So, trying to keep up with my blog I just finished last nights Edmund. I'm sitting here enjoying various beers getting ready to enjoy my beer'o'd'night. I can't help but wonder if reviewing/reading the side of the bottle will not "influence" my mind, thought, feelings of this beer. It states on the side of the glass "A Robust Porter made with Chocolate and Coffee malts. We then add the finest coffee and vanilla to our award winning brew, which is sure to please! Open it!". So, after drinking the Edmund last night, I'm sitting here wondering just how this beer could be. I'm wondering if the couple beers I've had before it could possibly persuade my thoughts. As we must do, its time to open, drink and review...Well, if the label influenced me I'm not sure exactly how; I do get some of the flavors that they speak of in the description. I'm beginning to think that these styles/flavors are just not for me. The chocolate once again tastes a bit artificial to me. The sweetness is huge. The vanilla shines through fierce. I am disappointing in the head retention of this beer; frankly it doesn't seem to be there at all. As I look at this beer it seems to have lost all head. I see a small bit of carbonation bubbling to the top but it is not sticking around for lasting effervescence. As I'm drinking this and thinking about this I view the bottle a bit closer; I believe what the bottle is showing is it was bottled in August of 2011. I believe Porters are able to withstand time but I'm also thinking I really have to find a new distributor. I once "loathed" this place but my father-in-law talked me in to going back. And now I'm back - most beers seem like they have sat around for awhile. I wouldn't be terribly scared of this but I'm not sure this place focuses much on temperatures either. SO, that said, now I'm not sure if it is the beer, the age, or what. Honestly though, I'm going to blame the beer & here is why: I taste a HUGE amount of vanilla - which I think they were going for; personally its to much for my taste. It is a bit to SWEET. I could not drink more then one of these in a sitting. I do not get a ton of chocolate - and of the chocolate I get - it is that completely artificial chocolate that leaves a bad aftertaste in my mouth. The smell of this beer is HUGE vanilla. Basically, I get no other smell from the glass. If I reach hard and dig deep I may be able to say that I get a small bit of coffee in the glass. I will compare it to those K-Cups my wife buys for the Keurig Coffee Pot; those vanilla coffee or Hazlenut surprise drinks. They do have the flavors but to me they are "forced". It doesn't taste natural or balanced.
Maybe this is biased after drinking the Edmund. That was a great Porter. Maybe it is biased as I'm not a HUGE fan of Porters. Either way, I'm not a fan of the Atwater Block Vanilla Java Porter. I do not see myself drinking many if any more of these any time soon.
Maybe this is biased after drinking the Edmund. That was a great Porter. Maybe it is biased as I'm not a HUGE fan of Porters. Either way, I'm not a fan of the Atwater Block Vanilla Java Porter. I do not see myself drinking many if any more of these any time soon.
