Mad River Brewing

Microbrewery in Blue Lake, California, United States 🇺🇸

Established in 1989

Contact
101 Taylor Way, Blue Lake, CA, 95525, United States
Description
Since 1989 Mad River Brewing company has been crafting award winning ales made in Humboldt County. Our most prestigious awards include four Gold Medals, four Silver Medals and one Bronze medal from the Great American Beer Festival. Two Bronze awards from the World Beer Cup and 2010 Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year award from the Great American Beer Festival.

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8/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 8
I had a good moment with this beer. It is a classical stout, on the American way, aromatic and dry roasted malt, hop, coffee, powerful, 14.03.18, at Prélaz.
Tried from Bottle from Sterk Avondverkoop on 23 Apr 2026 at 15:25

9/10 Appearance 9 Aroma 9 Flavor 9 Texture 9 Overall 9
From the sterk Amsterdam, simply a great porter, on the line of a fuller, malty, a little smocked, sensation of coca-cola, dark chocolate, 27.10.18, tasting it in our rented flat, at Innsbruck.
Tried from Bottle on 13 Mar 2026 at 18:29

7/10 Appearance 7 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 7 Overall 6
Backlog June 2009. Reddish brown body under a dense beige head. Strong aroma of malt, ripe fruit, caramel and alcohol. Taste is sweet malt, dry fruit, wood, alcohol and slightly harsh bitterness. Fine body with long lasting aftertaste. Several positive elements here, but ends up a bit raw and unfinished imo.
Tried on 30 Dec 2025 at 14:43

7.9/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7.5 Texture 8 Overall 8
Purchased at the sterk, in Amsterdam during my first trip. Rich beer, a meal in the bottle, the alcool is really present, burning the throat, malty, plum. 02.09.2018
Tried from Bottle from Sterk Avondverkoop on 08 Mar 2025 at 12:47

7.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
bottle from dsnowden, thank you!
A really nice porter, big on the rosted malt, and some nice chocolate, and coffee notes. Flavour is very roasty, and finished with a nice coffee bitnerness. As it warmed i got some subtle fruitiness in the aroma, and flavour. Very enjoyable.
Tried from Bottle on 27 Feb 2025 at 12:09

6.1/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6.5
Bottle at home. Aroma is bready malt, light fruity, biscuity, mildly hoppy. Flavour is light to moderate sweet and bitter. Body is medium. Mild but pleasant, nothing outstanding about it.
Tried from Bottle on 13 Feb 2025 at 05:01

7.4/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Bottle at home. Aroma is roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, mocha. Flavour is light to moderate sweet and over moderate roasty coffee bitter with a nicely dry finish. Body is medium to full, slightly creamy. Very tasty roasty coffee chocolate Stout.
Tried from Bottle on 13 Feb 2025 at 05:00

6.8/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Bottle at home. Aroma is bready malt, caramel, toast, some toffee, overripe fruits, piney hoppy notes. Flavour is over moderate sweet with an over moderate bitter finish. Medium bodied. Nice hoppy caramel Amber, a bit like a light Barley Wine, clearly this beer wants to grow up and become Anchor’s Old Foghorn.
Tried from Bottle on 13 Feb 2025 at 05:00

7/10 Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Bottle at home. Aroma is dark malt, roast, caramel, cocoa, powdery chocolate, some liquorice, with a slight hint of campfire. Flavour is above moderate sweet and bitter. Body is medium. Only very mild smoke, but a pleasing Porter regardless.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Feb 2025 at 04:51

6/10 Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
2014 vintage. Bottle from Bierkoning, Amsterdam. Aroma is sweet malt, grain, caramel, toffee, hoppy notes in the finish, touch of berries, caramelized sugar, alcohol. Flavour is sweet and moderate to medium hoppy bitter with a bittersweet finish. Quite boozy with alcohol burn. Body is above medium. Okay drinkable, but kind of rough harsh sugary malt boozy Barleywine, not my favourite.
Tried from Bottle on 10 Feb 2025 at 04:50