Brewery- Ballast Point (San Diego, CA)
Style- Imperial Porter
Availability- Limited Release
ABV- 10%
IBU- 60

It is hard to top the month of March in my book. Birthdays, March Madness, St. Patty’s…and Snow Days. Looking back on my last birthday snow day, I have to go quite a ways back to 5th grade. This birthday ranks among the best albeit for different reasons, namely Super Mario Tennis on the N64. Who could be bothered to go outside when you have characters to unlock, friends to beat and aces to serve!?

Fast forward to today, and while the glory of adolescent gaming has shifted to become a thing of the past, there are battles that have been won on this March 6. Working (a term loosely used today) from home allows such posts to be written leisurely and motivated with a fine beverage at hand. Tapping into my Valentine’s Day Weekend loot of hard to find bottles has brought out today’s first Victory at Sea, an Imperial Porter by Ballast Point.

With a delicious nose and minor head upon pour (about a half a pinkie nail), the coffee bean and vanilla essence become quite evident and contribute to a very sweet and tasty first sip. With a smidgen of roasted malt balanced out with minor acidity, it creates a memorable aftertaste that betrays the 10% ABV listing. While this particular bottle has been maintained in a garage for just over a month, it certainly could have been saved for a later day; but why wait?

With the excellent draught selections of the season, I have been looking for nothing but dark and sweet. With this beer, I must also admit that my perception of Ballast Point as an IPA-centric brewery also has changed. With the strides that have been made in the coffee and beer partnership, this beer ranks right up there at the top with the 2014 Ninkasi/ Sierra Nevada Beer Camp offering. It is an exciting time to see innovation and collaboration deliver high quality beverages across the market.

If you can find this beer, I highly recommend picking it up. With the perfect amount of coffee beans (3/4 lb cold brewed per pint, based on their site) and the sweetness of the vanilla, this is a perfect beer for a March Snow Day. Until next time friends. Cheers