Before leaving San Diego's Ballast Point Brewing, I wanted to be sure to
try one of their dark ales, so I went with the one I thought had the
best name: Victory at Sea Imperial Porter. Given its potency--10%--I had
a sensible 8oz. pour. My beer showed up looking black, with some ruby
highlights. According to BP's tap list, this big porter was brewed with
vanilla and Caffe Calabria coffee produced in San Diego.
Mocha
is the most obvious aromatic note. The beer smelled strong and sweet,
with coffee and chocolate leading the way. To my palate, Victory at Sea
was rich in roasted malts, coffee notes, and booze. Lots of vanilla,
too. It moves from very sweet to slightly bitter, and left me feeling
WAY mellow and pleased with myself.
Rich and
full, but a touch too sweet, I found Victory at Sea to be an enjoyable,
filling beer. The heavy use of vanilla in the process way a bit much for
me, but the coffee flavours came through beautifully.
Rating: 8.0 out of 10.
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