Day 11 of the 3rd Annual Advent-ure Calendar

Day 11: Leinenkugel Snowdrift Vanilla Porter

This brewery is typically known for their super light and airy beers and most famous for their shandies.  That being said, it’s interesting to see a porter come from Leinenkugel. But, we take this seriously, so no putting the cart before the horse. Or beer. From the website: “Drift into winter with Snowdrift Vanilla Porter, back by popular demand as our Winter standalone. A fuller-bodied brew with hints of cocoa, coffee and caramel brought out by roasted malts and aged on real vanilla, our Snowdrift Vanilla Porter is smooth and creamy, making it perfect for warming up winter.”

REFLECTIONS

Beard & Broad
Beard: I had some apprehension about this one going in. The only beer I’ve ever really purchased from Leinenkugel is Summer Shandy, and that was either 15 years ago or when I was drunk at a crappy bar during summer. This has the flavors of a porter, but nothing really pronounced. It’s all just kind of dull to me, like its a kid that has a friend named Porter that he REALLY wants to be like: he dresses like him, he talks like him, he tries to like the same things he likes…but he’s just not Porter.

Broad: I was afraid this beer would taste like most Leinenkugel beers and be sweet and I was right. To me this beer is sweet, very malty and a bit metallic-y. I get hints of vanilla but no other winter spice. I like my porters robust and full of coffee or slightly smokey flavors and this has neither.

Adam & Alex
Adam: Leinenkugel has a negative connotation to me because I hate summer shandy so I admit I didn’t have high hopes for this but I enjoyed it. We’re both fans of porters and this is a tasty version. I get vanilla and caramel and a little coffeeness. Would drink many of them.

Alex: I don’t remember if I have ever had this before, but breaking news, apparently I like porters now. I liked the Snow Flyer, and I liked this one too. It isn’t overly sweet given vanilla is the name. It reminds of vanilla coffee.

Scott & Christa
Scott: Pleasant. That’s the best way I can describe this vanilla porter. I’m most surprised how subtle the flavor is, considering this beer comes from the brewery that makes the sweet (yet delicious) summer shandy. This is like the Michelob Ultra of winter beers and depending on who you are, that’s not a bad thing.

Christa: This beer is confusing me. It doesn’t taste like a porter, which I typically don’t love, but it doesn’t taste like anything else either. It’s not overly sweet. It’s crisp and refreshing and definitely goes down easy. But, what is it?? It’s somewhat flavorless. It would be a great beer if you wanted to get rip roaring drunk but didn’t want to taste it as you did so, which I am sure some people wouldn’t mind.

Tony & Megan
To uge fan of this beer. Deep, dark in color with those great porter flavors of caramels, toffee, and most prominently in this one; vanilla. With “snowdrift” appropriately in the name, this one makes you think of warmin up next to a fire at a ski lodge enjoying those winter porter flavors lookin out on the powder covered hills. You might be thinking, “wait Tony I didn’t know you ski. Thats correct, I don’t, but thats what it makes me picture ok….) Its smooth, creamy, with good vanilla flavor and one of my favorite discoveries this season.

Megan: Son of a nutcracker, I’m feeling this. It’s smooth and creamy but not too heavy for a porter (even though the color indicates otherwise). The hint of vanilla helps hold its place amongst the holiday beers. Really enjoy this one, two thumbs up.

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