Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

20110526:
12 FL. OZ. BOTTLE.


There's that sort of chocolaty taste I associate with Guinness. Looking "porter" up on Wikipedia.org, apparently there's reasoning behind my observation. The Wikipedia.org porter (beer) page mentions the following:
The name "stout" for a dark beer is believed to have come about because a strong porter may be called "Extra Porter" or "Double Porter" or "Stout Porter". The term "Stout Porter" would later be shortened to just "Stout". For example, Guinness Extra Stout was originally called "Extra Superior Porter" and was only given the name Extra Stout in 1840.

The vanilla smell is only apparent to me at the lip of the bottle. It's definitely not heavy, I don't really sense any bitterness, possibly just a little, if at all, but can't taste the vanilla either.

I decided to only drink half the bottle.

I would say the beer is tastier and more enjoyable than some beers I've had. In the end, I still prefer the darker, heavier Guinness.


Note: Several reviews I read remarked how the vanilla flavor was obvious. Maybe I had the bottle for too long. Looking for a date, I noticed the bumps around the bottom of the beer bottle: ".. .... .. .."

A Google search led me to this post The Purpose of Beer Bottle Bumps. The post mentioned the date on the neck of the bottle. I faintly saw printing that seemed to read 05B21B11. Since I certainly obtained the beer long before 5/21/2011, I suppose it's a "Best Enjoyed Before" date. The Samuel Adams White Ale bottle, whose "For Brewery-Fresh Taste, Enjoy Before Month Notched" date is on the label, has "A0161????8E" The Samuel Adams website had this snippet:
The legible coding of beer bottles with a freshness date so that consumers know that they are receiving fresh beer. All bottles of Samuel Adams beers have a freshness date on the side of the label, ensuring that you'll never drink a bottle of Sam alone. You'll always have a 'date'. Prior to this system of dating, freshness codes were used by other brewers but they required a key to be deciphered.

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Relevant Links:
Vanilla Porter (Breckenridge Brewery Website)
Breckenridge Brewery Website
Vanilla Porter (BeerAdvocate.com)

Website Information:
Who would have thought deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and Madagascar grew the perfect ingredient to build an extraordinary Porter in Colorado? An ale that has all the chocolate and roasted nut flavor of a classic Porter, with an enigmatic surprise thrown in for good measure, real vanilla bean. Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter. A vanilla kiss in a rich, dark sea.

Quick Facts:
Beer Style: Herb and Spice Beer
Flavor: Smooth roasted chocolate with a creamy vanilla finish.
Yeast: Top Fermenting Ale Yeast
Malts: Two Row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Black, Roasted Barley
Hops: Chinook, Tettinang, Perle, Goulding
Vanilla: Real vanilla beans from Paupau New Guinea and Madagascar.
Color: Deep Brown
Bitterness Units: 16
Alcohol By Volume: 4.7%
Availability: Year round

Breck Brew Vanilla Porter Milkshake:
4 scoops plain vanilla ice cream
1/2 bottle Breck Brew Vanilla Porter
Combine vanilla ice cream and Vanilla Porter together in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy. Serves 1.

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