Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea

Beer Name: Peppermint Victory at Sea
Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA)
ABV: 10.0%
How sold: 22 oz. (650 mL) bottles
Where bought: Belmont Station (Portland, OR)
Price: $8.83

Ballast Point Date Stamp: VAS 85P 15341 (85th batch, made on the 341st day of 2015)
Date Bottled: December 7, 2015
Date Purchased: December 16, 2015
Date Opened/Drank: January 12, 2016
IBUs: 22
When brewed? Seasonal beer for the holidays.

Where distributed: Ballast Point distributes to several states.

What's on the Bottle: "This Peppermint Victory at Sea is a festive take on our popular Imperial Porter. We took our trademark robust porter brewed with Caffe Calabria coffee and vanilla and added a dose of refreshing peppermint. the trio of flavors play perfectly on your palate - the brew's sweet roastiness balances nicely with a cool, minty finish.."

REVIEW:

Appearance (5%): Poured black with frothy/foamy tan head. 4.5/5

Smell (25%): Assertive peppermint aroma with coffee and vanilla notes. 4.5/5

Taste (40%): Intense peppermint upfront with roasted coffee complementing it. Vanilla swoops in to soothe the aftertaste. Exactly as advertised. Drinks very smooth for 10% ABV. Peppermint may be a tad too assertive here for me, though. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel (10%): Full-bodied with some carbonation. Controlled bitterness lingers on the tongue. 4.25/5

Overall (20%): An excellent Imperial Porter. This is definitely one of those beers that play to the peppermint fan, as peppermint haters would not want this one. While I love the flavor overall, the peppermint is very intense here. I appreciate this beer more for its drinkability despite being 10% ABV. Very appropriate for the holiday season. Even though I'm drinking this after the holidays, it's still a nice winter beer. Definitely a beer to try for science at least once. 4/5

Final Weighted Rating: 4.275/5