Thursday, January 6, 2011

Thomas Hooker Brewery - Imperial Porter

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits
Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a Winter Hooker pint glass

Hooker's Imperial Porter is a Winter seasonal that's been around for a while, but I haven't seen available until this year. When I noticed it waiting in the the refrigerator at the package store, I know I had to try it. The syrupy looking pour produces a dark, but clear, brown body with a ruby glow. The head is a creamy tan with solid retention. The lacing is moderate.

The nose is high on cocoa with caramel, toffee, and hints of coffee. The mouthfeel is crisp and the sweet chocolate malts are dominated by smokey tones. Mildly subdued espresso makes an appearance in the middle of the beer adding a layer of depth. Moderate amounts of hops also compete nicely with the roasted, coffee-like, malts. Late hints of alcohol add a warming effect as the deep smokey finish billows out of this beer.

Final Verdict: A-

No comments:

Post a Comment

Advertisement