Smoke Jumper Smoked Imperial Porter - Left Hand Brewing Company

kevanb

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

650ml bottle poured into a Left Hand Pint Glass.

The beer pours a nice black color, hues of brown and burgundy with a loose caramel head that is hardly a finger high that vanishes quickly and leaves some film atop the beer, but minimal lacing. The aroma very salty, smoky and robust. Lots of smoke, dark chocolate and bacon grease, it's quite savory, harsh and rather one dimensional. The flavors are a bit more balanced, but dominantly smoky, more of a chocolate and malt showing, but the smoke really punishes the palate with some sharp alcohol at the finish. The body is nice and rich, fairly smooth with some overzealous carbonation that finishes with a nice creamy touch.

Verdict: Certainly a powerfully smoky beer, a bit too much for me and my sensitive palate. This is definitely one of the more bacon and salty, savory forward beers I've had and the balance is really poor. Smoked beers really aren't my thing and this one is just way too intense for me.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 03:09:34 | More by kevanb

StJamesGate

New York

3.94/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black with chestnut highlights and beige foams that trails.
Smoky phenols with hints of red berry, peat and meat on the nose.
Red currants, cold coffee, lots of smoke, far whack of earthy hops. Sweetens as it warms, with red berry and brown sugar.
Sprucey end and roasty bitter linger.
Medium to full, round, plenty of chew.

1.021 finish, so full and sweet. Smoke is judicious and there's plenty of bitter in the roast and hops. Lean for 8.8%, which makes it a nice drinker.

Between the smoke, roast and sweetness, tastes more like BBQ than any smoked beer I've had.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 17:25:12 | More by StJamesGate

scratch69

Missouri

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Black in color with a half a fingers worth of dark tan head. Light amount of runny lacing.

Smell- Smoke and chocolate aromas with a hint of char.

Taste- Sweet dark malt and smoke flavors dominate with notes of chocolate, char, and dark fruits.

Mouthfeel- On the light end of full bodied, creamy, and smooth. Light amount of carbonation with a faint amount of alcohol warmth.

Overall- This is one of the better smoked beers I have had. Tasty and complex but not too complex.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 00:20:47 | More by scratch69

codysjb

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle into a wine glass.
Very interesting; like a smoked beer combined with a porter. the smoke and chocolate notes fill the nose and intertwine in the flavor. Would be a good beer for around a camp fire but the smoke is just a bit over powering by itself.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 05:28:37 | More by codysjb

Jamesthebrit

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours dark black. Head is a good chocolate color.

S: A bit of sourness. Light in general.... not a lot going on here.

T: Smoke comes through a lot. A bit of a sharp bite. Alcohol is pretty overpowering. Porter notes are very subdued. A bit of chocolate and roastiness but nothing special.

M: Alcohol is a bit overpowering but the carbonation is on the money and the body is a solid medium which is great.

Overall a pretty weak beer. The smoke note is great but there isn't much more to this beer. The other flavors are subtle at best having a slight roastiness and chocolate. Drinkable but not that great.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 23:19:56 | More by Jamesthebrit

BeerImmediately

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz into goblet.

Ironically, smoke floats out of the bottle upon uncapping. Pours w/respectable 1/2F creamy tan head over opaque black body w/ ruby edges. Tons of lacing. Quite impressive appearance.

Aromas are rich and thick. Full of ham, burnt wood, sneakers (rubber), and dry hops.

Quite creamy on the palate. The rubber and smoke come through pretty strong in the flavor. Some bittersweet chocolate. Char, herbs and mint round things out. Decent bitter finish.

Overall, a little messy, but fun and full of flavor. Enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 04:30:44 | More by BeerImmediately

StonedTrippin

Colorado

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

this is as smokey as any rauchbier ive had, definitely the most smokey american made beer ive had. it pours really dark brown, dark chocolate color, with a yellowish tan head an inch high. the nose is crazy, like a bonfire, or like smoked bacon or something, meaty and woody, dark malts, vanilla, and burnt toast. the flavor is totally dominated by the smoke, its nice over a huge porter that can stand up with all that flavor. the malt profile is awesome, and the alcohol isnt really there at all. its got a long bitter finish, with some detectabe hops happening. mouthfeel is lovely as well, really creamy in texture, its a nice contrast to the sort of rough around the edges flavors. carbonation isnt bubbly, but its bright, makes the beer quite drinkable. i enjoyed half the bomber, and put the other half into a pot of bison chilli, and found the results to be great. its a perfect beer for that application, and a nice one to drink with foods like bbq and roasts. world class.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 20:41:12 | More by StonedTrippin

superspak

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, bottled on 2/8/2012. Pours fairly pitch black color with a nice 2 finger dense mocha head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice thick foamy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of chocolate, roasted malt, smoked meat, caramel, light wood char, herbal, toffee, light dark fruit, and earthiness. Very nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of dark chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, smoke, light char, toast, toffee, ham, coffee, light dark fruit, and light herbal earthiness. Light roasted coffee bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of dark chocolate, roasted malt, smoked meat, caramel, toast, herbal, toffee, and light dark fruits on the finish for a good bit. Great flavor balance, robustness, and complexity; zero cloying flavors present on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy, fairly slick, and lightly prickly mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent imperial porter. Great flavor robustness and balance with smoked flavors; very smooth to drink for being almost 9%. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 03:58:57 | More by superspak

carlborch

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Inky-black pour with faint hints of mahogany. Totally impenetrable when in the glass. Beautiful multi-inch, tan, head forms. Thick, small bubbles. Retention is excellent! Roasted, toasty, smoky, sour, notes in the nose. The nose is evident, yet restrained and elegant. Smoke, and toast dominate. Anticipation builder! Medium-light body for a porter. Lingering smoke notes on the palate. Nose and palate bring forth memories of camp fires. Perhaps a little short? Delicious. Minimal (spotty) lace formation. Bright and balanced. Could be used as an aperitif. Certainly gets the gastric juices flowing! The ABV is not evident.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 22:39:38 | More by carlborch

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smoked beers grew on me fast; from first sip, really. Here’s to liquid bacon!

Brewed seven months before the date of this tasting (“BOTTLED ON 02/08/12”).

A: Thick black body from a creamy pour, with brown cream climbing to an inch high; satin retention stands pillowy and full, showing nice strands of lacing, too.

S: Great mix of bacon, hickory, smoke, roasted malts, and bittersweet chocolate – emphasis on the bacon. The bacon shifts to honey-ham in a smooth transition to something sweeter, mainly vanilla, anise, and caramel malt. Roasted all the way through.

T: The first sip swells with a satisfying sweetness, coating the palate with hot fudge, hazelnut, and caramel the whole way through. The sweets blend with the smoke of the malts, tasting just like the thick skin of a smoked, glazed ham…if that ham had some chocolate on the side. Finishes sugar-forward with a vanilla and mocha aftertaste, with smoky peat notes hanging on.

M: Smooth, yet crisp enough to keep the smoke ahead in the palate. Moderate body, and pretty damn drinkable for this dark a beer.

O: Smoked, but not smoke-heavy, which allows the bigger imperial porter notes to come out; that’s exactly what I was hoping for. Balance is the key here, and that’s the sign of a well-crafted beer – I could drink this all day long.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2012 01:44:46 | More by BarryMFBurton

yamar68

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It should be known that this bottle's got around 7 months on it.

Pours a dark coffee brown with a creamy few fingers of khaki head.

Smooth chocolate malts, subtle coffee qualities, definite rauch going on, fresh cream, some honey notes, fresh oak... nice.

The dominating smoke presence has settled back considerably which I like. Chocolate milk, smooth bitter smokiness, sharp coffee, charcoal, an array of brown ale characteristics if you look for them.

Real smooth. Maybe the best smoked imperial porter I've had - and perhaps the only.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 02:20:59 | More by yamar68

htomsirveaux

Texas

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz. bottle tried 5 Mar 2011. 2008 vintage. Served in the 0.4 L Eichbaum snifter.

Large dark brown head. Well carbonated. Very dark brown, almost black in color. Aroma is sweet and smoky with some coffee and chocolate. Starts very smoky, almost acrid. Coffee and chocolate. Hint of bacon. Becomes relatively sweet and chocolatey after the first sip. Medium body, creamy mouthfeel. Ethanol is slightly warming but not prominent. Finishes with a lot of bittersweet chocolate.

One of the sweeter smoked beers we've tried.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 15:38:10 | More by htomsirveaux

ncketchum

Wisconsin

3.38/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Served at cellar temp in a Duvel Tulip

A - pours jet black, opaque, large cocoa head which clears quickly

S - some roasted malt and chocolate, not super smoky as I would expect

T - there it is! Smoky, roasted malt, dark chocolate, bitterness of hops at the end

M - I would have expected a thicker, chewier feel, but this seemed kind of thin. Not too much alcohol burn

O - very nice smoked porter, I'm glad I picked this one up.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 04:31:10 | More by ncketchum

mactrail

California

3.93/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark and stormy with plenty of suds. Pleasant mouthfeel with fine carbonation. Rich but not sticky.

A modest smokiness with a touch of bacon. Dark roasted malt with some charred notes. A hint of sweetness behind the dry smoke and coffee. Woody, like barrels. Fairly sharp after a few sips. Sprightly on the tongue. An interesting balance of alcohol, smoke, and malt, with a little bitter aftertaste. A very sippable dark brew. Strong but mellow.

From the 22 oz bottle purchased at Philnor Liquor in Lakewood.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2012 04:38:27 | More by mactrail

chinchill

South Carolina

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle served in a Unibroue snifter.

Appearance: rather dead looking when opened, with no head forming n the bottle. Pours a black-brown color with a smallish tan head that soon reduces to a a partial top coat and a sizable, durable, bubbly ring. Some spotty lacing.

Smell: More delicate than expected: a light smokiness over dark chocolate with undertones of molasses and dark fruity. [3.75]

Taste: Starts rather pleasantly sweet but ultimately proves to be well-balanced in the sweet-bitter dimension, with negligible sourness. Chocolate flavor with subtle hints of molasses and prunes. The smoke is barely noticeable up front, but gently caresses the mid-palate and becomes more obvious in the finish. A smokey, mocha flavors linger for a good while afterwards. [4.25]

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied; smooth; excellent medium-low carbonation.

O: I approach smoked beers with some trepidation since I find many of them to be too smokey and, therefore, too 1-dimensional. However, I have learned that there are excellent smoked beers, and this is one of them. Lefthand has crafted a beer that judiciously blends the sweetness of dark malts with a touch of hops and the smoke to brew a world-class porter. The ABV is so well hidden that I forgot about it altogether. (4.25)

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 22:29:38 | More by chinchill

Teleweizen2

New Jersey

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - pours a deep opaque black. There is a thick tan cap of foam which has decent retention but eventually turns to just a ring around the rim. Leaves a bit of lacing.

S - the nose is sweet and of course smokey. Strong notes of hickory, char, molasses and honey. There are even notes of coffee as well a touch of spiced meat. Hints of fruit such as dates and blackberries round out the nose.

T - the flavors are rich and dark. Up front the flavors are bakers chocolate, coffee grinds, and dark molasses gives a balancing sweet flavor. Fruit esters enter along with smoke enter mid palate. The cherry notes play off spicy alcohol flavors which go on long after the smokey finish.

M - full bodied with a silky creamy texture. Carbonation is medium high with tight bubbles.

O - great smoked ale. Complex and flavorful. It went perfectly with a meal of ribs and beer can chicken, and especially the bourbon barbeque sauce.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 23:47:16 | More by Teleweizen2

ehammond1

California

3.25/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle

Thanks for openings this one with me, Josh!

Nearly black in color with a small light brown head that hangs around for a while, before settling down into a film that rests atop the beer, leaving streaks of lacing down the glass.

A very meaty, smoky aroma, almost port like. There's also some roast and coffee, but the meaty smokiness is dominant.

The porky, smoky, meaty character carries through to the flavor as well, along with just the slightest bit of roast and black malt. Too smoky and meaty for my personal taste.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Good enough, though not particularly drinkable with the huge amounts of smoke and meat flavor.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2012 21:43:18 | More by ehammond1

UCLABrewN84

California

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Wowcoolman for sharing this one at AndrewK’s tasting.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Tiny dots of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of smoked malt, campfire, and slight adhesive bandage aromas. Taste is much the same with some smoked meat and cheese type flavors as well. There is a medium level of smoky bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is quite smoky but tasty and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 01:05:16 | More by UCLABrewN84

biglite351

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Red around the edges with a near nonexhistant light brown head

S - Mild smoke, malts, cocoa and prune

T - mild smoke with malts and cocoa

M - Thick with good coating. Mild tingle on tip of tongue

O - Not bad, but lack of flavor depth made it only a so-so.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 13:11:02 | More by biglite351

peabody

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a rich dark black with one finger of brown small suds. Lacing here.
Smell is coffee, dark chocolate, date, malt and a slight tinge of alcohol.
Taste is almost a peaty type of smoke. REminds me of Bowmore scotch. A really nice smoke that isn't manufactured. Campfire coffee.
Mouthfeel is very clean and not too sticky. The only thing left is the coffee bitterness and a smokey alcohol burn in the back of the throat.
Overall this is a great porter. I am not into smoke beers but they did a great job on this one.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 02:38:18 | More by peabody

LXIXME

New Mexico

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bit above the glass gave this beer a big light brown head that settle down to just under 1/2 inch pretty quickly above a clear very dark brown to black colored beer.

Smokey roasted malt aroma with just a hint of alcohol working its way in there.

Smokey creamy roasted malt taste blended with light alcohol, molasses, and subtle mocha dark chocolates.

The dry aftertaste brings out that dark chocolate more than the taste which is quite cool.

Although this is stated to be 8.8% ABV the alcohol taste is quite subdued.

A pretty good beer I was lucky to stumble into a bomber for $3.00, well worth quite a bit more than that.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 00:12:50 | More by LXIXME

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A finger of light brown head, opaque dark brown.

Barky, woody nose with smoke.

Full-bodied powerful stout with a good smoke component. Not as nice as the draft, but a good instance of a smoky beer with enough body to support it. Kinda cedary. Dry, malty finsih.

Nice and smooth.

Good smoked porter. I recall it being better on draft, but still good.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 02:43:27 | More by zaphodchak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pitch black in a glass, deep dark body with a light tan head forming thick, fine bands of lacing cling to my chalice with each sip. Aroma is full of smoked meats, campfire, and rustic wood fired baked bread along with a cherry note, star anise, and dark roasted malts. Big smoked malts going on here, chewy smoked firewood wrapped with dark cherry and anise spice. Flavors of smoked malts, dark roasted flavors, deep smoked bacon, firewood charred caramelized sugars. Hints of pine/evergreen in the back end with some cherry fruit tartness, amongst the dark roasted malts and hand smoked malts. Mouthfeel is full bodied even carbonation lingering charred smokiness coming through with each sip. Overall a quality smoked porter, challenging to consume yet when your palate gets used to it you really start to enjoy every sip.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 20:20:21 | More by WVbeergeek

augustgarage

California

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz bomber into my Harriet tulip.

Seal brown opaque liquid with a faint tan head receding to nothing in a few minutes. No lacing; faint legs.

Smoked malt, roast coffee,

Leather, dark brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, licorice, and more on the palate. Touches of tobacco and very low hop contributions. Sweet smokey finish is unlike any other beer I've sampled.

Creamy, smooth, slick, and oily mouth-feel. Low carbonation.

Crowd pleasing unique, sweet, smoked toasty porter. Style aside, this is stupendously drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 05:23:12 | More by augustgarage

beergoot

Colorado

4.68/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Now this is a very, very fine smoked beer. Darkest brown in color (nearly black), creamy tan head, excellent smoked and roasted malt nose, incredible smoked taste mixed with sweet, roasted malt goodness. Throw in a fine mouthfeel, and you've got one winner of a beer.

Well-worth checking out if you are a fan of strong dark beers and/or smoked beers in general.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 23:12:07 | More by beergoot