Beer – #769 – Mike’s – Vanilla Coffee Porter
BeerJerkNZ BeerClub Beer of the week is Mike’s Vanilla Coffee Porter. I’ve had this a couple of times, and it’s been wonderful.
..after the big aroma and initial sweetness of vanilla, the roast coffee and hop bitterness kick in..
This is the 330ml bottle, 8% ABV, 240 calories in that serve size, and that would still be 2.08 standard drink units.
Brewed by Mike’s Brewery in the style: Porter in of all places Taranaki, New Zealand.
VCP for the old chap
When VCP arrived on the scene, marrying the satisfying hit of a freshly roasted morning coffee with the creamy full taste of a rich dark porter, Mike’s couldn’t help but feel that this son was close to perfection.
It’s good morning and good night all at once, a double shot of endlessly satisfying seer rich flours and subtle coffee bitterness that’s smoother than your local barista. VCP, quite possibly.
Very Close to Perfection.
So, what could possibly go wrong?
Aroma is initially vanilla, then a rich coffee note follows. Very inviting.
In the glass, after the coal back pour and admiring the small and milk chocolate head the aroma is really intense vanilla and almost fruity tones.
I almost fainted. This has heavily taste, preceded by a delightfully intense cold brew coffee aroma, delivering a really full mouthfeel of rich milky vanilla coffee goodness. (I didn’t nearly faint I was exaggerating)
The most annoying thing about this beer is just how drinkable it is, it’s quite the discipline to stop and mull it over.
But that lovely mouthfeel of the coffee under the very much sweeter vanilla makes it so hard.
What’s wrong with it then? There’s not a lot of wriggle room left if you don’t like the vanilla in this, and if you’re cruel you’ll winder where the initial body of this, the coffee initially drinks quite thin before that vanilla grabs a hold and gallops you the finish.
If you’re really cruel you’ll wonder where the actual body of this, it seems to have a short profile, not a lot to chew over, it’s peak/peak/peak in quick succession.
If, though, you enjoy a good beer well made that is aromatic, has some intense flavours and leaves you with a briefly lingering taste in the mouth then this is the business. It really is too easy drinking. At the slightly higher ABV this is a beer that should demand slightly more respect and attention, it will lead you astray,
I did pick out that lack of ‘fullness’ in the drinking when I had this from the fill station that time
The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 of its things from the thing. It’s been consistent, and consistency good has this, when you’re on a winner no need to change horses mid-stream and all that. As an example of how to do a Porter beer with a twist that works this is very good. It might wear you out of you had too much, vanilla or coffee fatigue, but what a way to retire.
The double dip review
- Where did I get it? It came with my BeerJerk Beers, but it’s in all good places
- Am I enjoying it? I am it went down a treat.
- Would I have another? I’d prefer this as an occasional reminder of what you should be aiming at in a vanilla coffee beer.
- Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would, but I’d take some other of the style, vanilla coffee stouts perhaps, because that’d be a taste off I could get involved in.
Music for this: ” Jim Bryson and “Somewhere we will find our place” on Spotify
Jim Bryson is a Canadian singer-songwriter.
PORTER
Black or chocolate malt gives the porter its dark brown color. Porters are well hopped and heavily malted. This is a medium-bodied beer. Porters can be sweet. Hoppiness can range from bitter to mild. Porters are often confused with stouts.
A life just as ordinary 