Block 15 Brewery, based in Corvallis, Oregon, is one of the best and probably most underrated (and under the radar?) breweries in the state. The brewery consistently puts out a wide range of beers across all styles, from classics to experimental IPAs to incredible sour and wild beers. I have not had a bad beer from Block 15, and that extends to this latest one—Maple, released back in November and billed as a Robust Maple Porter.

The brewery described this beer thusly:

This robust porter was brewed with maple sugar, fermented with maple syrup, and conditioned on American Sugar Maple wood, lending notes of maple syrup, vanilla, caramel, and bourbon—a rich flavor profile that’s backed by roasty malt flavors and a balanced finish.

So it has the one-two punch of maple—syrup, and maple wood conditioning, which is interesting. The alcohol is 5.75% ABV.

Appearance: Dark brown bordering on black, opaque due to the color but I believe a good clarity overall. It has a tan, cola-foam head, fizzy and lightly creamy. Decent legs on the side of the glass when you swirl.

Smell: Deep roasted malts with a sweet, dark maple character and a light hint of smokiness. Dark roast coffee and some vanilla oakiness. Molasses, hints of chocolate, charcoal.

Taste: Deep and rich with a prominent almost-charred woody flavor, that goes smoky and dry. Most of the maple sugar has fermented out, but there’s a residual “sap” or resin character that has a savory maple kick. Dark malts with hints of char and dry roasted flavors are tempered by a bit of vanilla bean and a wisp of caramel.

Mouthfeel: Medium to medium-full body, with big roasty almost-astringent impression that finishes dry and woody. Good carbonation levels.

Overall: I was expecting a sweet maple flavor to come through, and was pleasantly surprised at the dry, wood-aged nature of this—this is not a dessert or pastry beer, it’s more complex than that. In that sense Maple both defied and exceeded expectations, and if you can find more of this I’d recommend it for a savory, roasty experience.