Imperial Smoked Porter - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

PatrickSwayze

California

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a beautiful deep dark chocolate brown with a lightish brown head

S: Gentle roast complemented by a wonderful hop aroma that is very behind the scenes

T: Easily one of the top porters I've had. Flavor is in line with beautiful piny, grassy hops that mingle just right with the lovely roast and chocolate with a tender smokiness at the finish

M: Light, smooth and wonderfully creamy as it rolls along the tongue. No alcohol presence at all.

O: Another amazing offer by Sierra Nevada. Though i wouldn't consider it an imperial it is still a tasty brew.  Only offered at the brewery though i highly recommend picking this up if your in Chico. 

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2012 22:14:51 | More by PatrickSwayze

kylehay2004

Florida

3.58/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: excellent head and decent lacing on a jet black body.

S: chocolate, licorice, dark fruit mostly red grapes and cherry. Nothing all that smokey about the aroma though.

T: smokiness is more prevalent and well applied mostly in the finish with accompanied wood notes. Chocolate, roasted malts and some dark fruits upfront.

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: this was a vintage keg from 2009 I think so te smokiness may be lessened or changed in this one. Not very porter like although the flavoring is nice, just not memorable.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2012 14:56:49 | More by kylehay2004

Piason

California

4/5  rDev -1.2%

05-11-2012 09:28:35 | More by Piason

THECPJ

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%

04-22-2012 23:42:08 | More by THECPJ

jsanford

Georgia

3.78/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Brewvival 2012

Poured a dark black with a dense khaki head. Aromas of sweet malt, chocolate, and a touch of mild smoke. Taste is definitely smokier then the nose suggests, lots of bacon, with more roasted malt and chocolate. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, with a medium-full body and good carbonation. A nice beer, overall. I'd like to see a bottle of this.

Serving type: on-tap

04-22-2012 16:47:56 | More by jsanford

PeprSprYoFace

California

3.5/5  rDev -13.6%

03-07-2012 07:55:34 | More by PeprSprYoFace

PaulStoneAnchor

California

4/5  rDev -1.2%

03-07-2012 07:03:25 | More by PaulStoneAnchor

Rocketman8911

California

5/5  rDev +23.5%

03-05-2012 07:18:40 | More by Rocketman8911

scottfrie

California

3.9/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint glass.

A: Served a very dark raisin brown with almost no head. Spotty lace.
S: Sweeter than I was expecting with slightly fruity notes. The smoke is light but noticeable and unoffensive. It's more of a sweet roasted, woody smokiness than it is a raunchy char or burnt smell.
T: Again, sweet flavor with caramel, vinous red grapes and raisins coming through. The finish is where the smoke comes in, and again it is light and woody tasting. The aftertaste is smokey and lingering as well. Not super complex overall, but very clean and good.
M: Medium body, very creamy and soft carbonation with a full soft body.
O: A great porter that was smooth and extremely easy to drink. It maybe could have used a bit more smoke, but what was there was integrated very well.

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2012 19:08:17 | More by scottfrie

DoubleSimcoe

New York

4/5  rDev -1.2%

02-26-2012 02:45:02 | More by DoubleSimcoe

mfreeman10

California

4/5  rDev -1.2%

02-21-2012 16:15:08 | More by mfreeman10

jethrodium

California

3.58/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Beer Revolution. Pours a dark brown with a small light tan head that settles to a ring and leaves light lacing on the glass. The aroma is roasted malt, coffee, and light smoked meat. The taste has a bit of initial sweetness with some coffee roastiness and a light smokiness. The finish has a little bitterness and a lingering, drying smokiness. Light body. Medium carbonation. Not quite as smoky as I was expecting.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 21:04:31 | More by jethrodium

nmann08

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

02-07-2012 14:46:44 | More by nmann08

funkel81

California

4/5  rDev -1.2%

02-06-2012 17:57:00 | More by funkel81

williamjbauer

West Virginia

3.8/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Ruby brown with 1 finger ecru head with minimal lacing and moderate head retention.

S - Caramel, chocolate, light roasted, no smoke

T - Very chocolaty sweet with light caramel and roasted coffee and a little hops bitterness and alcohol, but not quite as bold as I would expect out of an Imperial porter.

M - Medium body, moderate carbonation

O - A pretty good imperial porter but nothing mind blowing. I'd get it if I was in the mood for this style

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2012 16:42:31 | More by williamjbauer

acurtis

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -13.6%

02-05-2012 19:00:35 | More by acurtis

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +11.1%

02-05-2012 18:08:31 | More by coreyfmcdonald

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Had from a cask at Lord Hobo- poured a black color with a tan colored one and a half finger head. Great retention and minimal streaks of lacing.

Smells of course very smoky- a conurbation of backyard BBQ and sweet malt.

Tastes very smoky, sweet and peppery. That about sums it up.

Mouthfeel is very different. I've never had a cask ale before- it is very smooth and velvety. No carbonation at all. Very drinkable however.

Serving type: cask

02-02-2012 23:51:22 | More by Hopdaemon39

CampusCrew

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This was one of the beer I had at the Sierra Nevada beer dinner at Kickbacks. 2009 version, no hints of oxidation. balanced smoke. big body porter. Was a great night. Had amazingly paired food with one of my all time favorite breweries. I would love to have this beer again as well as others from the night.

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2011 20:56:09 | More by CampusCrew

Brad007

Vermont

3.75/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the Farmhouse Tap and Grill.

Pours a pitch black color with a brown head into my glass.

The aroma is bursting with a mix of roasted and smoked malt.

Taste is full of chewy smoked malt that co-exists with roasted malt.

Slight coffee aftertaste. Otherwise, smoky and chewy. Not much else to note.

An interesting take on the style. Can't say it's the best but if it's SN, it's usually worth trying at least once.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2010 00:08:23 | More by Brad007

CaraAndMike

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the Three Penny in Montpelier Vt, this Sierra '09 brew has done nothing but improve and evolve with age (tasted in Nov '10).

Blackstrap molasses color, smokey sweet aroma, slightly sharp chicory sweet taste with effervescent kick, slight bitterness on the initial finish with a lingering mellow smokiness for minutes after. Slight lack of head, but it's been sitting in the can for over 1 year.

A perfect smoked porter, with the emphasis on the porter rather than the smoke.

Serving type: on-tap

11-17-2010 02:27:26 | More by CaraAndMike

illidurit

California

3.2/5  rDev -21%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at The Red in Santa Cruz. Pours clear ruby brown with a nice lasting ecru head. Smells like an Irish Car Bomb tastes. Light roast, cream, caramel. Barely any smoke. Tastes like a mediocre porter, nothing close to an 'imperial smoked' porter. Expected sour mash black malt with some acidity but also a watery chocolate sweetness. Not getting any smoke here. Too thin in body, carbonation is low but that's not a problem. I made a mistake when ordering; I asked for a Sam Adams Imperial Smoked Porter and when confronted by a puzzled bartender, quickly corrected myself. But upon drinking it, this really tastes more like Sam Adams made it. Watery, thinnish, aromas and flavors aren't really all there. Had higher hopes for this one.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2010 09:38:40 | More by illidurit

tattooedtolley

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on cask at Pizza Port, Carlsbad. Was super excited to see it, as here in VA we don't see these special SN brews. Pitch black, not a ton of head but left great lacing, easy on the carb and super huge on the smoke. I'd have to say it was a bit too smokey for me, or maybe it was just the type of smoke it was. It was almost a grill smoke, like a liquid smoke flavor. It wasn't off putting necessarily but it took a few sips to get my head around it.

Serving type: cask

12-11-2009 05:20:57 | More by tattooedtolley

donniecuffs

New Jersey

4.55/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Taken from notes on a napkin from a promo at the Ginger Man in NYC a few months back.) Jet black, tan head that laced extremely well. As one would expect, the nose is dominated by smoke and roasted malt, with a subtle malt sweetness, near-chocolate. The taste was a whirlwind of smoke/roast at first, then a sweet malt dissolve, punctuated finally with a dry finish and smokey aftertaste. The body was creamy, but not overly done; a little lighter than one would expect for a porter. Given the mix between the flavor complexity and the medium body, I could've drank these all night.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-02-2009 05:27:21 | More by donniecuffs

bennetj17

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap @ 1702. Color is jet black, head is thin and tan, leaving a fomay ring behind. The first whiff yields a strong smokey scent. Very nice. Subsequent inhalations show that it smells quite sweet also, with a chocolate malt intensity.

The taste is not as smoke dominant as expected, although the smoke is still quite present. It is more outweighed by the sweetness of the malt, which is heavy, but thankfully I didn't find find it to be too cloying. The mouthfeel is suprisingly smooth and light for a strong dark brew. It almost feels like it is on nitrogen though it's not. It goes down easily and is not chewy.

A nice and drinkable Porter, although I didn't find anything too impressive or unique about it. It wasn't really for me though as it was more on the sweet chocolate side. The smokiness was decent, but I would have preferred it to be some what drier and more roasty. Worth a try...

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2009 04:17:24 | More by bennetj17