A Classy New Destination Brewery And Live Music Venue In The Colony Hits All The Right Notes With Its Coffee-Flavored Cole’s Porter Beer.

Welcome to On Tap! Each week in this recurring feature, we’ll take an in-depth look at one of the many beers available in the crowded North Texas brew scene. The goal here is to look at these area beers without our local goggles on, and to wonder aloud, “Is this beer good or do I just like it because it’s local?” Let’s find out! Cheers!

This week, I sipped on Cole’s Porter from Windmills Brewery.

Fast Facts about Cole’s Porter

Style: Porter (coffee)
ABV: 5.9 percent
International Bitterness Units (IBUs): 20
Color: Dark Brown
Proper Glassware: Nonic Pint or Pub Mug
Availability: Draught and growlers/crowlers at Windmills only

Overview

Windmills is not your average brewpub. Not by a long shot — and I say that as a guy who, once upon a time, traveled a lot and never passed up the chance to visit a brewpub. Located in the Grandscape complex in The Colony, this spot offers fine casual dining with flair — the kind of place where you’d normally find of a wine list picked out by a sommelier. But, while you can certainly get a glass of wine here, beer is definitely the lead.

Oh, and it’s a live music venue, too.

Listen, I could go on and on about how much I greatly enjoyed my visit to Windmills, but our purpose is to talk about beer here, so if you are interested in knowing more about the total Windmills experience, maybe go have a look at this great write up by the folks at Beer in Big D.

So, anyway: The beer.

After some friends tagged me on Facebook raving about the beer at Windmills — and specifically their coffee porter — I knew I had to try it. After a bit of investigation, I learned that this beer is actually something of a local collaboration between Windmills and Addison Coffee Roasters, which supplied the coffee for this brew.

As previously noted, one of the big themes at Windmills is music. In keeping with that theme, all their brews are related to music in some form or fashion. So, that should immediately explain the meaning behind this brew’s Cole’s Porter name.

Of course, a name like that is a lot to live up to. Can this effervescent coffee porter live up to the legend of its namesake? Let’s see.

Background on American Porter

American porters are the stronger and slightly more aggressive cousin of English porters. While the style can certainly get hoppy, it’s usually more about featuring the character of dark malts. American porters are usually medium-brown to almost black, featuring a full tan-colored head with good retention. There is often a slightly burnt character to the aroma and flavor, usually accompanied by dark malt flavors like chocolate and coffee. ABV levels tend to be moderate with a range of 4.8 to 6.5 percent, while bitterness runs between 25 and 50 IBUs.

Appearance

Cole’s Porter is deep brown — almost indistinguishable from black, except in the right light. When filling the glass, it produces a generous tan head with enough structure to rise above the rim without running downing the side. The foam stand disappears gradually, leaving behind a delicate but obvious lace on the glass and a ring of fine bubbles around the edge.

Aroma

One sniff, and you know Cole’s Porter is charged with coffee. It’s massive, and it overwhelms everything at first. Once your nose gets used to it and dials in some, you’ll find other dark scents, including baking chocolate, roast and espresso. In all, it’s a warm and decadent aroma, and just fucking wonderful.

Flavor

I don’t get as much of the coffee from Cole’s Porter on the tongue as I do in the nose. Flavor-wise, this goes to the roast more than anything with a pleasing just-short-of-burnt flavor. When I hold it in my mouth for a few seconds, I start to get some molasses notes but without the sweetness. The deep-roasted malts and coffee bolster the bitterness, driving it beyond the advertised 20 IBU.

Mouthfeel

Cole’s Porter is medium-bodied with medium carbonation, drinking much lighter than its heavyweight appearance suggests. The coffee lends this a bit of acidity that makes it a bit grippy. The dry-roasted finish is medium-long and pleasant at cooler temps, but goes a touch harsh at room temp.

Overall Impression

Cole’s Porter is well-executed fusion of coffee and beer, and a must try for anyone that loves these two beverages. It is unabashedly bold, but in an elegant sort of way and right in line with the upscale surroundings of Windmills.

Personally, I’d like it even better if the brewery pulled back on the coffee notes some — just a bit — in order to let the malt flavors lead a bit more and perhaps cut down on the acridness a bit. I know it’s a coffee porter, but Cole’s Porter is a little too close to being iced black coffee for me. Call me weird, but I prefer my beer to be beer first, and other flavors second.

All that said, though, Cole’s Porter hits all the right notes for me, and it totally lives up to my friends’ hype.

It’s a seriously class act.

Score

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give Windmills’ Cole’s Porter an 8.

All photos by Bob Floyd.

Previous On Tap Reviews:

• Revolver’s Sangre y Miel: 10.
• Lakewood Brewing’s Salted Caramel Temptress: 10.
• Peticolas’ Royal Scandal: 10.
• Community’s Mosaic IPA: 10.
• Deep Ellum Brewing Company’s Freak Flag: 10.
• Peticolas’ Velvet Hammer: 10.
• Collective Brewing Project’s Boysenbarrel: 10.
• Community’s Barrel-Aged Legion: 10.
• Community’s Legion: 10.
• Martin House River Horse: 9.75.
• BrainDead’s Fill in the Blancs: 9.5.
• Oak Highlands’ Freaky Deaky: 9.5.
• 903 Brewers’ Birthday Sasquatch: 9.5.
• TUPPS Brewery’s Full Grown Scallywag: 9.5.
• On Rotation’s Flocculation of Seagulls: 9.5.
• Braindead Brewing’s P-Wing: 9.5.
• Lakewood Brewing Company’s Coconut Temptress: 9.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Barrel Aged Four Swords: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Saint Dymphna: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Lost Epic: 9.5.
• Community’s Ascension Porter: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Temptress: 9.5.
• Lakewood’s Goatman: 9.5.
• Community’s Public Ale: 9.5.
• Peticolas’ Thrilla in Brazilla: 9.5.
• Collective Brewing Project’s SMaSHY: 9.25
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• Martin House Brewing Company’s The Morrigan: 9.25.
• On Rotation’s Jalapeno Saison: 9.
• Woodcreek’s Bourbon Barrel Bock: 9.
• Peticolas’ Same Time Next Year: 9.
• Lakewood’s Double Chocolate Temptress: 9.
• Braindead Brewing Company’s Dr. Dreipricot: 9.
• Manhattan Project’s Black Matter: 9.
• Lakewood’s Wild Manimal: 9.
• Manhattan Project Beer Company’s Necessary Evil: 9.
• Revolver’s Blood & Honey: 9.
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• Martin House’s Imperial Texan: 9.
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• Peticolas’ Irish Goodbye: 9.
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• Noble Rey Brewing’s Barampus: 8.25.
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• Community Beer Company’s Brett’s Get It On: 8.25.
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• Collective Brewing Project’s Cup O’ Sumpin Raspberry Lemonade: 8.
• Texas Ale Project’s Smash Experiment: 8.
• Armadillo Ale Works’ Greenbelt Farmhouse Ale: 8.
• Hop & Sting Brewing Company’s Dixon’s Dunkelweizen: 8.
• Cedar Creek Brewery’s Gone A-Rye: 8.
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• Pegasus City Brewery’s Sixth Floor: 8.
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• Bitter Sisters’ Belgian Tripel: 8.
• Noble Rey’s SteamPunk: 8.
• 903 Brewers’ Citra On Top: 8.
• 3 Nations’ Switchyard: 8.
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• 903 Brewers’ Sasquatch: 8.
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• Community Brewing Company’s Silly Gose: 6.75
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• Martin House’s The Juice: 6.5.
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• 903 Brewers’ Trot Line: 6.5.
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• Peticolas’ Operation Collaboration: 6.5.
• Rahr & Sons Brewing Company’s Pumpkin Ale: 6.5.
• Grapevine Craft Brewery’s Nightwatch: 6.5.
• Peticolas’ The Duke: 6.5.
• Deep Ellum’s Double Brown Stout : 6.5.
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• Miller Lite: 1.

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