Breckenridge’s NVP pours dark brown to almost black with about a finger of off white head that’s creamy like you’d expect from a nitrogenated beer. A thin layer of this head sticks around all the way down to the end of the glass.
The aroma is what you’d expect from a vanilla porter. I’m mostly getting roasted coffee, hints of chocolate milky-goodness, and bits of vanilla. As a dark beer guy, this is what I crave.
The taste is all malt – coco, roasted coffee – plus hints of vanilla. It’s sweet and it’s smooth and it’s everything I want out of a porter. No hint of hops – just silky smooth goodness.
Nitro style beers are silky and smooth and the NVP is no exception. It’s the right kind of creamy with a little bit lingering between sips.
This is another one of those beers that I treat as a dessert. Skip the ice cream, skip the brownies, have a couple of these and relax. Actually, a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice-cream would be a great companion!
Other Notes
- ABV: 5.4%
- IBU: 16
- A date of some sort appears on the bottom of the can as Month B Day (backwards-“B”) Year. (more on this below)
Why that Glass?
For stouts and porters I usually reach for one of three glasses, a pint (nonic or tulip), a seidel, or a snifter. With an ABV of only 5.4% the NVP falls into “sessionable” territory which narrows that down to seidel or pint.
Nitro beers look and taste better in pint glasses, so this was an easy choice.
More About This Nitro Vanilla Porter
Breckenridge’s regular Vanilla Porter is a beer I stop for often. It’s a go-to sessionable porter that’s great for winter months or pairing with cold desserts. Having a chance to try it as a Nitro beer was definitely worth it!
I picked up this four-pack at O’Hara’s liquors in Worcester for about $12. As of early March 2017 it was also on one of the Nitro lines at The Fix in Worcester.