3 | Beer | Porter, United States, Less than $10

"Big roasted malt flavors upfront....Deliciously, appetizing roastiness gives way to smooth, sweet chocolate and woody, peaty flavors. Hop bitterness dominates the finish. Great porter."

"Great Porter!!! This was big and complex!! big coffee, roasted, toasted flavor. A must try for all Porter lovers."

"....The taste is remarkably strong of vanilla, especially in the finish. The aftertaste really reminds me of vanilla bean cappuccino....Great job."

"Rich yet not overwhelming, a porter to reckon with in drinkability ... it gets very addictive."

"...Tastes of roasted malts, chocolate, caramel and espresso-like bitters....A ridiculously well made beer. This is everything you want in a porter; big black coffee and nice creamy mouthfeel..."

"With a dark beer as our first and flagship brand, Black Butte defined Deschutes as a radical player. A slight hop bitterness up front enhances the distinctive chocolate and roasted finish. It’s prized for its creamy mouthfeel and intense complex flavors."

The two breweries that arguably feature the two premier porters on our shelves (Edmund Fitzgeralg & Black Butte, respectively) decided to brew an imperial smoked porter to commemorate both of their 25th brewing anniversaries. That being said, how could this beer be anything short of spectacular? Don't expect it to taste like either of their porters though, this will probably be the smokiest thing you have ever tried outside of Schlenkerla Rauchbier.

"Pours a deep, dark brown with reddish highlights around the edges....Aromas of dark cocoa, light roasted coffee, and chocolate malt. No real hop aroma....Mouthfeel is medium, and creamy from the carbonation....(A)very drinkable porter...."

...An intense roasted grain bitterness combines with a nearly indescribable smoothness to create a deceptively easy to drink Imperial Porter..."

"....One hell of a roller coaster ride between chocolate, coffee, vanilla bean, licorice, and a bunch of things that go by too fast to recognize properly. Big, complex, and mystifying...."