Breckenridge Vanilla Porter is one of the original American vanilla porters, and it has been a staple of the Colorado brewery’s lineup for years. The recipe starts with a classic porter and adds vanilla beans from Madagascar and Papua New Guinea, giving a familiar dark beer an exotic twist.

The basics

• Brewery: Breckenridge Brewery (Littleton, CO)
• Style: Vanilla Porter
• ABV: 5.4%
• IBU: 16

What to expect

Vanilla Porter pours deep brown, almost opaque, with ruby highlights when held to the light and a creamy tan head. The aroma brings chocolate and roasted malt, and the flavor follows with chocolate, roasted nut, caramel, and coffee, with the vanilla arriving as a smooth, sweet note that ties it all together. The body is medium and smooth, and at 16 IBU there is barely any bitterness to get in the way. It drinks like a dessert beer that never gets too sweet.

Our rating

7.0/10

Rated by Nick (7). Nick’s 7 fits this one well. Vanilla Porter is a well-made, approachable dark beer, and the vanilla is present without taking over the porter underneath. It will not convert anyone who dislikes sweet dark beers, but as a cool-weather sipper or a beer to pair with chocolate dessert, it does its job nicely.