Sue - Yazoo Brewing Company

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: pours dark dark brown almost black with little dark tan head that quickly dissipates leaving good lacing, little bubbles, clear
S: coco, smoked hickory, huge malt, barbecued salted meat
T: sweet and smokey, caramel, malt, slight citrus hop bitterness
M: full bodied, leaves a nice coating on the tongue, small carbonation
O: a pleasing smoked porter, the 9% ABV is well hidden, good smoke flavor but missing something in the middle, hops provide nice balance to prevalent sweetness

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2012 01:25:47 | More by M_C_Hampton

Boto

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Draught in Chattanooga Mellow Mushroom: This was served in a 10 oz. goblet that was unfortunately frosted (BOO!). It pours an opaque dark brown. There was a wisp of a tan head on it that left some lacing. Chocolate and some roasty notes to the nose. Also a hint of earthy hops. The taste is good. Fairly full bodied. Chocolate malt, caramel, some roastiness. Minimal sweetness: lots of hops in here to balance it nicely. Very Good!

Serving type: on-tap

02-13-2012 00:37:29 | More by Boto

Merkur

Tennessee

4.45/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on tap at 12 South Taproom.

Beer pours a very dark brown with a slight bit of khaki head.

The initial smell is definately the smokiness. A bit of malt and chocolate is also detectable.

Beer tastes much like it smells. The smoke is very powerful upfront, but then mellows out and the roasty taste of chocolate and dried fruit starts. Nicely balanced.

Beer has a good texture and mouthfeel.

Overall, one of the best smoked porters out there

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2012 01:27:54 | More by Merkur

metter98

New York

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is very dark brown (near black) in color and poured with a thin layer of tan bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are aromas of roasted malts and smoke in the nose.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell and has flavors roasted malts and smoke along with some notes of chocolate and hints of cherries.
M: It feels medium-bodied, very smooth and slightly creamy on the palate with a light to moderate amount of carbonation. There is some warming from the alcohol in the finish.
O: The beer is very easy to drink and goes down smoothly; the alcohol is very well hidden from the taste.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2011 01:44:58 | More by metter98

Reaper16

Alabama

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

served on-tap @ The Alcove, Tuscaloosa, AL, into an imperial pint

Pours a medium-dark brown. It looks like a porter, basically. It's porter brown, you could say. Not much head here; it's just darker than eggshell in color. Solid lacing, though. Average looking beer.

Subtle smoke, but yeah, you do smell the smoke first. Tobacco leaf and new leather. It is vaguely reminiscent of a Black & Mild; there's some slight vanilla and whispers of stonefruit. Milk chocolate, obviously. Chicory. Some ham, to be quite honest. All these aromas go for the taste, too. This beer tastes like it smells, only more intensely and harmoniously. This is quite the porter, actually. Quite the porter indeed.

Mouthfeel seems solid. The carbonation gives out too soon, which is problematic with the smoke flavor, but a good showing overall. For a smoked beer, this is absurdly drinkable.

Very, very good offering here. I was surprised by this one. I will seek it out in bottles to see if it compares to how delicious it is on-tap.

Serving type: on-tap

12-07-2010 08:10:35 | More by Reaper16

nickd717

California

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Mamacita in Nashville. I love the Johnny Cash reference in the name of this beer: "a beer named Sue."

Pours pretty much black and slightly viscous with a small tan head.

Aroma is excellent - smoky and even a little bacony with roast, coffee, and dark chocolate.

Flavor is similar to the aroma and also great. Roasted malt, dark chocolate, and caramel all come through. Smoked bacon or ham is prominent as well.

Medium-full bodied with low carbonation and a slick mouthfeel.

Glad I got to try this beer. Definitely one of my favorites from my long weekend in Nashville.

Serving type: on-tap

10-21-2010 23:33:02 | More by nickd717

oberon

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

The beer I was seeking out most when in middle Tennessee last weekend.Poures a deep dark chocolate brown with a tinge of ruby when held to the light,a frothy beinge head that left a few broken rings of lace as it slowly.Alot of nice stuff going on in the aromas,smoke and brine are the first things I notice followed by bitter chocolate and earthy hops,a little alcohol sweetness as it warms.Complex flavors with a decent amount of smoke but not in your face,there is some chocolate sweetness but there is a big earthy component keeping the sweetness from becoming over bearing,there is some molasses and sweet alcohol in the finish detected as well.This is as good and maybe better than what I was hoping for,well done Yazoo.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 21:52:45 | More by oberon

BlueMoon10

Mississippi

4.09/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Had out of a 750ml. bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Chocolate brown in color. Has a two finger creamy brown head upon pouring. Lots of lacing.
S: Roasted malts that leads to some chocolate, caramel, and finishes with some a smoke smell.
T: Smoke flavor, Roasty chocolate, hint of some vanilla.
M: Medium to heavy but very drinkable. Some creaminess to it. Can't taste
A very good, drinkable smoked porter. One of Tennessee's best.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 13:46:22 | More by BlueMoon10

GuinnessAtRogerWilco

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Was given a 750ml bottle by one of my good beer customers, so thanks to him for sharing something we don't get in our area.
Poured in a Sam Adams 'perfect pint' glass.
AP: 3/4" froathy cream coloured head that dissipated down to 1/4", rich dark brown to near black colour
AR: Chocolate was the first aroma to hit me followed by a subtle hint of smoked ham then molasses takes over with hints of brown bread. For a smoked beer I was expecting more of it in the aroma and if it had been more prominent I would have given a higher score for the smell.
T: As with the aroma, I found the smoke aspect lacking. However, the rest of the flavours I found very enjoyable. Again with chocolate and molasses with a bit of brownie batter and at the finish a slick oily soft hint of smoke, but not enough IMO to balance the sweeter flavours. The warmer this brew gets the smoke flavour starts to poke through a little more, but not quite enough for me.
M: Very creamy with low/moderate carbonation and a bit silky on the tongue.
OV: An enjoyable tasty beer, but when I compare this to what it's supposed to be (a smoke beer) I can't rate it as high as I'd like. If the smoke flavours were more pronounced in the taste this would be an exceptional beer, but I just didn't get enough of it.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 03:48:53 | More by GuinnessAtRogerWilco

weonfire

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - Black as night. Huge light mocha head, excellent lacing, sticks to high beer mark. very impressive.

S - Roasted barley, grassy, nutty malt

T - initial: roasted malt, barley, grassy, nutty. finish: hops are real mellow (3/10 bitter), smokey taste lingers a tiny bit

M - really nice froth, mellow cream, viscosity is high

O - This is much better that i expected. I normally don't like smoked porters but this i would order again. I believe the 93 IBUs, while don't make this beer 'hoppy', do a great job balancing this beer and make it not too smokey or roasty but very drinkable. I enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 02:15:28 | More by weonfire

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 22oz bottle into tulip. Purchased at frugal mcdougals for $4.99.
Pours a deep black color with tan chunky chewey head. Lots of lacing...
Smell is roasted malts and lots of smoke. Its not overly done, but obvious.Nice chocolatey roasted malt flavor with a nice dose of smoke...its creamy and soooo smooth. There must be a bit of oats in this grist for such a nice creamy feel.
Its an awesome smoked porter, one of the best smoked stout/porters ive had to date. Well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 02:06:15 | More by DrinkSlurm

richj1970

Alabama

4.26/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from bomber into snifter glass.

A: Pitch black with nice three finger tan head wit lots of nice lacing.

S: A bit of smoke mixed with roasted malts, coffee, and sweet chocolates.

T: More smoke in taste than was apparent in the nose. Nice roasted flavors with slightly bitter coffee and chocolate tones. A faint hint of sweetness in the background.

M: Full bodied with plenty of carbonation. Coats the mouth nicely like a good porter should.

O: Very enjoyable. I have had several beers attempt at doing smoky, but this one gets it right. It's nice to see a regional brewery turn out a nice product!

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 00:43:41 | More by richj1970

hopoilcrazy

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4

Bomber

This is one of the best looking beers that I have ever seen. Tons of tannish head that laces and sticks and soothes the tongue

The smoke characteristic in the nose is quite mild in comparison to the smoke bomb of taste. The nose overall is filled with roasty toasty malts, very complex but not extremely impressive. There is definitely a big hit of Benton's Bacon.

I don't know why, but I keep checking this bottle for something that says cherry something because that is what I am overwhelmingly getting sip after sip. It is almost more cherry infused than Cherry Rye. The flavor begins with a cherry-like sharpness that is instantly swept away by huge malts with the hop profile coming thru in spurts. The effect is actually quite devastating, but I just wish that actual flavor profile were more my thing. The espresso like finish is very nice

The mouthfeel is totally where its at. So, so, so, creamy; so, so, so, smoooth.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 08:41:23 | More by hopoilcrazy

davey101

Connecticut

4.14/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottled on Date: Nov 01 2012. 750 ml bottle into a DFH signature glass. Thanks to sommersb for this one! I'll preface this by saying I HATED this beer the first time I tried it about two years ago. Giving it another go with a proper review.

A - Pours a pitch black body that lets almost zero light through. Massive mocha head that sticks around for a long time. Gobs of sticky lacing and lasting retention. Pretty beer for sure.

S - Well. Smoke. Smoke and lots of it. It isn't artificial or over the top, it oddly has layers. Starts off a bit sweet and salty and finishes with a bit of cinnamon spice. Maybe a touch of coffee and chocolate, but those are very secondary. Long lasting char burn.

T - Opens up with soft smoke. Quickly washed away by bitter coffee beans and some milk chocolate. The finish returns to that smoky wood that works nicely against the mineral quality of the porter base. Finishes clean without giving the impression of chewing on a piece of charcoal.

M - Medium bodied with ample carbonation. Pretty spot on for a porter.

O - Well I'm a changed man. From drain pour to somewhat impressed, this is a very solid smoked porter. The aroma is big and smokey but the flavor itself is clean, light, and the smoke never overwhelms. I figured a beer like this in a large format is a terrible idea. Nope, it totally works.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 00:51:03 | More by davey101

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to BulbMan for sending this over. The beer poured out with a nice deep blac color with a foamy tan head on top. The retention and lacing were both very good on this. The smell of the beer is smokey, there is some roast in there too and hops. The taste of the beer has a great balance of subtle smoke, chocolate and bitter hops in the finish. The mouthfeel is creamy, and very soft. Overall it's a great beer. Really wasn't sure what I would think of it but I ended up enjoying this one quite a bit!!

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 01:43:52 | More by Knapp85

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle stamped 01.NOV1
(Served in a snifter)
A- This beer pours a jet black body with a lumpy sticky head that last and last. There is a few bubbles that become visible and trail up the side of the glass.

S- The wet stone smell quickly turns to roasted dark malt and a gentle mellow smoke note grows in the finish. There is a woody quality to the smoke as it opens but it always stays soft.

T- The rich slightly dry dark roasted malt flavor has some dark graham malt flavors underneath with mellow roasted bitterness that lingers after the slightly dry finish. There is a gentle smoke flavor that supports the blended malt flavors.

M- The medium-full mouthfeel has no alcohol heat and a thick creamy finish.

O- The full roasted porter is big but drinkable and smooth. There is a good malt support but lets the malts be the star of the show. Thanks to Coldchill for this gem.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 16:00:08 | More by rhoadsrage

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours very dark brown-black with light tan head and lots of sticky lacing along sides of tulip.

Smell is plum, chocolate, coffee, oak, banana and smokiness. Smells fantastic!

Taste is sweet chocolates, toasted malts, oak, caramel and mild pleasant smokiness. Nice light bitterness in the finish. Very complex and balanced nicely.

Mouthfeel is slick and oily. Full-bodied with light carbonation.

Overall this was superb! Will definitely buy again.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 23:25:14 | More by TrappistJohnMD

caulfield

Georgia

4.3/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Poured dark (into a pub glass). Dark head

Smell -Smoke is the dominant smell. There is a little hint of chocolate as well.

Taste -This beer is smokey with a roasted malty after taste. There is a hint of chocolate and this is heavy on malts. Not bad.

Mouthfeel - Its stout with a little creaminess; feels like a milkstout

Overall - I haven't had many smoked beers, let alone porters. The first sip is a shock, but this beer grows on you. It is definitely a "smoked" porter and a pretty good imperial porter.

Served from a bottle

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 03:23:25 | More by caulfield

thagr81us

South Carolina

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

Big thanks goes out to Mississipping for sharing this one at a tasting while he was in town! Served from bottle into a Mikkeller taster flute. Poured dark brown with a half finger light tan head that subsided to a minimal amount quickly. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, milk chocolate, smoke, roasted malt, and bread. The flavor was of sweet malt, smoke, roasted malt, milk chocolate, and coffee. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonation. Overall this was a good brew. I was told by MSquared2 that I HAD to try this one. I’m glad she convinced me to. This was a really good brew for the style. The flavor and aroma was spot on and had a nice kiss of sweetness going on to keep your palate interested as well as your nose. Definitely worth your time trying this one or seeking it out.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 13:36:32 | More by thagr81us

azdback

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an Alpine pint glass. Dark black color without any highlights. Head is two fingers and dark mocha in color with a creamy appearance. Lace is quite sticky at the moment in a patchy pattern.

Smell is dark roasted malts, dark fruits, some charred wood, maybe just a hint of dark chocolate and some spice.

Taste is quite nice. There is some sweetness and dark fruit taste first, cherries or figs come to mind. Then comes the smoke, kind of like smoked pete moss. Imagine Alaskan Smoked but cut in half. Then the rest of the flavors are there, mild bitter chocolate, some char.

Mouth is quite mild with decent carbonation and a thin body. Finish is smooth and on the long side.

Overall I think this is a pretty solid Smoke Porter. Not a huge fan of the category but respectful of it. This is better than Alaskan's but not better than Stone's. I'm looking at a price tag on the bottle cap at $5.99. At that price, anyone in range to buy this, should. Thanks to injuredreserve for this surprise extra.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2012 05:27:57 | More by azdback

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Been waiting some time to try something from Yazoo. This is a good one to start on.
It’s a nice robust porter that has a bit of a zing to it that strikes kind of a bright tone. Very consistent flavor profile that doesn’t drop off at all. It very much lingers. Carbonation is pretty good; could be a touch lower, but who cares. Overall, an extremely nice production and an easy drinking porter that doesn’t get obnoxious to make a point.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 21:20:21 | More by RblWthACoz

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

Haven't been a huge fan of any of their beers really. The only one I really enjoyed so far was the pale ale, although if I had to guess I would assume this would be my fav, but let's see if they screwed the pooch here too. Thanks to JonnyGalt (Reddit) for this one.

Friggen SCREW CAP AAAARRRGGG!!! But... a bottled on date? Why one great thing and one horrible thing?! I don't get it. Bottled on May 14, 2012.

Pours a light creamy fizzy 1/4 finger darker colored head that fades at a med pace, not much lacing or head to be found overall but that's not too bad for a 9% beer. The beer itself is pretty much pitch black, can't find any light coming through.

Nose is actually a nice porter, some chocolate and cocoa, dark malts, some caramel and toffee too, little bready malt and some earthy hops. Creamy milk chocolate, nougat, dry dark malts.

Taste starts with some roast and hint of smoke, actually not really a hint as it increases to a nice light smoke like a smoldering log, light char, light caramel and toffee like, again hint of nougat, etc. Chocolate is there, bit of dark bitter choc, little milk choc, etc. Very light roasty acrid burnt coffee flavor with associated bitterness and char. Light earthy hops with a bit of decent bitterness with that, and more bitterness from the dark charred malts, maybe carafa? Finish is drier, slightly sticky, just a bit of warming booze washing away as the lingering biscuit and chocolate come through with a bit more burnt coffee and roast, carafa, etc. A big spicy earthy hop flavor comes through late on the finish.

Mouth is med to a bit fuller bodied, good carb for 6 month old beer with a screw cap, and 9% abv, and booze is mostly hidden.

Overall pretty nice, fairly impressed for what most of their beers were before. That being said, it's still not an amazing beer, just a good beer. The malts are mostly nice but the burnt coffee charred malt is not as nice, and hops are good at first but don't stay as well.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 04:20:02 | More by jlindros

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Robbie for this one.
Bottled on 27 JUL 12 Poured in to tulip.

A - Poured black with one finger of creamy light brown head.

S - Smoke up front that is dominant in the nose without being overpowering. Roast and chocolate notes come through as well.

T - Smoke is dominant and, just as the nose indicated, is not over-powering the other aspects of the beer. Roast, chocolate and a slight bitterness is present as well. Great balance of smoked malts.

M - Medium body, creamy. Light carbonation.

O - A great smoked beer. Remarkable integration of the smoked malts with regular porter profile.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 18:34:22 | More by TheSevenDuffs

prototypic

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to kkipple for this one!

Sue pours a dark mahogany brown color. Looks like dark chocolate fudge. It’s very close to opaque. A little light reveals some burgundy highlights at the outermost edges. A tan head covers the top. It stands about a finger or so tall and is a bit slow to recede. Lacing was a little sticky, but on the lighter side.

The nose is quite good. It starts out with a nice mix of chocolate and roasted notes. The roasted variety smells a little stronger. A really nice smoky scent follows. It’s a very nice complement to the malt base. Roasted coffee is in there, as well. It smells a little more subtle than I’d like, but that’s nitpicking. There’s a bit of alcohol there, but it doesn’t come through all that strong. I probably wouldn’t have guessed 9% territory. Smells good!

The flavor is actually a notch better. The malt base is nothing short of delicious. It’s full of bittersweet dark chocolate, cocoa, and roasted malt flavors. The roasted notes are definitely strongest. Coffee is stronger here and definitely delivers. It even adds a bit of a charred flavor. Sue is smoky throughout. It’s a moderate smoky flavor that works extremely well with the other elements. It’s definitely the driving force in this one. Alcohol is noticeable in flavor, but isn’t warm or hot. Finishes roasty, smoky, and a little burnt.

Sue has a body that’s on the lighter side of medium. Carbonation is light and soft. It feels smooth, but I wouldn’t complain about a little more body. This is really tasty beer that’s easy to drink though. This 12 oz. bottle is simply not enough. More, please!

This is my first experience with Yazoo Brewing Company beer, and it’s been a dandy one. Sue is simply excellent beer that’s packed full of excellent flavor! The smoky flavor really makes it tick. If you’re into Porters or smoky beer at all, you simply must check this out! Thanks a ton, Dan!

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 03:28:45 | More by prototypic

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint.
9% ABV, Bottled On Date: May 11 12

Chaney holds the key to my heart; smoked beer. Bacon here I come!

A - It's nearly impossible to see any light make it through the dark, almost midnight mahogany brown-colored beer. Brief cascading of the foam leads to a tall, long-lasting mocha head that just drapes sheets of lace on the pint.

S - Sue is reminiscent of smoked beef brisket, sans the rub, and applewood smoked bacon which softly call my name and coincidentally make me incredibly hungry. Earthy notes of peat come through with some cocoa and bittersweet chocolate malt. Hoppiness be damned.

T - Paradigm shift! Sue's bold smoky aroma falls to the way to reveal a complex maltiness with rough cocoa, smooth milk chocolate with a touch of lactose, and a trace of black coffee for a unique and nicely blended flavor. Peat smoke and minor smoked wood chip play second fiddle.

M - I keep asking myself where the alcohol is hiding in this beer, cause it doesn't emerge in aroma, taste, or feel. Thick and rich-feeling with a smooth full body, Sue balances her sweetness with a roasted dry bitterness and smoke waft on the finish for a nicely done and oddly drinkable profile.

O - Sue is surprising with her beef brisket and bacon smoked aromas but more subtle, chocolate and cocoa malt-driven flavor which make this imperial porter somewhat of a training wheel smoked beer. So if you like smoked meat and dark beer, Sue is the lady for you.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 20:22:43 | More by BeerFMAndy