12 bottle carryout from Paw Paw. I accidentally got two bottles with different label designs, and this first one looks like the older one. But no date can be found. I've had a couple vanilla porters, and this is very similar: nice nose of vanilla, along with coffee roast malt, no harshness. Opaque blackish body with a thin brown layer of foam. Taste has some bitterness that may actually be overdone malt roast. Harsh mouthfeel subsides after the first swallow. This just sat down more like a homebrew. Well, I can check out the other bottle later and see if this is just an off batch.The second, newer bottle, is more like it. Warm milk chocolate small once poured into a shaker. Fuller cocoa and milk sugar taste. Much less off flavor. I've notched this one up a few spaces.

Bottle. Dark brown color with almost no head and very little carbonation that I can see. There are some floaters bobbing around in the murk. Aromas are pleasant: a whiff of cocoa, some vanilla and just a hint of dark pit fruit. Flavor is astringent dark malt with a little vanilla. Ends a bit bitter like coffee grounds.

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating. Pours pitch black color with a 1-2 finger dense tan head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, toast, dark bread, herbal, light vanilla, and roasted earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance of dark/roasted malt notes with light vanilla presence; with solid strength. Taste of milk chocolate, cocoa, roasted malt, vanilla, toast, dark bread, herbal, and roast/toast earthiness. Minimal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of milk chocolate, cocoa, roast, vanilla, toast, dark bread, light herbal, and roasted earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Good balance of dark/roasted malt and moderate vanilla flavors with light hop presence; with solid complexity and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very creamy and smooth mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a nice vanilla porter. Good balance and robustness of dark/roasted malt and moderate vanilla flavors; and very smooth to drink. A nicely enjoyable offering.