

A “GERMANIFIED” VERSION OF A LONDON PORTER BREWED PRIMARILY IN EAST GERMANY UNTIL VIRTUALLY DISAPPEARING AFTER REUNIFICATION.  OUR GERMAN PORTER IS MADE WITH ENGLISH MARIS OTTER MALTS, GERMAN NOBLE-AROMATIC HOPS AND A CLASSIC GERMAN ALE YEAST FOR AN INTERESTING COMBINATION OF BRITISH-ALE COMPLEXITY AND GERMAN MELLOWED DRINKABILITY.

Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster The Famous Taddy Porter

Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster The Famous Taddy Porter.

5 % ABV, 32 IBU. Samuel Smith's Brewery, Yorkshire, England. 

There are those times when I page through this blog and consider a certain brewery and think about which beers are represented within it, and which are not. This is one of those instances, looking at Samuel Smith's, the traditional Yorkshire brewery, and the merely seven beers contained herein.  So many missing, and among them, this, a favorite of mine for so many years. 

I will do something that I've done before and will do again. Write new notes, then look at the old, for I know for a certainty that I'd written about this one many years ago. Let's crack this crown and get into it: 

Just about blackness, conplete opacity, short-lived brown head. 

In the nose: slightly sweet, treacle, molasses, brown sugar. Mostly malty. Whiffs of anise, raisins, rum. All this in a traditional English porter? 

In the mouth: Some sweetness again, with a modicum of bitter, to match the black, caramel-y malts. Dark fruits, once more, but altogether well-balanced, smooth and satisfying. Tastes of cola, coffee, cocoa, and some spice, too. Medium body, and easy drinkability. A fine beverage, sets the soul at rest. This is truly as traditional an English porter as you're going to find with any ease at all. (If you ever see Salopian Entire Butt, get some.)

As promised, here's what I offered up to BeerAdvocate back in January of 2003, eighteen years ago (!): 

Tan, creamy head. Pitch black. Intenslely aromatic: rich, roasted coffee, butterscotch, toffee. Great hop presence. but light on the palate. Smooth, well-rounded, a porter full of character, that will remain on the top of my list until the end of time. Absolutely perfect. Light enough in alcohol to stand in as a session beer (but too expensive to actually work that way), and with plenty of body and bite.

A very dark, full bodied ale with a rich, creamy head and an intense dry, tangy character. Brewed with well water (the original well sunk in 1758 is still in use), malted barley, roasted malt, yeast and hops. Fermented in stone Yorkshire squares. The type of beer first brewed in the early 18th century; gained its name from being drunk by porters in the fish, meat and other produce markets.

Urban Growler De-Lovely Porter

Urban Growler De-Lovely Porter.

5.6 % ABV. 33 IBU. Urban Growler Brewing, St. Paul, MN. 

Here we have a beer I checked into on Untappd three times in 2016, twice on tap at Acadia from a keg I ordered and tapped, and once when I visited the taproom with my two nieces (to be clear, I have more than two nieces, but I only went there with two of them). But I haven't had it since, for whatever reason, most likely that an IPA or pale ale was calling me. I found a single can finally, and it was settled. Time to drink some De-Lovely, a name inspired by a song from that famous Porter, Cole. 

Dark brown coloring, almost opaque, slim brownish head. 

In the nose: Slight sweetness, notes of caramel, cocoa, nuts. Delightful. 

In the mouth: Bittersweet at the front, roast and slightly toasty. Moderate bitterness, well balanced all around. Cocoa and caramel notes dance on the palate. Medium bodied, smooth, satisfying. Delicious. And, of course, D'lovely. 

I like this porter. And I can't explain why I waited four years to revisit it and enter it into the Nib. Going to try not to make that mistake in the future. 

It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s De-Lovely. Smooth and dark yet refreshing. You don’t have to wait until the snow falls to enjoy this dark beauty. Enjoy. Try it with some of our Spinach & Artichoke dip

Starry Eyed Robust Porter

Starry Eyed Robust Porter.

5 % ABV. 24 IBU. Starry Eyed Brewing, Little Falls, MN. 

Dark brown color, mostly opaque, slim brownish head. 

In the nose: roasty-toasty malt is foremost, cocoa comes up from behind. Hint of espresso. 

In the mouth: Bitterness up front to match the sweet, but it's brief, and we quickly settle into a chocolate-y, coffee-ish, caramel-y, medium-bodied kind of porter that I love to drink. Nothing out of the ordinary here, other than the fact that these sort of beers don't appear very often. Not when DDH DIPAs are all the rage, and milkshakes and marshmallows, etc. 

Swift finish in this, but the flavor never quits. I like it. Good porter and you can drink it. 

Venn Cocoanut Porter

 Venn Cocoanut Porter.

7% ABV. 20 IBU. Venn Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Thoroughly ebony, rich, roasted brown head above. 

In the nose: sweet, malty, and then the cocoanut pops up. Perfectly likable. 

In the mouth: Even sweeter, even cocoa-nuttier, holding court along with cocoa caramel malts. Touch of vanilla. Rich, robust body, full and vibrant. Lush and delicious. Cocoanut continues to dominate the flavor and it's just delightful. I would have definitely picked up a second crowler to take to Christmas dinner if this was a normal year, and not 2020. 

Porter with actual chocolate & actual coconut.

Malts: Domestic Pale, Munich, Flaked Oats, Caramel 20, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Special B

Hops: Warrior (United States)

Yeast: American Ale

And: Chocolate, Coconut, Lactose (NOT vegan)

Why the lactose, though? Can we try to keep milk out of beer? 

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Sweater Weather Porter

Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative Sweater Weather Porter.

6.3 % ABV, 44 IBU. Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative, Minneapolis, MN. 

I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I bought this crowler for the cute little duckies on the label, with their adorable little sweaters. No, I'm going to tell you the truth and tell you that I bought it in order to drink an honest-to-goodness porter, no coconut, no coffee, no nuts, no fruit, no marshmallows, no fudge. Let's see how it tastes. 

Dark brown, nearly opaque, slim, cocoa-toned head on top. 

In the nose: soft, bittersweet, caramel and cocoa, with a touch of espresso. 

In the mouth: Smooth stuff, so far. Caramel malt, cocoa, brown sugar, a touch of hops for balance. Roasty malts take over the flavor. Medium bodied, and expertly drinkable. Lingering bitterness on the palate rides just above the roast. Quite tasty. I wanted a solid, no-nonsense porter, and I got one. 

This American Brown Porter has dark chocolate and toffee flavors with a solid hop backbone.

Is it a "hop backbone"? Don't we say "malt backbone" for a reason? Huh. I've never heard "hop backbone". Well...huh. Okay. No, really. I think that's wrong. 

Sisyphus Scott's Oatmeal Raison Cookie Porter

Sisyphus Scott's Oatmeal Raison Cookie Porter.
7.5 % ABV. 20 IBU.
Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Complete darkness, absolute opacity, slimmest of heads.

In the nose: Malt first, then cinnamon creeps in. Next, the raisins.  Nice.

In the mouth: Spice and fruit blast the palate together, cinnamon and raisins charge the senses. Warm, rich malt backs it up. Quite tasty. Sweet, spicy, fruity, strong. All things that I like. Chewy, full bodied, rich and delicious. I'm liking this more and more as I drink it.

I don't like that it's being called a "pastry porter", though. Even if that fits. Cookies aren't really "pastry", technically, are they? First time I've seen these guys use "pastry" anything. I thought they were off the hook. Milkshakes, peanut butter, pastries...where does it end, the infantilization of beer...? Where does it stop?

They're (not Sisyphus...yet...jk) doing popsicle beers, and creamsicle beers, ...where's the Kool-Aid beer? Don't tell me, I don't want to know.

Scott's a regular and he had a beer idea - an oatmeal raisin cookie porter. So we made it for him! Brewed with 30 pounds of Raisins, 100 pounds of Oats, and a dose of cinnamon. Just like grandma used to make - the homebrewing grandma's anyways. 

Hayes' Public House The Dullahan Coffee Porter

Hayes' Public House The Dullahan Coffee Porter.
6% ABV. 38 IBU.
Hayes Public House, Buffalo, MN.

Deep black, with a huge, creamy tanned head.

In the nose: Dark malt and deep coffee. Earthy. touch of spice. Bit of cocoa. Just about perfect.

In the mouth: Warm, spicy, rich and compelling. toasty, full-bodied, deeply satisfying.

This is one wonderful coffee porter. Got to get some more.

Wild Mind Artisan Ales Winter Porter

Wild Mind Artisan Ales Winter Porter. 5.6% ABV.
Wild Mind Artisan Ales, Minneapolis, MN.

Whenever I visit Wild Mind, I have to get my growler filled. There aren't many beers that they'll put in there, and getting a crowler is definitely cheaper. The shape and size of it is inconvenient and hard to carry. So, why do I do it? Another mystery. Perhaps it's the fact that I decided to purchase it and continue to own it, means that I must continue to use it. And so on and so forth, and Scooby-dooby-dooby....

And here we have just a straight-up porter, no fuss, no muss, no variations or deviations.

Dark brown, nearly black, full opacity, slim cocoa/tan head.

In the nose: Roasted malt, espresso, slight cocoa, very dry.

In the mouth: Roasty toasty malt flavors. Medium bodied, Minor bitterness, excellent balance. Right on the level. Some chocolate, some caramel, and ultimately smooth and easy drinking. Quite a nice porter. I did half the growler tonight, and will save the rest for tomorrow.

Hey, maybe that's why I still use growlers.


Brewed with caramel, chocolate, and black malts, just a touch of oat malt, and US Golding hops, Winter is a smooth, chocolatey porter with hints of carmel and a roasted backbone. At 5.6% ABV, Winter is the perfect sessionable-ish beer for a cold Minnesota night. 

Sisyphus Milli Vanilla Porter

Sisyphus Milli Vanilla Porter. 8.5 % ABV.
Sisyphus Brewing, Minneapolis, MN.

Full-on blackish. Slim head. Utmost opacity.

In the nose: Slightly sweet mixing with dark malts. Chocolate, espresso, caramel.

In the mouth: Slightly sweet, ultimately dry. Dark malts expressed with cocoa, caramel, coffee, and just a hint of vanilla. I'm enjoying this. It's just enough and never too much. Sweet and delicious. Never too much and just enough. Wait, did I say this, or did I just say it backwards?

Maybe the 8.5 % is getting to my head?

All in all, thoroughly enjoyable. I like a moderate amount of subtlety now and then.

And, of course, there is only one piece of music to hear while drinking this one:

It's a Vanilla Porter, minus the career ending Lip-Syncing. Trust your senses with this one and enjoy the half pound of vanilla beans that this sweet porter was conditioned on. If you were born before 1995, Milli Vanilli was a popular early 90's band.

Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter

Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter
6 % ABV. 33 IBU. Three Floyds Brewing, Munster, Indiana

More Three Floyds beers are being released into our market, including some I've never had before. But, because I can't take all the beers home on the bus with me, I had to pick one and that one was this one that I first had 15 years ago. Acquired a bomber in a trade with an Indianian (?), and reviewed on BeerAdvocate.com in November, 2004. Here are those notes, warts and all:

deep brown color, with crimson highlights peeking through, blessed with a thick, prodigious cocoa-tan head...

Aroma: mmm, roasty-toasty, cinnamon, ginger, toffee, coffee, and cream...oh, yummy, oh, very good...nice as it gets...

Taste: Very smooth, yet terribly dark and full in the body, full in the flavor, ...a spicy, tastiness rings through the edges and uplifts and illuminates every aspect of the experience...nutmeg and clove...

Body never flags, stays full, and continually delivers flavor...finish isn't as strong as I'd like, but hangs on well enough...

overall, an excellent winter warmer/spiced ale, not a surprise from this outstanding brewery...wish it were easier to find though...

In 2019, would I change these notes? Less ellipses, more capitalization, better grammar and punctuation. About the beer, no. I wouldn't pull back on the enthusiasm. Maybe throw in a "yum, a dum, dum." And I'm so glad it is easier to find, now days.

Schell's Fort Road Porter

Schell's Fort Road Porter. English-style Brown Porter.
4.8 % ABV August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN.

Fully opaque, largely brown, full tan head atop.

In the nose: Cocoa. Minor espresso. Much malt. Nicely roasted and toasted. Largely likable, so far.

In the mouth: Sweet, then dry. Mostly malty, minorly hoppy. Sweet malt kept just in check. Chocolate and coffee, with a touch of roast. Medium-bodied, easy-drinking. Every inch delightful.

This is solid stuff. I had every intention of finding fault with their attempt at an English style ale, but, hey, these guys know what they're doing, no matter what.

Chocolate and caramel notes will shine through this brew, leaving room for the roasted malts to make their appearance. With barley grown near the brewery on the historic Fort Road, this beer gets its name and runs during the colder months, opposite our Fort Road Helles.

Lupulin CPB Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter

Lupulin CPB Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter.
5.25 % ABV. 20 IBU.
Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN.

Murky brown, slim, tan head.

In the nose: Peanut butter pops right out. Malty flavors lurk below. Sweet, earthy, balanced. Not getting any chocolate yet.

In the mouth: Peanut Butter flavor remains on top. Smooth and creamy. Minor hops, just enough for balance. Chocolate creeps out from under. Tasty, tasty stuff. Medium bodied and a treat to drink down.

Layers of decadent chocolate and peanut butter built into a rich oatmeal porter make this beer impossible to have just one. We're not sorry.

Fulton Cold Press Porter

Fulton Cold Press Porter. 6.4 % ABV. 30 IBU.

Brewed and packaged by Fulton Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.

Nearly black, thoroughly opaque, lush tan head. Looking very nice.

In the nose: Cream and coffee, with cocoa on the side.

In the mouth: Starts out smooth, creamy, coffee-ish. Slightly sweet and fruity. Gets bolder over time. Medium to full body, nice and malty.  Darkness dominates, but balance is in command. Coffee taste continues, holds dominion over the porter. Excellent drinkability, wonderfully flavorful.

A more properly balanced Porter out there? We think not. Built on a base of Pilsner and Munich Malts, our Porter also combines Chocolate and Caramel malts (amongst others) to create a harmonious and symbiotic relationship that's easily appreciated. It's complex yet refreshingly easy to drink as we think you'll agree. For the 2018 Holidazzle, we enhanced our delicious Porter with the addition of Cold Press coffee from our friends at Big Watt. The result- flavors of chocolate, coffee, caramel and roasted malt.

Unmapped Primetime Porter

Unmapped Primetime Porter. 7% ABV. 31 IBU. Unmapped Brewing, Minnetonka, MN.

Utter blackness, thoroughly opaque, with a rich tan head above, leaving lace.

In the nose: Sweet, creamy, malty. Cocoa and molasses. Rather nice.

In the mouth: Smooth, malty, big-time chocolate-y. Medium-bodied. Exquisitely drinkable. Dry in the finish. A touch of roasty malt. Sweetness stays on top, perfectly balanced. Tasty stuff.

Another winner from Unmapped. Keep 'em coming.

You might not know it, but we spent more time on planning Primetime Porter than any other beer we've ever brewed...that's because Math is hard! We channeled our collective inner (and outer) nerd and made sure that every. single. input. of this beer was a prime number. From the 61 minute boil to the 31 IBU calculation to the actual day of the month it was brewed (the 19th), this beer is chock full of prime numbers and prime flavors! Medium-bodied with chocolate and mild roasted malt notes, math has never been more fun (and delicious)!