Jason McGlone

I’m well aware that I don’t try a new beer in the way that is generally accepted to be “correct.” The first thing I do when I crack one is stick my nose in the bottle. Usually, the beer smells more or less the same as it does after it’s in the glass. Not so with Atwater Block Brewery’s Vanilla Java Porter. This is, somewhat notably, my first Porter, and it’s quite a nice experience. I’d definitely drink it again. Let’s get into why.

At first, I was dreading getting into the beer because of the way that it smelled while still in the bottle. Quite simply, it smelled like there was dead shit in the bottle. I was cooking up some turkey sausage, so I poured the beer and let it settle a bit before smelling again.  Also, I poured it a hair too fast and ended up with a three-finger head:

After settling, the beer had a lighter, fruity scent, almost like the much lighter Blue Moon.  Not sure if this is something that’s part of a Porter’s personality, but I thought that the sweet, fruity odor was definitely worth mentioning.

The first drink had a strong coffee bean bitterness to it, and almost no alcohol flavor.  It was a little hoppy, a light aftertaste and a slow, thick drain down the back of the throat.  If there’s one thing I like about a dark beer, it’s when it’s appropriately thick.  As the beer’s a Porter, I didn’t expect it to be thick (I don’t know why, b/c it’s my first Porter), but this one is, and it pleases me.

Subsequent drinks brought out a sweeter, more full-bodied fruit-type taste to the beer, making it almost like a wine.  Vanilla Java Porter, despite all this, is probably a bit too heavy on the carbonation, but other than this, it’s a wonderful dessert beer.  This may be, by the way, one of the first beers that I have no reservations calling a “dessert beer.”  It rounded out the pasta and turkey sausage dinner that Le Wif and I shared quite nicely.

The beer is sold in singles here in Northern KY at Party Source, though I’m certain you can get it in six packs in certain stores with a large selection (Party Source, though, has the best beer selection in our area).  Give it a try after a heavy meal; I think you’ll like it okay.