Good day beer
lovers, and welcome to another review of a fine craft beer. The beer, however, was
brought to you (and me) by Connecticut’s own Trout Brook Brewing Company,
makers of the illustrious Thomas Hooker line of beers.
I continue to be impressed with this brewery, and the more of their beer I
sample, the more I begin to think them one
of the country’s first-tier brewing operations. Every beer I’ve tasted from
recently has been a dynamite, bold and over the top, knick your socks off
treat. And Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter is no exception to that
rule.
Brewed in the style of Baltic Porters, this beer is actually a lager. The
most common styles of porter that follow the English vein are ales, and thus
top fermented. The robust and assertive Baltic Porter style is a forerunner
of Imperial Stout, and the beers were probably influenced by the stout and
porter trade flowing through the region to the courts of the Czars of
Russia.
Trout Brook says this about their beer:
Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter is a full-bodied, dark lager. This brew's
roots are in the strong porters of 19th Century England, which ultimately
evolved into the stronger stouts of today.
Our Imperial Porter derives its tremendous complexity from the use of 8
different malts. We blend these to achieve a balance of sweet, caramel, and
coffee flavors. A judicious use of dark roasted malts adds another level of
intriguing notes to the mix. Generously hopped with German and American hops
our Imperial Porter comes to life as it is allowed to warm to the ideal
drinking temperature of 58-60 degrees.
Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter is a special seasonal brew that is sold in
attractive swing top bottles holding a full liter of this magnificent brew.
At about $8.99, this isn’t a bad deal for so much beer of such high quality.
This is a high-strength beer, however, so with so much of it to enjoy why
not share your bottle with a friend or two?
The beer won Kudos at the 10th Great International Beer Competition in
Providence, Rhode Island, where it received a third place medal in the
Imperial Porter-Strong Beer category. All that I can say is that if this
beer came in third, I would surely love to taste the second and first place
entries.
Thomas Hooker Imperial Porter pours to a dark black color, though not
completely opaque in color, since a bit of light will pass through if held
directly up to a light source. A light but creamy head formation floats atop
the liquid, and a thin film of Brussels lace hugs the sides of my glass as
the beer descends in the glass.
The nose reveals hints of chocolate, fruit and raisin. I can’t resist
immediately sipping, and when I do I’m treated to a rich, luxuriant
mouthfeel that isn’t quite as full as, say, an imperial stout, but is quite
hardy nonetheless. Immediately I get complex notes of rich dark chocolate
followed by complex fruity notes of raisin and prune. Coffee, molasses,
caramel, and sweet malt are all present too.
In the finish, the dark chocolate notes reassert themselves, accompanied by
a warming sensation provided by the high alcohol content. But there’s a
strong hop bitterness, too, something that sets this beer apart from the
pack. Generally, beers of this style stress the dark and sweet mal flavors,
but Thomas Hooker’s Imperial Porter is heavy on a slightly harsh, lingering
bitterness as well. I like the way it balances the beer here.
This is not a brew to be missed, and it should benefit from laying down over
time (my bottle is already about six months old). The hop flavors should
mellow a bit and the malt and yeast complexities should become more
pronounced.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For
reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.