Alaskan Smoked Porter - Alaskan Brewing Co.

MattSweatshirt

Texas

4.03/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 bottle poured into a snifter.

Comes out looking like a big old imposing stout and unlike a 6.5% porter. I wasn't getting any light coming through the black body until the bottom of the glass. There sits a light brown head on top that goes nowhere and laces wonderfully.

Loads of smoke billow out into the nostrils. It comes out like the woody campfire smoke as well as some having some meat to it. Charcoal. Brown sugar.

Lots of smoke character coming in woody and meaty. There is a touch of sweetness to it. Towards the back end is some dark fruit flavor. Some light hop bitterness which is cool.

This is smooth and creamy and just wonderfully easy to drink. Mild carbonation.

A smoked beer to try for sure.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:07:36 | More by MattSweatshirt

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.75/5  rDev -10.5%

05-18-2013 23:56:11 | More by Photekut

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

3.35/5  rDev -20%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | 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. Light does not pass through even with a flashlight against the glass

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

Hallertau

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -28.4%

05-17-2013 04:27:12 | More by Hallertau

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

FreshmanPour77

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

05-16-2013 17:23:11 | More by FreshmanPour77

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

Zbeetleman

California

1.25/5  rDev -70.2%

05-15-2013 04:49:28 | More by Zbeetleman

mrwelk

North Dakota

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%

05-15-2013 01:45:44 | More by mrwelk

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

CanisMajor

Indiana

4/5  rDev -4.5%

05-10-2013 00:40:59 | More by CanisMajor

UWBadgerFan4Life

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -4.5%

05-08-2013 16:07:54 | More by UWBadgerFan4Life

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

Holland

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -16.5%

05-06-2013 17:55:44 | More by Holland

blee107

Ireland

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

05-04-2013 16:50:34 | More by blee107

ronbo5421

Washington

3/5  rDev -28.4%

05-01-2013 05:09:21 | More by ronbo5421

LeeG

Illinois

5/5  rDev +19.3%

04-24-2013 19:39:08 | More by LeeG

DemDumplingz

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.5%

04-24-2013 17:42:39 | More by DemDumplingz

J_Dub

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -16.5%

04-24-2013 01:22:32 | More by J_Dub

2GOOFY

California

4/5  rDev -4.5%

04-23-2013 02:32:47 | More by 2GOOFY

bmurray10

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.5%

04-22-2013 18:32:10 | More by bmurray10

KiMiRaiK

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

04-21-2013 20:34:29 | More by KiMiRaiK

Nightwish1094

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +13.4%

04-11-2013 05:36:28 | More by Nightwish1094

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