Gonzo Imperial Porter Review

Holy crap. Flying Dog Breweries, like a few other microbreweries, has decided to reinvigorate the rich and famous Porter style beer. Popular in the 1700’s, this ancient brew fell to the side when the Pale Ale style took shape and ruled through the 1800’s. Until the late 1970’s we rarely found a Porter to cherish but, today, things are changing.

Gonzo Imperial Porter is a dark beer, dark brown to black, and has a thin brown head which diminishes over time to a light halo around the glass. A quick sniff and you’ll be bombarded by hoppy aroma’s reflecting a stout or porter in smell. This may be because Flying Dog states, on their website, Gonzo Imperial Porter, is a “double Porter recipe, dry hopped with a shit load of Cascade hops.”

This beer has bite, a bitter hoppy acidic/citrus bite which is sure to put some hair on your chest (sorry girls). It’s lasting chocolate aftertaste keeps the beer on your pallet for awhile after sipping. The effects of too many Imperial Porter’s may cloud your judgment as well, weighing in at 7.8% alcohol by volume (ABV).

This medium bodied porter may have a hop bite with a bit of citrus but it balances it out with a sweet malty taste and slight carbonation. Without the great balance this beer may overwhelm most drinkers, it’s a delicate balance of sweets, bitters and alcohol and Flying Dog pulled it off well.

If you’re looking for a more potent beer and want to explore Porters further, Flying Dog’s Gonzo Imperial Porter is worth a taste. You’ll get a nice sweet smokey chocolate flavor with enough taste to make you want to search the beer fridge for another.