Customer Reviews

Wowzas!! Great beer! Review by Brian

Rating

Brewed this beer in FL during a cold front and it turned out great. Most of it is still in my closet aging from the February brew but I bottled one with no bourbon addition and it was AMAZING! As Beerginer noted in an earlier review if you want a great porter just don't add the bourbon or oak. I'm waiting for this one to age, right now it tastes great but in a few months I think everything should smooth out quite a bit. Excellant recipe NB!! (Posted on 5/3/13)

Add some vanilla ! Review by Lisa

Rating

This was a really stellar beer, and it just gets better with age. I actually added some vanilla bean in secondary the first time we brewed it, and it added just a hint of flavor, really a nice, solid beer. Can't wait to make it again, but be patient ! You will be rewarded with one of the best porters around ! (Posted on 4/23/13)

Let it age Review by Braiden

Rating

I made this well over a year ago, left it in the secondary for a few months, bottled and tore through it. It definitely had a boozey taste, but it worked well with the residual malt flavor. A couple months ago, I found a bottle of it in a friend's fridge and thinking it was something else, cracked it open. All the boozeyness had melted into the malt flavor, making for an even more complex taste. Do yourself a favor and store a six pack in the netherlands of your basement. It will be next years best surprise! (Posted on 12/14/12)

Great recipe - let it mature Review by Fred S

Rating

Kegged this after leaving in secondary for 2 months. Tasted good, but a bit rough. Swapped kegs and left it in the back for 1 month. Put it back on tap and it's a totally different beer. Will likely bottle this time. (Posted on 10/8/12)

Excellent, even better if you screw up Review by Rob

Rating

I've brewed this recipe many times and it's always a crowd pleaser with family and friends. Last fall I brewed a batch to give away as Christmas presents. Half way into the mash I realized i somehow messed up when adjusting the recipe for my 10 gallon system in beer alchemy (brewing software) and was on my way to making a 1.098 OG batch. Instead of trying to correct the error I just went with it and slapped the word "imperial" on the label. Hands down the best batch of beer I've ever made! Never fear experimenting even if by way of screwing up! (Posted on 6/20/12)

Excellent Beer Review by Patrick

Rating

This is by far my favorite kit fron NB I used all the makers kegged it and let her sit for a couple weeks on the gas. Excellent beer layers of pleasure gets better as it ages. the bourbon is excellent and adds more to smell and a bit to taste to me, I love this beer. Use a nice yeast starter and enjoy. (Posted on 6/4/12)

Great Beer. Review by Nate

Rating

Now I see why this has so many good reviews. It tastes delicious. I fermented in the primary for 14 days at 65F, secondary with oak and 16oz Makers Mark for 28 days at 65F, let it sit in a keg for about 16 days, then carbonated it for about a week. Even drinking it young (compared to other reviewers) it still tastes fantastic. (Posted on 3/27/12)

Killer winter warmer Review by Adrian

Rating

This is a great porter, but the bourbon and oak really put it over the top. I steamed the cubes for 5-10 minutes before adding them to secondary. Also, I went with the full 16 oz. of bourbon in secondary as stated in the recipe. Oaky goodness with a mellow bourbon flavor on the end. This beer made a great holiday gift and is getting excellent reviews from my buddies. Can't wait to see how it changes with some age. (Posted on 1/23/12)

WOW!!! Review by C-Brew

Rating

No need for a review, WOW explains it all. (Posted on 1/4/12)

This is the one! Review by Steve

Rating

I’ve brewed the all grain kit twice now and have taken first place twice in contests. The latest contest was against 27 other Porters at the Lucky Bucket Brewing Company in Nebraska. Next year we will brew this beer in their test brew system and sever it on tap in the Tasting Room. I boiled the oak cubes in Makers Mark 46 before tossing them into the secondary for 4 weeks. At bottling I added 16 oz of Makers Mark 46. This beer is definitely better the longer is sets and not chilled. I am patient when I make it, I can’t wait to drink it. (Posted on 12/18/11)

Excellent brew Review by Baddgcarma

Rating

I didn't bother to soak the cubes in bourbon. I just tossed them in the secondary with the measured amount of makers mark. I think the beer is excellent. The key to drinking the beer is not getting it ice cold. Like most dark ales it needs to be "warmer" so that the aroma and flavors really pop when you drink it. hmm time to draw another pint i think. (Posted on 11/3/11)

Great With Age Review by B. Lackey

Rating

I brewed this in December of 2010. I've been periodically tasting them and now I've only got 8 - 22oz bottles left. In early July it was perfect. The harshness from the whiskey had mellowed and made a very complex porter. I decided to mix it up and use 16oz Fighting Cock Bourbon. I can't wait to have the remaining bottles at the 1 year anniversary! (Posted on 8/15/11)

great porter Review by pants

Rating

Great porter recipe. I tossed 12 oz of bourbon (Buffalo Trace) soaked oak cubes into the primary a few days before I went to secondary. I tossed a shot in at the end of the boil too. I recollect that is a few ounces short of the recomended dose. I wanted to use maker's, but my then-pregnant wife was very attached to the idea of having her bottle of Maker's around for post-partum support, so I went with something mellower I had on hand. I had read that some people found the bourbon and oak flavors too strong and had to let it age for six months unless they cut back ont he bourbon a bit. I gave it two weeks in the primary, a couple weeks in secondary, and after about 3 weeks in bottle, it was good to go. It is great as a porter, but the bourbon flavor is very mellow. The oak flavors are about what I want--a very light tanin--others might prefer for the cubes to sit on the beer for longer. If I did it again, I might either use more buffalo trace or switch to Makers Mark or Elijah Craig and toss it in a bit earlier. It turned out to be a great Porter, but the bourbon flavor seemed to dissapear as it aged. (Posted on 6/27/11)

Blue ribbon recipe Review by Larry

Rating

Scored a blue ribbon my first time out with this recipe. I split the bourbon in two. Half was used to soak the cubes for 3 days, then went in the kettle at flame out to flash the alcohol but not lose too many aromatics. Oak cubes went in the primary. Fermented at 65, then warmed it up to room temperature for a week sitting on the yeast to get rid of the diacetyl. Racked to the keg and added the remaining bourbon. The warming was perfect, the oak subtle but present, and the head was enormous. Feedback forms all talk about big and balanced in all dimensions. I have 1 Belgian bottle left for my daughter's wedding. Got 10 gallons more in the fermenter and everyone's circling the brewhouse. (Posted on 3/2/11)

Smooth Flavor, great taste Review by Duffy

Rating

This was my first attempt at home brewing and it cam out amazing. I have since brewed two others and am now coming back to this one! You can't go wrong with this this. (Posted on 2/24/11)

Port buster Review by Nate

Rating

Im not much of a port drinker i'm more on the other end of the scale i like IPA's but however i made this for my fater in law he likes this kinda of beer. Not bad at all. If you like your stouts u gotta try this!!!! (Posted on 2/2/11)

Great beer or Greatest beer? Review by Kevin

Rating

1 year old. Drank a few along the way, but have tried to hold off. Thought it was tremendous as a porter at secondary. Added cubes to bourbon for a couple days and then put in secondary. Used 2x scottish ale packs. Use a starter or a couple fresh packs. My friends and I drink a lot of beer, and 100's of different kinds. Several have told me this is the best beer they have ever drank in their lives. On a cold winter day, reading a book and listening to a little blues music, gotta say I would have to agree. Plan on brewing at least 2 -3 batches of this over the winter so that I have plenty next year, and enough to leave it alone for 2 years. Really a good beer - smooth, rich, bourbon sweetness - It is a "night-ender" though - tough to drink more than a couple of these without getting a little sleepy. (Posted on 11/16/10)

Smooth Review by Beerginer

Rating

This beer was good before I added the oak and bourbon. I just drank the first bottle and am already wishing I had doubled it. Sooooo Gooood! Looking for a great standard porter, well just don't add the oak and bourbon. I followed the recipe to a T except I could only get dark oak chips. I only left the oak in for 8 days, and it was perfect. I was thinking of giving it out for Christmas, but I don't think it will last that long. This beer just jumped back to the top of the brewing queue, my first ever repeat in 35 batches. Its that good. (Posted on 10/16/10)

save your money-brew something else Review by RECREATION BREWERY

Rating

I had really high hopes for this, but alas, it sits in a keg in the fridge, waiting to be drank. I used 10oz of Makers Mark, too much bourbon for my tastebuds. Also, overall the beer is too sweet . I am planning on using it to mix with other beers in the future to tone down the sweetness of it, and yes, it fully fermented. This tasted really bad at first, almost undrinkable, it has since gotten much better, but by that I only mean relative to how it started. It's still only a 2 pint rated beer. (Posted on 8/9/10)

Super, gets better with age, Review by BobBrews

Rating

I just won a silver medal with this kit. May 2010. I brewed it in 2007. A bit aged and getting better. Good job NB (Posted on 5/25/10)