Alaskan Smoked Porter - Alaskan Brewing Co.

Nugganooch

California

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2012 - 22oz bomber with my FW snifter

A: Deep dark body. Black as stout. Sits plump in my snifter with some streaming micro bubbles flowing up to a few cm’s of sand paper looking head. Moderate retention swirls outward leaving behind some wispy strands of lace.

S: Smells of dark roast malts enriched with BBQ smoke. Has an earthy presence of wet grains and a bit of blackstrap molasses. Real meaty smoke aroma with hints of leather and tobacco. Nice and smoky but not overpowering the senses.

T: Flavors are rich with deep roasted malts and an all-encompassing meaty BBQ smoke. Jerky like with some spices and a bit of charcoal noted. I get smoked almonds with some tangy dried cherry and licorice. There is a damp earthiness and some burnt pines in there with a moderate to low level of perceived bitterness and a bit of astringency from the smoke. Notable but not completely off-putting. Alcohol is well hidden and only starts to make an appearance in the second act. Quite robust in flavors.

M: Soft fluffy mouth feel makes this one a smooth and creamy delight. Moderate heaviness to it overall. A little drying action towards the finish with a slight constricting astringency.

D: This is a very nice smoke beer. The Alder wood smoke is unique in flavor and dominant here but not over abundantly so. Has a nice spiced meatiness to it. Balanced well with a delicate feel and ample roast character. Probably one of the finest smoked beers out there although I have only had a few. Definitely the best thing Alaskan Brewco is putting out.

Worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 21:16:55 | More by Nugganooch

marcobrau

Illinois

4.31/5  rDev +2.6%
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

3.3/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

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 drinking to the great outdoors. Although i finished my pint I would not purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

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

Hallertau

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -28.6%

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

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

4.09/5  rDev -2.6%
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 +7.1%

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

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%
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 +1.2%

05-15-2013 01:45:44 | More by mrwelk

artdob

California

4.46/5  rDev +6.2%
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 -4.8%

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

UWBadgerFan4Life

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -4.8%

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

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.73/5  rDev -11.2%
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 -16.7%

05-06-2013 17:55:44 | More by Holland

blee107

Ireland

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%

05-04-2013 16:50:34 | More by blee107

ronbo5421

Washington

3/5  rDev -28.6%

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

LeeG

Illinois

5/5  rDev +19%

04-24-2013 19:39:08 | More by LeeG

DemDumplingz

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.8%

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

J_Dub

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -16.7%

04-24-2013 01:22:32 | More by J_Dub

2GOOFY

California

4/5  rDev -4.8%

04-23-2013 02:32:47 | More by 2GOOFY

bmurray10

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.8%

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

KiMiRaiK

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

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

Nightwish1094

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%

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

Siriusfisherman

Montana

4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
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 -7.4%
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