Old Viscosity - Port Brewing Company, San Marcos

Like many beers I've logged on this site, this is the first time I've ever had Old Viscosity. Port Brewing's beers don't make it to my neck of the woods so I had to bring this bottle back from a recent trip across state lines. While I haven't had Old Viscosity before, I have had Older Viscosity, a non-blended version of the barrel aged beer that goes into Old Viscosity. I had the Older on tap in the middle of a day of drinker other huge beers. What I remember of the Older Viscosity is hazy, but I remember liking it quite a lot. Before returning home, I grabbed a bottle of Old Viscosity and waited patiently until I could give it the attention it deserves.

Old Viscosity pours as dark as the name implies. It settles into a deep black body with a generous head of tan bubbles. The head dies down quickly but still completely covers the surface of the beer, leaving behind quite a bit of lacing. The aroma in this glass is pleasant but not ground breaking. There's a nice robust malt aroma, it doesn't seem to be super roasted and it doesn't smell much like a barrel. The aroma is very well balanced, I'm hoping that carried through to the flavor.

Port Brewing's Old Viscosity is a very dark Imperial Stout that is deceptively light on the oak and sneaks in some sweet flavors like vanilla cream. The first sip of Old Viscosity is incredibly rich. There's a big biting oakiness that sneaks past your nose and butts ahead of the roasted malt and alcohol to be the first in line for your taste buds. At 10% ABV, the alcohol is noticeable but it doesn't distract from the dark malt and oak. If you like your beers with less oak, I'd suggest drinking the Old Viscosity a little cooler because the barrel really comes through as the beer warms up.

Port Brewing Company's Old Viscosity is a great Imperial Stout, one that is well balanced but still adventurously oaked. It's a good gateway beer for someone looking to sample bigger, darker and more complex Imperial Stouts.