Alaskan Smoked Porter - Alaskan Brewing Co.

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.38/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Big thanks to Twig for this bottle...

A: Pours a nice black with browns around the edges. There is roughly 2 full finger of dark khaki colored head that seems to take quite a bit to settle. I am left with swirling bubbles along the top of the beer, and tons of lace along the sides of the glass.

S: The nose is great. Smoked malt, smoked meat, charred oak, milk chocolate, and just a dash of raisin.

T: It starts of with a big blast of smoke. You get bacon, tobacco, and toast right away. But as the beer progresses, the chocolate and vanilla notes cut the big roasty notes of the beer. The finish is a mix of sweet and smoke, and the roast/toast stick with you once the beer is gone.

M: Medium bodided beer. This beer has heft, but it goes down smooth without much of a struggle. The transition from smoked meat, to sweets, and then balancing them in the finish is wonderful. It's wet and smooth, coats the palate but moves off. Residual smoke after the beer is gone.

O: Really an excellent smoked porter. I'm a huge fan of smoked beers, so this is right in my wheelhouse. I've been fortunate to have this many times and it never disappoints. I'd love to see how this develops over a few years, but I can't keep it in my cellar for longer than a few months at a time.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 20:07:40 | More by trxxpaxxs

ElSid

California

4.09/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottled Date: 9/18/12

A: Deep black with a tan white foam that subsides to a rim of foam and a trace reticular lace on the glass.

S: An interesting charred, smokey edge takes front stage with smooth chocolate and brown sugar support.

T: Wood and smoke come through hand-in-hand establishing the predominant characteristics of the palate. Chocolate, caramel malt smoothness join the fray and subside to a leafy, earthy bitterness.

M: Smooth with a medium feel. The carbonation is appropriate and engaging.

O: A beer with wonderful wood and smoke characteristics that makes this porter both unique and interesting. The touchstone of smoked beers.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 04:04:44 | More by ElSid

Kuaff

Alaska

4.39/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

I poured a 2012 bomber into a tulip glass around cellar temperature.

Alaskan Smoked Porter has a three-finger, tan head, and a very, very dark body. There's some slight transparency around the shallow edges of the glass, but beyond the edges, it's black.

In the smell I get loads of chocolate, coffee, and some dark fruits. There's only a hint of smokiness. A great, strong scent.

At first taste, it's chocolate, tangy raspberries and raisins, and bitter coffee. THEN the smokiness really kicks in (I was wondering where it was), lingering with bitter chocolate and ceffee in the finish. The label says this is alder-smoked. I definitely taste that, as it reminds me of my family's awesome, alder-smoked king salmon, thus making my mouth water.

It has excellent, perky carbonation and medium viscosity.

This is an extremely well-balanced smoked porter. Its smokiness is prominent without being overwhelming and blends VERY well with its malty characteristics. Embrace the smoke!

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2013 15:54:09 | More by Kuaff

jpro

South Carolina

4.24/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bomber picked up at Ølbutikken in Copenhagen DK. 2012 version - poured into an imperial pint glass..

A: black; stout-like; one thumb of cappuccino head; nice creamy layer of retention leaves very little lace. (Best before December 26, 2026... haha!)

S: big time smoke aroma; campfire-esque; mesquite; maybe some sweet malt beneath the smoke; if you like smoked beers, this aroma is for you! I do, but perhaps not this much...

T: big, mesquite smokiness; this would pair great with pulled pork; a touch of milk chocolate malt sweetness behind the massive smoke flavor; hops provide a dry finish.

M: full and creamy, but finishes a touch dry; nice; moderate carbonation.

O: the smoked porter by which all others are judged; big, smoky aroma and flavor; the smokiest beer I've had... wow! Pretty wild that I stumbled upon this in Denmark, having been to the brewery in Juneau, but missed it on that trip. I actually saw it in a couple of shops, which seemed nuts...

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2013 01:29:49 | More by jpro

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.99/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

2011 version and found the right time to drink. Saved to soften the smoke flavor some and just needed the right event and I guess now is the time.
Poured whole bottle into single glass. Nice dark head caps a very dark body with few highlights.
Very smoke/bacon aroma. Harder to pick up any malt as this is still quite fresh smelling.
A little thinner than I expected. Bacon in aroma, but more balanced out with the roast and dark malt flavors. Very drying on the finish. A little touch of sweetness up front, and the in the middle some hop flavor and bitterness appears. All balanced out quite nicely.
Reasonable smooth for a thinner beer of style. Fully carbonated (also noted in a pretty loud pffft on opening and the larger head).
This is good. I look forward to enjoying it my meal upcoming.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 23:59:11 | More by garymuchow

Humulus85

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

First time with this one, kinda just fell in my lap. 22 oz bottle, 2012 vintage into my tasting glass.

Pours very dark for a porter, imperial stout dark. Nice two finger khaki head has great retention and lacing.

While cold this is pretty smoke heavy. The smoke is great though, very campfire, not the weird bottom of the grill smell that some smoked beers have. Nice dark malts and a bit of bitterness.

Very well balanced. The smoke is there the whole way and steals the show, but never overshines. More hops than I expected for a 7 month old smoked beer, and they work well. Kinda that chocolate covered orange vibe. Deep roasted malts in the middle. The smoked malts take you through the finish and what a surprisingly clean finish it is. Very little perceived alcohol.

A solid medium, deceivingly light given the color and amount of flavor. Creamy feel. Restrained, but perfect carbonation adds just enough lift.

Overall, this is a truly fine and impeccably well crafted beer. Easily my favorite smoked beer and I have easy access to Surly Smoke. Where Smoke is just that, a true smoke bomb, this one artfully blends the smoke flavor with those of a classic robust Porter. Exceedingly drinkable for the style and it is a joy to have a whole bottle to yourself. Recommended highly to fans of the style, but I believe every BA should try this once. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:33:47 | More by Humulus85

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.49/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(2012 bottle)

A: really, really dark brown liquid.... khaki-colored big head, foamy-sudsy, amply carbed.... sticky, crystalline lace

S: beautiful! (initially)... toasted raisin, mildly charred wood - nice balance... later, the smell shifts to totally hopped out, way more hops than smoke, lightly perfumy, chrysanthemum stem, delicate citrus peel.... a thick vein of dark coffee syrup (or molasses) sits at the base

T: smoked malt (obviously) - def not beech - if this is the flavor alder imparts, it's bangin'.... the smoke takes on flavors of ash, campfire, cinders, caramelized wood sugars... essence of rosewater mixed in... chocolate malt, molasses.... orange-y hops from which most of the bitterness seems to come, a little from the char, too... any sweetness, fruitiness, etc just drops off 3/4 the way through while the smoke remains long on the palate.... in the end, the smoke seems to merely fill in the background, nice counterpoint

M: silky, quiet wash.... chewy, yet retaining delicacy.... thankfully nowhere near thick, no heat.... maybe some impression of warmth goin' down

O: this was great, so good, just needs at least a year to sit.... (not so?-)surprising hoppiness in this version... had a 2008 a couple weeks ago, hops all but gone, smoke and thick-but-clean malt in superb concert... this brew's definitely a "porter" - should've bought a few more bottles

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 04:24:26 | More by Bouleboubier

marcobrau

Illinois

4.31/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

I've been stalking this beer for years. I finally picked up a bottle a couple months ago in Milwaukee. It's a good looking smoked beer with a fine aroma. The nose seems more subdued to me compared to some other reviewers, but I left this beer in the glass a long time before sipping. That said, there was an initial blast of smoke (more like charcoal), but several minutes later I'm picking a lot of vanilla (from oak mabye?) Almost too sweet at first (more milk chocolate than cocoa) but drier than I expected, which I actually enjoy. It's so tasty and dry it's gone for I know it and I'm a bit sad. I shall find some more....

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 03:53:33 | More by marcobrau

Justin_Brown

California

3.4/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

650 mL bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance - Pours jet black. Small head. Lacing clings to the glass like tar.

Smell - BBQ Spit, Chimney Soot, and Natural charcoal

Taste - The nose doesn't lie here; it taste just like a BBQ spit smells. The soot and charcoal taste was borderline overwhelming.

Mouthfeel - Thick body. Heavy aftertaste.

Overall - Flavor notes that I may not be grizzled enough to appreciate. However, it's without question that is has Alaskan influence and transports the drinker to the great outdoors.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 02:38:27 | More by Justin_Brown

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.09/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on 2013-05-16 in Columbia, PA. This is a 2011 release.

A - Opaque deep-dark brown with a 1.5 finger tan head that drops quickly to a skim leaving almost no lacing.

S - Pork BBQ, campfire smoke, medium-dark-roasted grain, a bit of dark fruit sweetness.

M - Dark roasted grain, smoke, char, ash, umami, hop and roast bitterness. Finishes pretty dry with a pleasant-subdued cured smoked ham and malt balance. Pretty tasty.

T - Medium body and light carbonation with a clingy, greasy feel.

O - Smoked beers aren't something I seek out but I must say, this is one of the most enjoyable ones I've had and would be glad to run across it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2013 21:33:18 | More by Tucquan

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

22oz bottle poured into a snifter. 2012 release.

A: Deep brown color, very close to black. One inch of beige head settles after a short time. Lacing is spotty.

S: Campfire and smoke. Woody. Chocolate and hot fudge sauce. Roasted coffee beans. Cherry/raspberry esters. Brown sugar. Undercurrents of vanilla bean. As it warms and opens the complexity grows. Wonderful nose.

T: Cola and blackstrap molasses. Woody. Smokiness slowly creeps onto the palate until it reaches a crescendo on the mid-palate. Campfire, soot, and woody smoke. Slight vanilla undercurrent. Roasted malts build. Soot and chocolate truffles. Black cocoa powder. Roasted coffee beans. Moderate acidity. Cherry and raspberry esters. The finish is a heavenly combination of smoke, cola, fudgy chocolate, and roasted coffee.

M: Medium bodied, though it seems much lighter on the palate. Creamy and full in an airy sort of way, but it really helps to exaggerate the smokiness just a bit more. Very little carbonation. Silky and smooth.

O: Bar none this is possibly the best smoked beer I've ever had. Everything comes together in a perfect harmony. It's very smoky, but in such a way that it perfectly compliments the flavor profile of the beer rather than just challenging the palate. Eminently drinkable. A perfect pairing with smoked and grilled meats (obviously), and also a wide range of desserts. This would not strike me as a great cellaring candidate, but by all accounts it does very well with a little time under its belt. I'm going to have to see about that.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 23:03:09 | More by ryan1788a5

artdob

California

4.46/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.5

Have had this numerous times - a truly memorable brew. The magic begins on the nose. Fantastically smoky - so far beyond any other smoked beer I've had. Alaskan Brewery has knocked it out of the park in the smoky category.

And this element carries well onto the palate. Smokiness fills your head, adding a unique chracteristic onto the more traditional porter qualities. Complemented with roastiness, and a slight sweetness as the finish sets in place.

Whenever in the mood for a smoky brew, for me, nothing else comes close.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 03:17:31 | More by artdob

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.73/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Smoked beers are fickle for me. Some are good… some are GREAT. But some just plain suck. For instance, Rogue makes a smoked beer that is basically breakfast in a glass. It doesn't taste smoked at all. Doesn't taste like breakfast, either. Then Stone released an oak smoked Old Guardian, their delicious barleywine, a few weeks ago. It tastes like the inside of a barrel. SO good. Alaskan has never impressed me, so I am curious to see what this bomber tastes like. I was lucky when shopping at Total Wine & More a few weeks ago. They had a bottle of 2011 sitting on the shelf. Should be prime right now! Oh, and this beer comes from Juneau, Alaska. I used to tell a joke about Juneau. I would tell it here, but I would have to explain it. Wouldn't be funny if I have to explain it!

In the Glass: Looks like a porter. The head is a bit thin, and while we are drinking this cold, I expected a thicker head than this. Not writing this one off, but that is a bad first impression. Not much lace, either. They used the word "oily" in the tasting notes. I can see that from the lace.

Nose: Wow… that smells smokey! Good. I was hoping there would be at least a hint of smoke with a beer called Smoked Porter! I would love to visit a brewing company and watch them actually smoke a beer. Some breweries use chips that are already smoked and some use malts that taste like smoke. That's faking it, I say! I can already tell you this beer is too cold, so I am going to let this sit for a few minutes before I drink. Be right back!

Flavor: OK, I am back. By the way, the aroma is really starting to open up. Let's see what it tastes like. This is my favorite part, but the way. The smoke really carries over. It's not overwhelming, but this is REALLY smokey. There is a TON of unexpected carbonation, that I will talk about next, but the flavor is really nice. It is still a bit too cold, but I am impressed with the amount of smoke coming through here. Now I really want to go and see them brew this! I swished the second sip around in my mouth, and the bubbles were intense. However, the flavor didn't really change. It almost settled as I did that. Not a typical experience when doing this. Anyway, great flavor.

Mouthfeel: I expected this beer to be thick. Especially when they called it "oily" in the tasting notes. Not thick at all, and there are WAY too many bubbles going on here. I am going to let my second half get to room temperature because I bet this really opens up as it heats up. We just drank a bottle of Parabola, and it was only good warm. If I get my hands on another bottle, I won't chill it at all! I will say the mouthfeel does leave an almost residue going on here.

Aftertaste: For as much flavor I am getting, I expected the smoke to continue. It does, but it quickly fades. The smoke does linger… I almost want them to age this in some bourbon barrels. Imagine that flavor. This beer, according to the label, is an award winner. While I believe that, it's not going to win any awards in my book. There are better flavors for smoked beers on the market.

It's OK Alaskan, you did your best. You did a great job getting smoke on the nose and on the palate… but there are just better longer lasting smoked beers on the market. However, I like it. I would like to see this with double the ABV, a little thicker, and a tad less carbonated. Past that, bottoms up!

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 21:03:48 | More by rickyleepotts

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4.26/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Deep black body with glints of red along the edges when held up to light. Good lacing and a sticky light brown head that lasts forever.

S: Campfire smoke and roast, milk chocolate, sweet bready malt, coffee, very subtle hop.

T/M: Nice coffee/hop bitterness upfront, a crescendo of smoky flavor that blends with milk chocolate, subtle coffee and dark fruit, and a sweet malt middle. Very drying smoke and roast on the finish, very long aftertaste.

Overall, a great porter and a great smoked beer. Very complex and flavorful for the abv, if this was year round it would contend as a fridge regular. But since its not, it will be a winter favorite of mine for time to come.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 01:03:52 | More by Siriusfisherman

TheSixthRing

California

3.89/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance - Pours near black with a deep ruby tinge. Tan, finger width head with fair retention. Leaves a solid layer of microbubbles coating the surface. Lacing is spotty at best.

Smell - Aroma is classic smoke character, like you'd find in applewood smoked bacon. Strong, pungent and near hypnotic. Overpowers most, if not all other character in the brew.

Taste - Much like the nose, predominant smoke flavor upfront and throughout. Roasted malt character comes through with ghost like transparency. Near undetectable. A touch of sweetness. Finishes as it starts; smokey!

Mouthfeel - Medium in body with moderate carbonation. Goes down smooth.

Overall - I don't know that this is a porter so much as it is a classic Smoked Beer, as the smoke character dominates the entire flavor profile (unlike Stone's Smoked Porter where the roasted malt character is clearly present). This is very good, but as a porter it doesn't quite cut it. I enjoyed it, but I'm divided on whether I'd buy it again; the price is a major turn off.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 01:25:44 | More by TheSixthRing

ncketchum

Wisconsin

4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 vintage, served cellar temp

A - pours dark brown, almost black. Fluffy persistent head

S - aroma is full on smoke, bacon, chocolate malt

T - smoky again, prominent but not overpowering. Malty predominantly with a solid hop presence

M - smooth, no alcohol, little carbonation

O - great smoked ported. Now that I can't get Stone easily, this can fill my needs for any smoked porter craving I may have

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 22:36:14 | More by ncketchum

jvillefan

California

3.23/5  rDev -22.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

A: A very very dark brown/almost black body with a one finger mocha head that quickly digresses to lace for the rest of the beer.

S: A very unidimensional nose. There is an intense heavily smoked malt aroma and that is about it.

T: Very intense yet light flavors. There is a smokiness that make you feel like you are inhaling smoke. There is a pleasant roast coffee flavor on the back end.

M: Very thin body with a good amount of carbonation.

O: A good beer and a must try if you love heavily smoked beers. However, after all the hype about this beer, I was disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 00:40:26 | More by jvillefan

AltBock

Ohio

4.3/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22oz. bomber bottle with a beautiful scene of 3 caribou walking down a hill with the sun rising up behind them. No back label. Everything can be found on the one label. Directly below the picture is a description of the beer and an inked bottled date. That's there in case you miss the vintage year above the picture. Flanking the picture is all the mandatory Government info. My bottle is from the current vintage of 2012. My bottle was bottled on 9/18/2012. Poured into a Big Eddy (don't laugh) Snifter.

This smoked Porter poured a black color that was black as the night sky in the Alaskan wilderness. I checked the color against the light and the ray of light got shot back to where it came from. On top was a creamy 1/2 an inch head of foam. The color of the head of foam is hard to describe. It wasn't white, but it wasn't beige either. It was a dirty white color. This dirty white head of foam had nice retention that left behind a medium sized string of rings and minimal amount of spots of lace around the glass.

As soon as the cap was removed, out comes a nice strong smoky aroma. When the beer was poured, the smoky aroma didn't calm down a bit. That's a very good thing. The aroma was strong with smoked malts, smoked beechwood, camp fire, smoked meats, liquid smoke, and a subtle whiff of green olives. I could see people saying this beer smells like bacon. Backing up all of the smoky aromas was a faint whiff of caramel/molasses. A very pleasing smoky aroma.

I wonder what kind of taste I'm going to get from a pitch black smoky beer? If you guessed bitter and tart, you would be wrong sir/ma'am. The taste was all about the liquid smoke. It didn't taste so smoky that it felt like you were drinking a smoke stack. The taste was smoky with smoked malts, camp fire, smoked meats like bacon and ham, smoke beechwood, green olives, a drop of smoked coffee beans, and a gentle taste of dark chocolate. Unlike the aroma, there really wasn't a back drop of sweetness. It was all about the smoke in the taste. The sweet ending wasn't needed, but it would have been nice to have.

Despite only having a 6.5% ABV, this beer was medium to full bodied. It got that way due to the beer's thick smoky content. I don't think I need to tell you what was in the aftertaste. If made an appearance in the initial taste, it made an appearance in the aftertaste. This thick smoky aftertaste will linger on the roof of your mouth for some time.

Even though its smoky like hell, this beer is extremely drinkable. Maybe not everyday drinkable, but I would purchase more than one bottle at a time. That is if I could find this beer in my part of the country. I would love to age a bottle or two to what age will do to this beer. I doubt Father Time will counter this beer's thick smoky taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 02:50:02 | More by AltBock

spicelab

Australia

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

2008 vintage shared at 26 Feb tasting. Reviewed from notes.

Decent hiss on opening. More brown than black, with a decent mocha head. Falls quietly to a raised collar and resilient film

Molasses, sweet and dark chocolate, liquorice, with some light and dreamy smoky bacon notes

Flavours are similar, better, and brilliantly integrated. Benign roast charcoal bitterness.

Quite a light body, with spritzy carbonation leading into the pleasant toasty bitter finish.

Very, very classy. Amazing integration and coherency.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 05:07:44 | More by spicelab

scot_chale

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

bottled on 9/19/12, opened on 3/20/13, poured into a snifter glass from a 22oz bottle.

A- two fingers of dark tan head with large bubbles on top. very deep dark brown body. the head fades to thin layer. the lacing is quite thick.

S- That classic burnt sweet malt american porter smell is up front. cold coffee, dark chocolate, roasted almonds, and maple syrup all come though quite nicely.

T- It's a burnt coffee malt bomb with a lingering sweetness. The bitterness hits and fades quickly.

M- It's refreshing. It's a medium-heavy body and the carbonation is present but not obvious. It's semi-dry.

O- I always wish i could write my reviews before seeing the score. I wouldn't say it's exceptional, but I would say it's one of the best porters I've had thus far. I would recommend it to anyone who is experienced in the style. I'd really like to see what cellaring would have done. Overall though, goddamn good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 01:47:11 | More by scot_chale

magictacosinus

California

3.99/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Had on tap at the newly opened Albany Taproom. Served in a 16oz pint glass.

Pours a darkened, brownish color with barely any light passing through, as well as sporting a modest half-finger of head. The top rim of the glass allows some clarity, but for the most part, this is by far one of the murkiest looking porters I've seen lately. Some bubbles and carbonation float around the glass, but there's an impressive viscosity with every swirl I give this. Some decent alcohol legs, although no lacing to be found. A solid, lively take on the style.

The aroma consists of a smoked, brown sugared malty flavor with a subtle yet astringent grainy backbone. There's lightly tinged coffee aromas, a little bit of chocolate and blackcurrant, but if you're wanting to try a legitimately smoked porter, look no further. This is pelted with smoky characteristics resemblant of firewood, smoked curated fish or meat, tobacco, and charcoal. It pretty much reminds me of sitting by a fireside outdoors on a camping trip in the company of friends. There's something to be said about a beer that can trigger such imagery.

The flavor continues the smoky trail, but there are luckily some aspects that open up here. Underneath the smoke, there are thickened, spiced rye-like breadiness, enormous peppery blackcurrant-like grains, and a little bit of grassy zest, all submerged in a ton of carbonation. Syrupy, caramelized sugar follows soon after. Can't make out any fruitiness in this one, and the smoke continues to the wood soaked bread flavor to almost overwhelming heights. This is honestly not a beer you want to chug down, as every sip is really intense and filled to the brim with charcoal and rich breadiness. There's definitely no thinness here to speak of, although the excessive carbonation gets a bit distracting in the long run.

There's smoked beers, and then there's this! This is really intense but flavorful if you give it a chance and the right mindset. This would go really well with game meat, smoked salmon, or simply paired with a cigar. Fans of whiskey may enjoy this one as well. I would welcome this on any cold evening, just as people in Alaska would when escaping from their own harsh weather. It's a beer with atmosphere, for sure, just definitely not for every occasion!

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2013 23:20:29 | More by magictacosinus

mdagnew

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

4.59/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

650ml bottle bought online from Drinkstore.ie... 2012 bottling

Poured a deep dark burnt brown / black colour. Burnt tan head poured quite thick and foamy then faded fairly quickly to wispy covering with thin ring around the edge... light sticky lacing...

Aroma - lots of smokey roasted malts which reminded me of German Rauchbiers, smokey bacon, burnt sugar and treacle, vanilla, toasted / charred malt and fruit loaf, strong toasted chocolate malts, some alcohol, dark fruits (dates, prunes, blackberries), hints of cola, light liquorice, earthy...

Taste - Quite sweet roasted smokey malts, dark fruits (raisins, currents), light caramel notes, some roasted bitter chocolate, light warming alcohol, some oakiness, light vanilla, sooty smokiness, some peppery notes, molasses, light bitter coffee...

Feel - Fairly smooth and creamy with a little sharpness coming through... medium / full bodied... fairly drinkable for a 6.5% beer...

Overall - A superb brew and one i'm glad i finally got to try... i have another bottle which i'll keep for a couple of years to see how it ages... highly recommended

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 09:08:05 | More by mdagnew

WanderingFool

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

A friend shared a 2009 Alaskan Smoked Porter with me. This review is based on a 3 1/2 year old beer.

The beer pours a clear very dark brown with a small light tan head on top. Only a few spots of lace cling to the glass.

The aroma is very smokey with a hint of dark fruit and roast malt.

Each sip of this medium bodied beer is watery on the palate with moderate carbonation. The flavor starts somewhat sweet with caramel & roast malt and dark fruit (raisin or plum). Smoke takes over in the middle and it finishes with light bitterness and some grassy notes. Once gone the smoke and caramel malt linger on the palate.

This is a very tasty easy drinking beer. The smoke held up nicely after more than 3 years.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 20:14:24 | More by WanderingFool

05Harley

New Hampshire

4.58/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Bottled on 10/15/12
Estimated calories - 195/12oz

Purchased through LetsPour

Price - $12.50/bomber

Pours dark like cola with mahogany edges when held up to the light. A thick creamy tan head covers the top and slowly recedes leaving patchy bits of lacing. Some sediment becomes visible towards the finish.

The nose is pleasing with the usual porter vanilla smell front and center followed by smoked malt, bacon and marshmallow notes. The smoke is masterfully done here and adds that perfect camp fire scent.

The flavor is simply amazing for a 6.5% beer. Loaded with smoke, dark chocolate and caramel. The roasted malts are a great addition and is truely what makes this example shine.

The body has a medium feel to it with very little carbonation. The finish is clean and warm with some light bittering hops in the background punctuated with a dry end.

Overall a real treat. I've had this several times in the past and have been wanting to get it in my smoked style rotation. A great selection for something in the lower octane category with loads of flavor and yes smoke! I dig it.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 23:48:35 | More by 05Harley

wvsabbath

West Virginia

4.8/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Serving Type - 22oz bottle

Appearance - Dark black with tan tint. Creamy 1 inch head with minor lacing.

Smell - Roasted malts, smoke, campfire, dark fruits, some mollasses, beef jerky. intense smoked aroma!

Taste - Much like the smell, the smoked, roasty malts start off huge. Flavors of jerky, plum and rasin, with some creamy sweetness make up this amazing beer. Very smooth with a slight bitterness from the coffee. A little chocolate comes out near the finish.

Mouthfeel - The smoked flavors nail tounge and coat mouth but doesnt go overboard or mask out the other flavors. After a few sips the palate gets more coffee, chocolate and sugars. The finish is smokey, malty and a little chocolate bitter.

Overall - The best smoked porter ive had. Such a smooth yet big flavored and unique flavor. Balance is great, alcohol is masked and the pleasure is a+ everytime i get to enjoy one of these. Nothing else is quite like this beer, world class, a must try.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 22:57:08 | More by wvsabbath