Review: Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

The opponent of the Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron in the Washington Post's 2011 Beer Madness tourney - Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter.  Two beers couldn't be any more different and still be from the same style - in this case porter.  Alcohol level: DFH - 12%, Breckenridge - 4.7%; flavors: DFH - wood, cherry, a little chocolate/vanilla, Breckenridge - all vanilla all the time; Drinkability: DFH - sip, barely finish one, Breckenridge - drink a six pack no problem; Location: DFH - East Coast (DE), Breckenridge - West Coast (kind of, CO).

This was my first Breckenridge Brewery offering so I didn't know what to expect.  But I stumbled across some of these commercials that they put together, making fun of the latest trends in beer advertising (vortex bottle generating more "flavor" from Miller Lite and "freaky freezy" bottle labels that change color when it's cold), so these guys have a sense of humor and have a love for good beer. See a couple of the commercials after the jump.

So how is the Vanilla Porter?  Very nice.  The super low alcohol content surprised me so I knew it'd be mild and being a porter, I expected a nice malty flavor with some chocolate/coffee notes.  Poured out, it's got a beautiful dark almost opaque color with a rich caramelly head.  One whiff and you knew they weren't kidding when they say they use real vanilla beans in the brew.  As I drank it, I was again caught by how easy it was to drink and how light it was, but at the same time, it felt "thin" and milk-like.  Really faint bitterness from hops and just an overabundance of vanilla puts the beer in some sort of inbalance to me.  I like that it's bold with its flavoring but when I was done, I couldn't help but be left a little unsatisfied.

Review : Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Received a bottle from my friend, Joel, of this dark beer since he was having trouble finishing. Not a good sign. This beer was featured in the Washington Post's Beer Madness in the porter style (or other dark beer style) bracket. It went up against another porter - Breckinridge Vanilla Porter (which I also got from Joel!) - and lost! What is this? A beloved DFH beer losing in the first round of THE beer tournament AND my friend can't finish it! Signs point to a beer that just isn't that great or I just can't handle with my hop-biased palate.

My last foray into dark DFH beers was the World Wide Stout and that was a tough one foe me. It was too high in alcohol, had too strong a licorice taste that bordered on crude oil and I couldn't take it even by sipping. The Palo Santo Marron is like the little brother to the stout, with a more subtle flavor profile and I think more balanced flavor. Its aged in old Paraguayan wood barrels as the label indicates and you can taste the wood in the beer in the aftertaste. Upfront, there are notes of caramel, vanilla, and some dark cherry. The 12% alcohol level balances the beer, cutting through the sweetness. Overall pretty good, definitely a sipper and for the adventurous!

Review: Avery Ellie's Brown Ale

I've been loving Avery Brewing when I tried some of their more 'extreme' beers (ones with tons of malt or tons of hops) at Galaxy Hut, Rustico, and other bars in the DC Metro area.  They just make beers with robust flavor that are quite easy to drink.  So I dropped by the Total Wine store and looked at some of their more 'normal' offerings and was in the mood for something smooth and warming, yet more on the sweet, malty side.

This beer reminded me of a better Newcastle.  Stronger toffee and chocolate notes with a more upfront bitterness but definitely balanced and very drinkable.  Super smooth that just hit the spot for a chilly day.  Just really indicative of the brown ale style and a standout for me.  Doggy!