Sturgeon Ale - Maumee Bay Brewing Company

atomicbeer

New Mexico

3.88/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sturgeon ale is an oaked porter. Arrived in a straight pint glass, black with a thin tan head.
Coffee, chocolate milk, oak, burnt barley-lettuce, and rubbing alcohol aroma. A nice nutty and burnt oak/vanilla flavor. Smooth and nice. A contemplative beer.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2012 23:05:56 | More by atomicbeer

Brenden

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

For this beer, released for a festival meant to raise awareness of dangers to the local watershed and conservation. 15 pounds of oak chips were fire-roasted in MBBC's brick oven and soaked in Woodford Reserve for a few nights before being added to the beer.

It's a barely opaque dark brown displaying the very faintest red hue. A creamy, tan head one finger high leaves creamy lacing in good amplitude.
Smoky and sweet, the aroma showcases a sturdy malts base with just enough hops whose 39 IBUs is just enough to balance, particularly here in the nose, letting the malts show off a bit. It's nicely even and at a proper level for a porter.
The flavor also has a nice smoky overtone and malts form a foundation without being huge; this isn't a stout, and its character as a porter may leave some "huge beers only" types wanting, but it's right for a porter. Hops, again, balance while giving malts prominence. The bourbon peeks out just into the finish. I do see why stouts are typically chosen for beers with spirits added; it seems to hold the character better. This beer does well to not have a huge bourbon presence in it, which would be a mess. The smoke does lead to a nip of charred astringency leading into the finish as well.
In the feel, a bigger punch would be good, the bourbon offering a better smoothness for the nip in the finish than a porter. Otherwise it's lightly crisp and a bit more smooth.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2012 20:01:00 | More by Brenden