Smoked Porter
Goose Island Beer Co.

I'm not extensively familiar with smoked beer styles, but I've had a few, and I found this one to be a rather drinkable example for the style. For a style that is in my mind rather undrinkable, I would call this a good thing! It's color is a nearly opaque black with a whisper of foam across the top. Aroma is similar to smoked sausage, and a bit intriguing. Flavor is more smokiness and summer-sausageness backed with some roastiness. Mouthfeel is a bit watery, but I think this is probably the most drinkable rauchbier I've yet had.

Pours a dark brown with a thick tan head that thins, but lasts throughout drinking. No lacing.

Smells: Strong, artificial smoke smell with roasted coffee, chocolate and spicy earthiness.

Tastes: Initially it tastes of roasted coffee, light chocolate, and dark fruit. The smoke flavor hits and the earthiness comes out. This beer definitely got better and better as the temperature rose during drinking. The flavors were more complex.

Medium bodied, perfectly carbonated. Slight dry spicy alcohol finish. Easy to drink. Somewhat sessionable. I generally don't think of smoked porters as big time sessionable. One or two after dinner and it's time for the after dinner nap.

Served at the Clybourn brewpub in a pintglass. Dark, chocolate-brown with a spongy tan head.

Light aroma of roasted malts and chocolate.

Very light flavor with no real smoked flavors I could pick out. Some roasted coffee and chocolate, with some malty sweetness coming through.

Very watery mouthfeel. Not much carbonation or body at all. It might as well have been flavored water.

I'm afraid I am not impressed by this beer at all. Maybe I've just been spoiled by such excellent beers like Alaskan Smoke Porter, but this beer just didn't have the flavor or body to bring me back. Skip this in favor of a better Goose Island brew.

I had this one on tap at the Wrigleyville location.

Beer was an attractive dark cocoa brown with a smallish tan head. Not a lot of lacing.

Beer has a nice aroma. Some smoke/roasted malt, also a bit of fresh biscuit smell.

For my fist sip, I was expecting a little more of the smoke flavor kind of like you get in the German smoked lagers. It was present, but seemed slightly subordinated to the earthy malt taste. As I drank more , the smoke flavors started to emerge. Just a tingle of hops which seems to keep you focused on the roasted malty flavors. Beer continued to improve as it warmed, so perhaps it was served to cold.

Nice texture and carbonation make this an easy drinking beer. Another nice offering from Goose Island.