Raven Mad Imperial Porter

This bold, beautiful porter comes from the Bridgeport Brewing Company of Portland, Oregon.  It is sold in a spooky, large format bottle, and weighs in at 7.5% alcohol.  The label says that this foreboding brew is comprised of 50% porter aged in whiskey barrels and 50% unbarreled stout.

Raven Mad pours an opaque black colour, topped with a thick and creamy tan head.  It has a fierce, chocolatey aroma underscored by an unusual tobacco note.  The taste is quite bitter for a porter, with a hop kick lurking beneath its dark, malty body.  There are also some notable dark chocolate notes.  The aftertaste is makes me imagine being in a Southern roadhouse--there are notes whiskey and tobacco smoke.

This brew was really enjoyable.  It was strong, moody, and impressive.  It was really evocative--I could almost hear honky tonk music being piped in though a jukebox.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10.