Heavy Seas - Smoke On The Water - Heavy Seas Beer

WesWes

New York

3.58/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a pitch black color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a rich, chocolate and black malt scent with not much in the way of a smoked malt aroma. It's more sweet with a touch of roasted character. The taste is decent as well. It has a bitter black malt flavor along with a nice chocolate malt presence. The smoked character is tame at best. It's most noticeable in the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a tasty beer, but not much of a smoked ale.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 20:25:33 | More by WesWes

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to thirdeye11 for sharing this bottle.

The beer pours a dark brown color with red highlights and a white head. The aroma is heavy on the smoke, but I also get some roasted malt. Nice aroma, but not real complex. The flavor is better, with a lot of chocolate, roasted malt and smoke. Medium to thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice smoked porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 06:21:10 | More by Mora2000

JayQue

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice Porter, not much smoke!! Pours a dense brown color , no light getting through. Average size tan head with average retention and minimal lacing.

Good smell, some chocolate and coffee! Tastes good as well. A little smoky, good coffee flavor and a little semi-sweet chocolate. A strong roasted malt presence too like any good Porter.

Mouthfeel is above average for richness. No metallic or other unpleasant aftertaste.

Drinkability is pretty good, nice Porter....Don;t see why this is more of a smoked beer than Alaskan Smoked Porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 01:56:06 | More by JayQue

lordofthewiens

Maine

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A bomber in a pint glass.
Black in color with a medium-sized tan head.
Chocolate, roasted malt aroma. I thought it smelled like a wood fire.
Sweet chocolate taste, very sweet. Smoke late and lingering.
Rich mouthfeel. Maybe a little on the too sweet side.
Enjoyed it.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2010 01:05:33 | More by lordofthewiens

billab914

Virginia

2.45/5  rDev -33.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into my Bruery tulip. It poured pretty close to black with a moderate tan head filling the top half inch of the glass. it did have some decent head retention to it and left some moderate lacing on the glass as I drank it.

The aroma has a moderate creamy malty flavor going on. it has some sweetness and what seems to be some licorice flavors to it as well. Unfortunately no smoke to be found which is disappointing.

The taste has a sweet chocolate, creamy and almost sugary taste to it with some more licorice sweetness coming in towards the finish. It has something like a brown sugar taste to it that I can't say I care for. Towards the finish I get just a hint of smoke and it's more like a mild burnt or roasted malt flavor then a true smoked malt. I'm very disappointed in the taste overall, I love smoked beers and I wouldn't call this one at all.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied and carbonation is moderate. Drinkability isn't good for me. Not only was I disappointed by the lack of smoked malt flavor, I found it to have some pretty below average porter characteristics as well. The sugary sweetness that came through was just not good to me. I believe I had the same negative experience with their Big DIPA too so maybe it's something they add to more than one of their bigger beers. Unfortunately this is another one of their big beers I won't be buying again. Reviewing with style in mind doesn't fare well for this beer, it should have had some smoke to it at least.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 01:58:46 | More by billab914

Mosstrooper

California

3.7/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 22oz bottle into 16oz Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass.

Appearance: Pours dark coffee color with a small brown head that dissipates very quickly and leaves no lace.

Smell: Definitely has a woody and smoky character, backed up by sweet roasted malts.

Taste: Begins chocolaty with a woody character, finishing with bittersweet roasted malt flavors and smoky hints.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with carbonation a bit on the heavy side. Sort of a sticky finish.

Drinkability: A pretty good beer, but it lacks depth to make it truly great. I would be willing to have this again, but it's not a first-choice brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2010 20:06:03 | More by Mosstrooper

HosP

Indiana

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Tasted at HBG4. Never had a smoked beer before!

A - Poured black with thin tan head. Could see some light around the edges.

S - Mostly coffee malt notes to it. Some subtle chocolate aroma towards the end. Slight smoke smell, but hard to tell.

T - Upfront tasted like a nice porter. Nice roasted malts with emphasis on coffee flavors. Hints of chocolate came in the middle. The end was what made it a little different. Hard to explain the smoke flavor. Almost like drinking next to a campfire with the smoke and wood taste getting in your mouth. Different!

M - Medium body with moderate carbonation. Pretty smooth drink.

D - Nice enjoyable drink. Was something different for sure with the smoke taste. Didn't have any other real strong flavors or qualities.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2010 03:01:23 | More by HosP

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured pretty much to the rim with very little room for a small layer of coca foam.

S - Roasted malts with a hint of dark chocolates and mild coffee.

T - Wow I really expected something heavier for 8 percent! No real smoke on the palate just roasted coffee and bittersweet chocolates. Not bad but not really a "smoke" beer

M - Medium bodied and kind of watery but it was good.

D - I may have to get the bomber or at least try it again during the Library's happy hour. A truly good porter to have for 3 dollars a pint!

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2010 04:02:03 | More by DrDemento456

Daniellobo

District of Columbia

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A fair porter, with a faint smoky finish.

Presentation: 22 oz brown capped bottle. Perfunctory pirate skull themed label on this occasion with purple smoke emerging from the skull and bones. Perfunctory lazy and poor design despite the recent revision, but sticking to their recognizable branding. Side narrative goes over the intent of the brewing series, pirated themed inspiration, and minimal description of the brew, with a small musical nod to Deep Purple´s "Smoke on the Water". Lacks freshness or bottling date, and shows Alc. by Vol. (8%) Served in a tulip glass.

A - Black pour with a brown frothy head with medium retention, fading to a surface ring with some memory and fair lacing.

S - Small coffee roasted malt range to it, a tad chocolaty even, with a tiny hint of smoke in the finish.

T - Roasted malt, subtle coffee flavor with a shy smokey note. Touch of chocolate and light presence of hops.

M - Medium body, with medium carbonation, and an overall smooth feel.

D - Good drink, lacks much to make it particularly enticing but it is fairly efficient.

Notes: Not a bad offering from the Heavy Seas series but not a remarkable one either. And while a decent porter the smoked sense is so small that is almost unnoticeable.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2010 13:22:51 | More by Daniellobo

esv

Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A) Nice fat head. Dark tan, suggesting roasted barley.

S) Smoky tobacco but not overwhelming like you might expect. Hint of dark fruit. Some salty ham. Light lacing on the top.

T) Nicely balanced. Sweet maltiness and bitter burnt. Coffee. Some tobacco but not that much smokiness. No dark fruits.

M) Medium. Carbonation is low.

Don't know much about the "smoked beer" style. Never had a beer with smoked malt, that I'm aware of. So this was little harder to review. It wasn't my favorite. It was missing something.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2010 00:31:18 | More by esv

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.1/5  rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

On-tap 8/14/10 at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a tulip glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color, with a large beige head that fades slowly and leaves a very thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains smoky roasted malts, black coffee, chocolate and a faint touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out sweet with flavors of chocolate and a touch of dark fruit. Then there's a harsh bitterness that come in, not from hops but rather from black coffee and smokiness. The malt character is hearty but not too heavy. The after-taste is bitter despite having a very thin hops presence.

M: Crisp but not very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is sticky and very dry.

D: Not very tasty, goes down ok, not too filling, decent kick, not the best representation of style, there are definitely better dark & smoky beers out there that I would choose before this one.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 13:53:03 | More by TheManiacalOne

RomaniIteDomum

Florida

3.85/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks, Steve, for hooking me up with this courtesy of the Hometown BIF!

Pours friendly black with a nice thick tan head.

Smells include chocolate, coffee, slight hint of raspberries, and unsurprisingly a hint of smoke and wood.

Nice notes of smoke and roast in the beginning followed by coffee and bittersweet chocolate. There is a sweet hint of plums and tobacco in the aftertaste.

The feel is on the creamy side of average for the style. Good feel.

This was pretty drinkable, not necessarily all at once, but I would be happy to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2010 00:59:06 | More by RomaniIteDomum

farrago

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Big two to three finger head on average pour, deep tan in hue yet airy and light, keeps an even surface with no dimpling, lacing shows highly credible stickiness. Jet black color, looks like most imperial stouts. The nose is almost all milk to dark chocolate with coffee ice cream and licorice, so much malt you just start wondering where the smoke is, touch of pork rinds and oats, no significant hops presence, comes across like a chocolaty porter more than a smoked beer. Medium-bodied, firm presence in the mouth if perhaps kinda immobile, albeit without the massiveness. Chocolate, cocoa, mocha in spades, light coffee roast. Sliver of grapefruit citrus helps stiffen things. No real fruit, maybe apricot or peach pit. Carbonation is smooth bubbles up now and then, not a major factor. Candy character doesn't bring out much earth, tobacco or herbal qualities. Maybe some brazil nuts or cashews. Biggest issue is that it's just monochrome with no sense of development or subtler nuances. But tastes good.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 03:11:59 | More by farrago

bruachan

Rhode Island

3.78/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

not sure i agree with this beer being listed as a smoked beer: it is certainly more of a porter than a smoked beer

this beer is opaque, though i get the sense i could glimpse through at the edge is i really tried. thin brown foam with little ringlets (belgian-ey). zero lacing

rich, roasty aroma with a touch of smoke and singed malts; some crystal sweetness

it tastes roastier than it smells--lingering astringency meshes with meaningful but balancing bitterness. minimal smoke flavor. a little flat on the depth front--without bitterness from hops and burn this would be very tame

mouthfeel is excellent: keeps things going longer than the flavor profile does on its own. occasionally, however, i get a sort of chalky finish...so i am alternately excited and nonplussed

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 02:20:32 | More by bruachan

bluejacket74

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours dark brown/black with an inch tan head. Head retention is good, lacing is decent. Aroma is roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, molasses, caramel, and smoke. The taste is similar to the aroma, it tastes like roasted malt, chocolate, smoke, and some coffee and burnt/charred malt. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's a bit creamy and has moderate carbonation. Drinkability is good, it's smooth and goes down easy. I think it's a good porter, but not quite smoky enough for me. For being a smoked porter, I think it should have more smoke aroma and flavor in the brew. I've had both Weyerbacher Fifteen and Nils Oscar Rökporter recently, and I think those are both much smokier than this brew. With that being said, I still think this is a pretty decent beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 23:16:35 | More by bluejacket74

superdedooperboy

Georgia

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22-ounce brown bottle poured into a snifter glass.

Pours a nearly opaque dark brown with a thick head of rich light tan froth that settles down to a thick crown, leaving behind some light splotching of lace on the walls of the glass as it drains away.

Aroma is a bit subdued, with some vague notes of roasted malt, dark chocolate, and a little peat-like smokiness.

Full-bodied and a little soft and slightly grainy in mouthfeel. Sweet, chocolaty malt notes show themselves up front and carry through into the middle, where some hop bitterness shows up to balance things out before opening the door for some smoked malt character that shows up toward the rear, with the initial sweetness peeking up around the edges of the palate; the smokiness carries through into the long, dry finish, with a dark chocolate and faint smoky fade.

An excellent beer, very well balanced with the smoked malt mingling superbly with the other malt characteristics. Alcohol is very well-hidden, and drinkability is hindered only by the heavy-handed and somewhat complex intermingling of flavors as well as the somewhat chewy full body.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2010 04:51:19 | More by superdedooperboy

BMoney575

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Sampled on 7-31-10

Pours a very dark brown, almost black, with a little light brown around the edges. A bubbly head quickly fades, with thin tan lacing.

Smell is malty and lightly smoky, subtle and enjoyable. Bording on bland though, and not very complex.

Taste is just like the smell, subtle malt flavor with a kick of smoke, a lightly hoppy finish that adds just a touch of bitterness. Again like the smell, a little bland.

Mouthfeel is good, smooth and creamy, goes well with the malty and smoky flavors.

Drinkability is also good, you can barely sense the alcohol and the lighter flavors do not build on the palate.

Overall, not as good as I was hoping, but a well made beer nonetheless.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2010 20:26:05 | More by BMoney575

hdofu

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An interesting flavored beer. Poured grapeish black with a tan head. Smelled smokey, cocoaish taste sort of like a burnt brown ale, considering it was labled as a smoked porter I was expecting something more porterlike. It wasn't a bad flavor by any means but I it didn't knock my socks off either. Would have gone good with some sort of chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2010 23:30:13 | More by hdofu

glid02

Georgia

4/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Brick Store.

Pours one shade from black with a one-finger tan head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving decent lacing.

Smells of lightly roasted malts with good amounts of smoked aromas. As it warms hints of dark chocolate waft out as well.

Tastes very similar to how it smells. Muted roasted malt flavors are quickly joined by smoked malts to kick things off. Midway through the sip mild amounts of unsweetened chocolate flavors make an appearance, fading out into a moderately bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is good. It's got a solid thickness with smooth carbonation.

Drinkability is also good. I finished my glass without any problems and could have another.

Overall this was a smooth-drinking smoked porter and another solid beer from the Mutiny Fleet - well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

07-27-2010 16:20:55 | More by glid02

blackie

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a: snifter pour, medium mocha-colored head steadily becomes a thin layer and ring on the surface, the beer is deep, opaque brown in color

s: pulling some decent aromas from this one but it's all pretty mild, smoke only slightly perceptible, dark roasted malt approaching char but not quite, bitter chocolate, licorice, a touch of root beer, light toffee backing but far from sweet, benign, earthy hops

m: carbonation light-medium, smooth for the most part, with a light-medium body

t: seriously weak smoke character, essentially hidden beneath the roasted barley flavors - I love smoked beers and picked this one up for that reason, so it's a bit of a disappointment, underlying toffee, a curious creamy milkiness, dark chocolate, some licorice in the finish with a mild bitterness, a decent porter

d: agreed that this is an okay porter that should certainly not be categorized here as a smoked beer, this is a mild-average porter that doesn't belie its abv in terms of booze presence, but unfortunately it doesn't carry the flavor expected of a high abv bier either

bomber from OUaV South, Richmond, VA

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2010 02:35:28 | More by blackie

Bung

North Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. Solid dark brown pour, quite nice frothy light tan head.

Aroma, pretty mild. First sign this belongs in the porter category, like the label says, not the smoked category. Roast malt, peat, chocolate, really no smoke.

Taste follows suit, but there is a bit of acrid harshness. Burnt malt, dark chocolates and earthy peat and charcoal. Finishes a little warm with the burntness. As this warmed there is some faint smoke present.

Lighter mid body, possibly too much carbonation. The carb and abv add to the bit of harshness. Mellows a bit though as it warms, nearly creamy, much better. Still pretty drinkable, just probably not something I will reach for again. Especially since rescently having Surly Smoke.

I will choose to review this on the merits as a porter, this really isn't a smoked or even much of a smoked porter. A descent baltic like porter.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 02:56:55 | More by Bung

jamie2dope

Massachusetts

3.05/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Grabbed a bottle of this at Kappys in Medford tonight. Smoke on the Water pours out a nice black color, with a finger of tan heading. Nose is of moderately dark chocolate, and some brown bread. Very little smoke can be detected in the nose here. Surprisingly the taste has hardly any smoke either, perhaps a hint at best. More dark chocolate, and fruit come through, making this more similar to a straight up American Porter than a smoked one. Mouthfeel is medium to heavy, and drinks well. While this isn't a bad brew, it is simply not what the label claims is. I am sure they did smoke this beer, but there is little evidence to support that theory from the smell or taste. If you are looking for a simple, decent Porter, this one should work. Those seeking the smoke should look elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2010 01:44:46 | More by jamie2dope

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

16 ounce pint - Taco Mac in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Appearance: Cheerfully served up a dark brown, near black body with faint garnet hues at the edge and topped with a layer of beige foam.

Smell: Darkened malts present a not particularly potent nose, with only lesser notes of roast and chocolate. The addition of the smoked malts yield no more than a modest poof of Pall Mall cigarette smoke.

Taste: Roasted barley with a touch of unsweetened chocolate and minute hint of smores. Small amount of encroaching smokiness. Light dark fruitiness with an even lighter, distant sourness. Slight licorice. Lightly bitter. Finishes dry and chalky with a bit more of the dark malts.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Fairly smooth mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Personally, I found it to be a flimsy porter imparted with a lackluster smoke character, and therefore an unappealing brew. I tried this a week later out of the bottle at a dear friend's cookout - same results, sadly.

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2010 21:33:37 | More by ChainGangGuy

argock

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22oz brown bomber into a Duvel tulip. No freshness date. Purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA) for $5.49.

A: Very dark brown with ruby edges and 1-2 finger beige big-bubbled head with decent retention and a few scattered crusts of lace.

S: Dark chocolate and espresso bean aromas are most prominent with roasted and toasted malts also coming through. I don't really catch any smoke component at all. Hops are there though and hit the earthy, cigar tobacco qualities.

T: The flavor follows from the aroma very closely with dense bitter dark chocolate, black coffee, and toasted malts combining well with tobacco, earthy hoppiness. Again, smoke is not in attendance. Overall this is a pretty muscular porter that hides the 8% ABV well but doesn't really push the smoke at all.

M: Slightly astringent but not unpleasantly so. The body is medium-full with low-medium carbonation and a nice licorice and super-strong mocha afteraste.

D: A very drinkable porter, especially for the ABV, although I keep stopping myself from typing stout as this is a robust brew, but not as advertised, at least in the batch this bottle came from as the smoke component is nonexistent. I still liked the beer quite well though as it brings a nice flavor punch of chocolate, coffee, and tobacco hops notes.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2010 03:38:44 | More by argock

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in the trusty Devil's Backbone willibecher.

I can hear those crunching opening chords now... This guy pours a pretty much opaque black-brown topped by a nice finger of light tan foam. The nose has some light smokey notes, but mostly it's roasted malts. Not much else in there, really, though some light chocolate and caramel dart hither and yon like frightened hummingbirds. The taste is similarly dominated by the roasted malts, backed-up by some brown sugar, molasses, cocoa, and caramel. A lovely kiss of peat smoke comes in near the middle, surrounding the other flavors, cradling them all the way home. Lovely. The body is a nice medium, with a relatively light carbonation and a sliky smooth feel. One of the best Heavy Seas brews yet, and a very tasty smoked porter overall. Get some!

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2010 04:24:16 | More by TMoney2591