Smoked Porter
Alaskan Brewing Co.

Smoked PorterSmoked Porter
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From:
Alaskan Brewing Co.
 
Alaska, United States
Style:
Smoked Porter
Ranked #5
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
92
Ranked #4,280
Avg:
4.15 | pDev: 10.84%
Reviews:
1,034
Ratings:
2,190
Status:
Active
Rated:
Feb 24, 2024
Added:
Oct 18, 2001
Wants:
  358
Gots:
  459
The dark, robust body and pronounced smoky flavor of this limited edition beer make it an adventuresome taste experience. Alaskan Smoked Porter is produced in limited "vintages" each year on November 1 and unlike most beers, may be aged in the bottle much like fine wine.

45 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by cryptichead:
Photo of cryptichead
Reviewed by cryptichead from Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The smell of smoky BBQ and jerky is just too forward and overpowering. Smoked beers are an acquired taste and I just have not found mine yet. This type of beer is not for everybody.
Mar 28, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of DavyJonesXXX
Reviewed by DavyJonesXXX from Texas

3.4/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
To much smoke. Not enough smoked meat notes. Was straight campfire bitter cigarette smokey. Not a fan of this. Probably being generous because I even poured it out sadly. Wanted to like it.
Feb 24, 2024
 
Rated: 4.66 by Beecham from California

Feb 11, 2024
Photo of jonphisher
Reviewed by jonphisher from New Jersey

4.21/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Courtesy of @snaotheus who helped me tick this long time classic…

Nice chestnut dark brown while pouring, darker in glass; lightly browned head bubbly on top but cohesive and dense elsewhere, good retention.

Nose initial impression is rich is smoke; bright and lightly pungent; leather, as it warms there is bittersweet dark chocolate, and some raisin character.

Taste is a beautiful ride…smoke is first to greet the tastebuds, starts off as a lighter colored porter but is quickly followed up by very rich dark and toasted malt, bittersweet dark chocolate, burnt toast, nice roast presence, leathery, lightly acrid on the finish…great aftertaste combo of roast and smoke.

Medium body, drying, light and clean with low end moderate bitterness.
Jan 08, 2024
 
Rated: 4.05 by EdFed from Illinois

Jan 06, 2024
 
Rated: 4.35 by QuakeAttack from California

Jan 06, 2024
Photo of pianoguy
Reviewed by pianoguy from Washington

3.97/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
2023 version
22 Oz bottle poured into a Nonic glass.

Pours a solid black body with a tan head. Visible carbonation at first pour. Reddish brown highlights when held up to a light.

Smoke forward. I'm getting burnt coffee notes that become more noticeable as it warms. Overall scent is not overly prominent.

Taste follows but the smoke is more forward and prominent than I noticed in the smell.

Feel is a bit thin. I'm new to reviewing the smoked Porter style so I don't know if it's supposed to be this way but for my personal taste the feel dropped off a little( for a Porter)

I think I'll cellar a few of these and see how it goes in a year
Dec 23, 2023
Photo of Grax
Reviewed by Grax from Iowa

3.94/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Aroma is charred oak, maplewood, some caramel malt and syrup too, the smoke is very strong. The body is a complex mix of maple, smoky charred barrel, and caramel malts, almost like a good smoky barbecue. Interesting and tasty, with a bitter, biting body that brings out the flavor well.
Dec 18, 2023
Photo of snaotheus
Reviewed by snaotheus from Washington

3.94/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
2023-12-17
22oz bottle served in a little snifter. 2023 vintage. I am drinking this because I got it for @jonphisher and I thought I should try it again, after many, many years, and not having enjoyed the style at all at the time. I now have some appreciation for rauchbier and a much more open mind about beer in general, so here we go.

Pours extremely dark brown with a tiny, fluffy head. Smell is smoke, char, umami, maybe wood. Maybe heavily toasted pecans.

Taste is of course smoky. Lots of burnt pecan / charred wood. Some sweetness, not totally sure how to describe it, but probably would include nuttiness and might include maple syrup.

Mouthfeel is fairly light and pretty dry and clean, particularly for a porter. Overall, it's pretty good and I enjoy it, though I'm not sure I really want 22oz of it.
Dec 18, 2023
 
Rated: 4.09 by RalphStanley34 from French Polynesia

Dec 16, 2023
 
Rated: 4.08 by robotic_being from Illinois

Dec 16, 2023
 
Rated: 4.1 by Nyoder

Nov 26, 2023
Photo of mpruden
Reviewed by mpruden from Ohio

4.49/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a 1 pt 6 oz bomber “Limited 2022 Edition” into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Very dark brown with a massive fluffy tan head that required multiple pourings to fill the glass as the head slowly receded and left abundant lacing.

Nose: Dark roast and wood smoke, plus a bit of dark dried fruit sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Medium light, adequate carbonation.

Attack: Chocolate, dark roast, and wood smoke, nicely blended.

Finish: Bitterness from the dark roast to balance the roasted malt attack.

Overall: An excellent brew, well deserving of its high rating. It’s also a home run pairing for the (smoked then) Braised Venison Shoulder (Hank Shaw recipe) we’re enjoying with it for dinner. I’ve purchased this brew before, and will every year they brew it!
Aug 28, 2023
 
Rated: 4.23 by ummswimmin from New Jersey

Aug 26, 2023
Photo of MutuelsMark
Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky

4.17/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2022 bottle consumed in 2023. Initial nose was overpowering, but after letting it 'breathe' a bit is was fine. Very dark in color with a tight tan head. Nose, again after letting breathe for a few seconds was slightly charred. Taste was slightly smokey but more like a dark chocolate flavor. Smoked beers are not my thing, but this was good.
Aug 08, 2023
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

4.25/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
22oz bottle vintage 2022 poured into a perfect pint glass at fridge temp 6.5% ABV. The beer pours opaque medium brown in color with light brown head. The head recedes to a thin cap and leaves a little lacing. The aroma is moderate in strength featuring meaty, campfire smoke. The taste is strong smoke up front with lesser notes of dark chocolate and ashy roast in the background. Moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, straightforward and delicious.
Jun 03, 2023
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

3.96/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2022 vintage

Strangely enough, this is one of the first beers I heard talked about on BA when I joined. At the time the thought of a smoked beer seemed foreign to me, and I spent a bit of time in my early days of beer trying to find this locally, ultimately to never find it and forget about it. So when I saw it in Chicago I was suddenly brought back a few years and decided to instantly buy the bottle. Let’s see what one of my first wants is all about

Pours completely pitch black with a finger of tan head that fades to a ring and leaves minimal lacing

The smoke is huge in the nose, but makes for a strange combination with the almost creamy underlying Porter. I’m picking up on aromas of charred oak, campfire smoke, milk chocolate, vanilla, dark toast, brown sugar, light earthy hops, and burnt caramel

It takes the smokiness a bit too far in taste for my liking, but ultimately it’s still enjoyable. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting beechwood smoke, charred oak, milk chocolate, raisin, dark toast, and molasses. The swallow brings notes of campfire smoke, charred oak, acrid coffee, burnt sugar, molasses, and light milk chocolate

A medium body pairs with moderate carbonation, resulting in a slick yet smoky beer. Finishes mostly dry

Well, I finally had it. Is it good? Yeah. Amazing? No, it’s not quite balanced enough to say that, but it was nice to finally try it. It’s funny that this is my third review in a row that is a Smoked Porter, and despite it being a long time want, I eated it the lowest of the three
Apr 07, 2023
 
Rated: 4.48 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Mar 17, 2023
Photo of UWDAWG
Reviewed by UWDAWG from Washington

3.99/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2022 vintage:

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a snifter.

Look- Black, medium brown frothy head, opaque, no visible particulate, average head retention, slightly below average lacing.

Smell- Alder, oats, medium strength of scent.

Taste- Alder, oats, slight cocoa, medium strength of flavor.

Feel- Medium body, slightly below average carbonation, moderately silky, mildly creamy, moderately bitter.

Overall- Black with a medium brown frothy head and average head retention. Bouquet was pleasant, but dominated by alder smoke scent and simple. The taste was also dominated by alder smoke and was just a touch harsh. Feel was medium bodied with mild creaminess and moderately bitter. Overall this was an enjoyable beer, but I think it would have benefited from some age to mellow out some of the smoke character.
Mar 14, 2023
Photo of jvgoor3786
Reviewed by jvgoor3786 from Arkansas

4/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
2021 version. Pours a deep brown with a medium head and almost no lacing.

The smell is pretty strong chocolate and smokiness.

The taste has strong smoke up front with a big char taste on the finish that lingers.

The mouthfeel is medium/thin, medium carbonation with a long, smoky, charred finish.

Overall, a very enjoyable although strong tasting beer.
Mar 14, 2023
Smoked Porter from Alaskan Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 2190 ratings