Alaskan Smoked Porter - Alaskan Brewing Co.

crvcac

California

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark with a nice head
Smell: Dry, smoky, hints of wood. campfire
Taste: Smoked campfire, dry, toasted, smoke smoke smoke
Mouthfeel: Medium bodies, slightly coarse, mild carbonation
Drinkability: Very interesting. Would work great as marinate or brine. Reminds me of camping... I love camping.. I love this beer?

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2010 16:51:13 | More by crvcac

Pecafaced

Maryland

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%

05-23-2013 23:47:24 | More by Pecafaced

drh1382

Texas

4/5  rDev -4.8%

05-23-2013 20:18:18 | More by drh1382

visionaries

California

3.75/5  rDev -10.7%

05-23-2013 17:11:50 | More by visionaries

sneaks2210

New York

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

05-22-2013 01:57:17 | More by sneaks2210

Humulus85

Minnesota

4.48/5  rDev +6.7%
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 +6.9%
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

bpasquini

California

4/5  rDev -4.8%

05-20-2013 04:03:32 | More by bpasquini

Photekut

Azerbaijan

3.75/5  rDev -10.7%

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

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

3.4/5  rDev -19%
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

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