AleSmith Decadence 2007 Imperial Porter - AleSmith Brewing Company

jrallen34

Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I drank this from the bottle into a Rochefort glass.

This beer is very dark black with a surprsingly light tan head. The head only comes about a half of finger and is gone right away. The lacing is ok.

The aroma is way to light. There is some chocolate and vanilla, but not a whole lot going on there.

The taste is nothing special. There is some light coffee taste with a very bitter ending. Its a little disappointing overall. The feel is ok and the drinkability is down.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2009 02:03:54 | More by jrallen34

Photekut

Azerbaijan

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%

05-18-2013 23:58:18 | More by Photekut

Azrael

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%

02-08-2013 04:12:24 | More by Azrael

kojevergas

California

3.53/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Cost was $26.00. 750ml brown glass bottle with foiled over standard pressure cap served into a Guinness stem-goblet in me gaff in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the brewery, style, and aging. 10% ABV confirmed.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Not paired with food.

Yields a satisfying 'tsk' of carbonation upon opening.

A: Pours a one finger rich khaki colour head of nice cream and thickness, and decent retention. Body colour is a solid nontransparent jet black. Opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Lacing is fair. Looks pretty standard for an imperial porter.

Sm: Hints of oxidation, caramel, dark malts, and cream. A limited aroma in terms of being evocative, but generally appealing. A moderate strength aroma. Hints of toffee and oak.

T: Toffee, caramel, oak, traces of vanilla, dark malts, traces of pleasant slight oxidation (which strangely complements the oak), and lightly toasted malt. Nicely balanced and tasty. Well layered and enjoyable. I quite like it.

Mf: Smooth and wet. Nicely thick. Good carbonation. Good palate presence.

Dr: Drinkable and enjoyable, but not worth its hefty pricetag. A very solid imperial porter, and one that's held up well. Hides its ABV well. I wouldn't get it again. It'd be a great offering at one third the price if it were regularly brewed. Another solid offering from Alesmith.

Low B

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 05:45:40 | More by kojevergas

Gobzilla

California

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured very dark brown almost black with brown highlights and a half finger of head that left some good frothy lacing sticking to the glass.

S: plenty of chocolatey goodness present in the aroma with caramel vanilla sweetness, signs kf booze lingering in the backgroun with some roastiness and hints of dark fruits as well.

T: like the nose suggested the chocolate component was there upfront on the palate alongside caramel, vanilla, toffee sweetness, mild coffee coming through, good roasted malts, well balanced booze and a touch of dark fruits.

M: the brew was medium to full in body with a good amount of carbonation which had a roasty, semi boozy, sweet, mild dark fruity and creamy finish.

I: I was really impressed on how it has held up. It's still tasty and would definitely have another.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 16:31:53 | More by Gobzilla

beerpadawan

California

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%

08-27-2012 02:18:12 | More by beerpadawan

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a  dark chestnut brown color with a one finger beige head that slowly settles into lasting ring.  Sporadic spots of lace left behind.

Slightly boozy aroma with subtle smokiness.  Nice toasted character with sweet and roasted malt notes. Lots of chocolate malt sweetness along with caramel and toffee countered by earthy hops.

Slight viscous, medium body with a good balance of roasted and sweet malt notes along with some earthy hops and sweet booze.  Lots of chocolate with hints of toast, dark chocolate, toffee, caramel and hazelnut.  Velvety and well masked ABV make this deceptively drinkable  Subtle heat toward the finish but not as strong as the nose suggests.  This beer held up really well.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 02:46:29 | More by corby112

brystmar

New York

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Opened alongside the BA version at a tasting last night. Both were excellent and surprisingly different from each other.

This one was more dark & roasty, adhering closer to the imperial porter guidelines. Still pretty boozy -- even after ~5 years -- but the booze character seems to have melted into the rest of the flavors. Quite well-crafted, wish I had another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 18:32:18 | More by brystmar

whartontallboy

New York

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%

05-13-2012 01:11:00 | More by whartontallboy

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I have wanted to try this one for quite awhile now. Thanks to whoever brought this one to Imminent Liquidation II.

A - Pours black as night with a decent one finger tall off white head leaving light streaks of lace down most of the glass.

S - Smells of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and plenty of dark roasted malt. The chocolate is still surprisingly strong, combining with the dark roast, to make a luscious smell that is very inciting.

T - Starts off with some nice chocolatey sweetness slowly giving way to hints of vanilla, coffee grounds and dark roasted malt. It almost tastes like melted tootsie rolls. Finish is a mix of dark roast and light chocolatey sweetness, lingering on the pallet long after consumption.

M - Full body with plenty of sweet flavors and moderate carbonation. Nice creamy feel with very little booze left. Some sweetness and dark roast linger long after the finish.

O - This one really lived up to my expectations. It had all the flavors I like and it held up well over the time in the bottle. I hope to try the BA version some day, if it is anything like this one it will be great.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2012 00:33:30 | More by orangesol

Sean9689

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks, Mike. Bottle poured into snifter.

A - Pours dark brown/pretty much black, light tan head, some bubbles here and there, thin collar.

S - Chocolate, light oxidation, light caramel. Pretty subtle here, but still, a nice nose on this one despite showing some of its age.

T - Chocolate, light dark fruity notes, some oxidation, light roasty notes. Despite the age, this is drinking nicely and is only showing a bit of age. No sign of the 10% alcohol. The sweetness is solid, but could use a bit more roast.

M - Medium body, light carbonation, creamy finish.

O - This was pretty damn good for being almost 5 years old! The alcohol was nowhere to be found, and the sweetness was just about spot-on for my full enjoyment. Only a slight bit of oxidation and the small amount of roast is all I can say that's bad about how this one is currently drinking. Good stuff!

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 19:17:33 | More by Sean9689

acurtis

New Jersey

3.75/5  rDev -11.1%

12-31-2011 18:48:16 | More by acurtis

pperez38

California

4/5  rDev -5.2%

12-01-2011 08:23:36 | More by pperez38

djrn2

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -5.2%

11-24-2011 00:57:55 | More by djrn2

brandoman63

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +6.6%

11-22-2011 21:35:14 | More by brandoman63

HopStoopid120

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +18.5%

11-16-2011 03:50:06 | More by HopStoopid120

ygtbsm94

Virginia

4/5  rDev -5.2%

11-15-2011 04:46:55 | More by ygtbsm94

imperialking

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +0.7%

11-15-2011 02:56:18 | More by imperialking

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a mini brandy snifter, thanks to capra12 for sharing this with everyone.

A- Dark Brown color, thin layer of beige head, splotchy lacing, red hues come out when you hold it up to the light.
S- Big malt aroma upfront, caramel, toffee, dark fruits (plums, raisin)
T- The taste is similar to the aroma, big malty beer, some roasted notes come out, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, the dark fruit notes are less present than the aroma.
M- Medium mouth feel, smooth drinking, the carbonation Is on the low end, nice roasty aftertaste on the palate, sticky finish.
O- This beer is very enjoyable, easy drinking, glad to of tried this brew, nothing mind blowing though. I’m excited to try the Barrel Aged version next to compare.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 19:28:33 | More by Chriscrundwell12

HopHead84

California

4.47/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

9/3/3011

Side by side with the barrel aged version. My last set.

A: Near black with a big frothy beige head. Good retention and scattered lacing.

S: Smooth toffee and caramel with light chocolate. Brown sugar is faint. Oxidation is a whisper. Notes of plum and raisin suffuse the senses.

T: Lightly sweet with cocoa and a low bitterness. Caramel melds with toffee and lightly roasted malt. I get a touch of molasses. Dark fruits are pronounced and reminiscent of plum and prune. Oxidation is faint and graceful.

M: Lower full in body with moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is silky and sticky.

Overall: At nearly three and a half years old and aging at a constant 55 degrees, this is really impressive. This is a rare success in aging. The barrel aged version is still good, but this is the better beer now. I hope they rebrew this.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 15:43:36 | More by HopHead84

AgentZero

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Drank this with Alex during the White Whale FFL draft. If my team sucks, well, this will be the first thing I blame.

A - Dark brown body, almost black, with a little bit of brown foam that left some minor stick on the sides.

S - Lost of chocolate, roasted and toasted malts, and some fruity yeast sweetness that blended nicely with the chocolate. Smells very big.

T - Found the taste on this to be really nice. Lots of chocolate, but manages not to get too sweet, as it is balanced by good roast and a little bit of coffee bitterness.

M - Smooth, fuller side of medium bodied, lower carbonation.

O - Bottle of this one disappeared really fast between the two of us. A surpringly great beer, think I'm going to go out on the hunt now for the BA version, as this was fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 21:22:55 | More by AgentZero

MasterSki

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Mike for sharing this - I loved the barrel-aged versions and was curious what the base beer was like. Served in a wide-mouthed chalice.

A - Thin quick-dissolving tan foam that settles to some wisps on top, leaving behind tiny spots of lace. Dark chocolate brown body that is pretty solid throughout.

S - Big dark chocolate, with notes of toasted malts, sharp toffee, fruity English ale yeast, and perhaps a hint of oxidation setting in. There's also a touch of alcohol present, but nothing untoward for a 10% beer.

T - Taste has a bit more roast character to it, along with some bitter dark chocolate. Finishes quite dry, and with some light coffee bitterness. Pretty delicious stuff.

M - Smooth texture, lower carbonation, medium body, lightly sticky finish, and a mild amount of alcohol heat. Perhaps a touch thin

D - This is really easy to drink. Mike and I crushed a 750ml bottle no problem. It's obviously quite different from the -bal aged version, but was just as enjoyable. Hope Alesmith revisits this recipe down the road.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 14:21:36 | More by MasterSki

FosterJM

California

4.1/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

731st Review on BA
Bottle to snifter

Clusterfork7
Not sure which BA brought this

App- Big dark browns mixed with a nice off khaki head and left just a touch of cling.

Smell- Still retained a bit of the porter notes with a lot of the malts dominating. **EDIT** I had stated this was the barrel aged, but still picked up a lot of the barrel notes. Had a nice vanilla note to me.

Taste- Again a bit soft. A nice porter with a bit of roast and some malt. Toffee, chocolate and some cream round out the taste on this one. A little, little bit of booze on the taste.

Mouth- Right down the middle as I say a lot with a medium body and a medium carbonation level on this one. Left a creamy roast with a little chocolate

Drink- Damn, this was very tasty. Another old bottle that came out on CF7 and was super appreciated. This was a beer that showed some age but still held together very nicely.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2011 19:36:51 | More by FosterJM

claspada

New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to HimerMan for providing this rarity for trade.
Aromas begin with nice baker's chocolate, medium roasted malts and slight/lesser hint of black coffee in the background. Nice black cherry notes are also more apparent as this warms. Smells like a big porter with a bit of booze on the back end.
The taste begins opposite of the nose. Initially I get a lot of roasted malts and mocha. Lots of coffee and darker chocolate, otherwise known as mocha, not bitter or astringent at all, but just nicely roasted. As it warms you get more of the dark caramels and the dark cherry fruitiness you got in the aroma. There is zero, I repeat, ZERO alcohol flavor here even after warming to room temperature. I am not usually a porter fan because why drink porter when there's stout, but this is great.
Mouthfeel is absolutely perfect for the style. Full and ample carbonation helps this to finish nice and dry, like your typical robust porter. No lingering bitterness (from the roasted grains) or alcohol notes. This drinks like a full robust porter or maybe a low ABV Baltic porter around 7%, but 10%, could have fooled me.
Overall this is a great offering from Alesmith; definitely one of the top 5 porters I have ever had. I don't like it as much as the Foothills Baltic Porter I had last week but that was mind-blowing (and more chocolatey than appropriate for the style). This is more true to style with the roast and dry finish. If you are a fan of roasty and robust porters, definitely seek out this bad boy because it is superb. I'm definitely glad I traded for it.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 01:01:33 | More by claspada

CrellMoset

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

750 mL gold foiled bottle courtesy of a great midwestern trader - thanks! Poured in to a 22 oz. snifter.

Appearance: Pours a seared dusk, a dark but not opaque looking gloom, smoky but not dull. Direct light doesn't assist with translucence, and merely renders the rim a nice beer bottle brown. A mildly aggressive pour yielded a good finger and a half of head, fizzy and alcohol retarded, but this one had enough surplus carbonation to allow a good half finger of creamy foam to stay atop this beer for probably longer than it should have. At the end though, it all fades away, leaving a wispy collar and little else - glittery, running sheets of side lace try desperately to cling but fail, and the swirl of fog atop the surface of this one at the very center of the glass are the only things that disturb an otherwise very still body.

Aroma: Bright and porter-like, if there ever was one. A lot of caramel notes mingle well with toast and molasses in an equal balance of sweet and dry, complimented by hints of stone fruits, peach and bright cherry. The alcohol burn is actually hidden surprisingly well, for a style that's not particularly known for its enormous flavors and aromatics, even at this one hits room temperature. Very much an imperial porter.

Taste: Very much an imperial porter again, but better. Sweeter than the nose smelled, with a great amount of variety and vivid flavors. Fudgey cocoa is first and foremost among the flavors, decidedly malty in its profile, though I would believe you if you had told me with a straight face this was brewed with a chocolate addition. It's complimented by a slew of earthy toast notes as well as some brighter, sweeter malty notes - dark toffee and caramel. Faint flashes of dried apricot and fresh cherries mingle with astringent malts and darker notes, equal parts port and sherry, perhaps with just a hint of oxidation. Alcohol burn isn't a burn, more of a tingle, or a sizzle, and the entire brew is decisively flavorful.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and even throughout, both when fully carbonated (likely due to the thickness) and when nearly dead (likely in spite of the thickness). A little oily and definitely on the heartier, thicker side of things, though it works well with the sweetness but also the amount of carbonation and the relative thinness (porter-like thinness).

Drinkability: My first impression is that this is a very authentic Imperial Porter, if such a thing can have authenticity. That is, it takes in every regard like a porter should taste, just ... bigger. So many beers that label themselves as such are really just imperial stouts, so it's refreshing to see someone get it right. My second impression is that I'm excited to find out what this one tastes like after a year or so in a bourbon barrel - about to pop it now. The 10.0% is remarkably well hidden, and indeed, if you like porters, this is probably the quintessential beer for you. Thrilled to have the chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 04:20:38 | More by CrellMoset