Ashtray Heart
Evil Twin Brewing

Ashtray HeartAshtray Heart
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From:
Evil Twin Brewing
 
New York, United States
Style:
Smoked Beer
ABV:
8.9%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.77 | pDev: 14.06%
Reviews:
111
Ratings:
497
Status:
Active
Rated:
May 13, 2020
Added:
Jul 28, 2011
Wants:
  20
Gots:
  96
Brewed at De Molen, the Netherlands..
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Ratings by artoolemomo:
Photo of artoolemomo
Reviewed by artoolemomo from Oregon

3.69/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Appearance- Pours up a decent amount of head which looks to have good retention. The head is a very dark beige which almost has hints of purple while the body is an opaque, dark chocolate black. A few spots of lacing are left.

Nose- No smoke at all. Not a bad aroma but it seems to be a bad sign. Chocolate with some cocoa. Some roasted malt notes that do start to lead into slight ash. It is pretty faint and it easily gets lost in the minor, bitter coffee notes. Swirling does give it a bit more definition and shows some wood, a minor bit of smoke (more than just ash).

Taste- Starts off with a twinge of fruitiness that seems to recall raisins but quickly moves into bittersweet coffee that blends with roasted malts and coffee bitterness on the finish. Ashiness (not really smoke) hangs around the edges for most of the flavor profile. Some cherry to the fruit front as well and these cherry notes extend even to the finish and are borderline cloying but the ash and bitterness prevent it from becoming like cough syrup. An above average to good beer but certainly not in the same league as many of the other porters that Evil Twin makes. Definitely lacks complexity and the presence would benefit from the promised smoke. No flaws but becomes boring pretty quickly. Oh well. Slight jam on the linger- makes me think of generic berries. As in a kid's cereal. Still, pretty enjoyable. Above average to good but closer to good. The subtle fruitiness on the linger nudges it upward.

Mouthfeel- Close to medium bodied but a bit thin for a porter. Slight syrup to the texture and the mild carbonation helps a mouthfeel which could be considered sparse.

Drinkability- Pretty easygoing but does lack the kind of complexity that keeps the palate interesting. A little over 4 bucks a bottle is okay but I would much rather put that money toward a Lil' B instead.

Overall- Above average to good beer, closer to good. A bit of a disappointment from Evil Twin but I guess they can't all be really good. For fans of smoked beers, don't expect too much- it's a solid porter with hints of smoke but not much else. Worth a try but get some of Evil Twin's other stuff if you're undecided
Feb 22, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

May 13, 2020
 
Rated: 4.1 by BKast409 from Virginia

Apr 09, 2020
 
Rated: 3.16 by cdub70085 from Connecticut

Mar 24, 2020
 
Rated: 4.39 by Copperstripes from Alabama

Feb 15, 2020
Photo of mothmanscott
Reviewed by mothmanscott from Georgia

4.21/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
From notes 1/20/13: This one pours jet black to the unaided eye but becomes a barely opaque deep and dense brown when I shine a bright beam of light into it. The pour produces a huge, to the point of being difficult to pour, dense tightly bubbled, moderately lasting, mocha head that leaves only a few motes of lace behind. Aroma is that of deeply roasted malts: molasses, Hershey's chocolate syrup, a vinous note of red wine with hints of maple syrup and smoke. Taste is roast, semisweet dark chocolate and molasses, developing vinous, woody ash and smoke notes after mid-sip that mix nicely with the roast, molasses and chocolate to linger in the finish and aftertaste. Medium to heavy bodied, light to moderate carbonation, creamy but slightly chewy.
Oct 23, 2019
 
Rated: 4.42 by mholdefer from Alabama

Jan 31, 2019
 
Rated: 1.3 by Chilmer from Iowa

May 23, 2018
Photo of jazzyjeff13
Reviewed by jazzyjeff13 from England

3.89/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
A 12oz bottle with a bottling date of May 2014, so I've had this for quite a while. Acquired ages ago from the Brewdog webshop and stored in a box. Described on the label as an amazingly rich smoked porter. Brewed in Stratford, Connecticut.

A: Poured into a Duvel tulip. Bottle conditioned. A very dark reddish-brown hue that appears pitch black in the glass. Yields a large head of creamy light-brown foam that lasts for a few minutes before subsiding to a patchy surface layer.

S: Aroma of intense dark malt with hints of roasted grain, wood smoke, soy sauce, molasses, brown sugar, subtle dried fruit, bitter chocolate, a twinge of port, ale yeast and faint leafiness. Mild oxidation but this doesn't hurt. Amazingly complex yet retains a satisfying balance - excellent.

T: Tastes of rich dark malt with notes of roasted grain, smokiness, molasses, soy sauce, brown sugar, dried fruit, mild chocolate, wood, a touch of port, ale yeast and subtle leafiness. Quite sweet, followed by a robust malt-driven bitterness upon swallowing.

M: Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with fizzy carbonation and good body. Could perhaps be a shade thicker given the strength. Somewhat astringent. Aftertaste of roasted malt, molasses, smoke, mild dried fruit, ale yeast and leafiness.

O: Nice - a big beer with an understated smoky character. Looks great, while the aroma and flavour are replete with roasted malt, molasses, smoke, dried fruit, mild oxidation, ale yeast and bitterness. Good body; could be a tad creamier. Goes down like a dream - a must try for lovers of dark, smoky beers.
Mar 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.85 by GregSemenza from Connecticut

Jan 27, 2018
 
Rated: 2.5 by 1971bernat from Virginia

Dec 31, 2017
 
Rated: 4.02 by paresis from Massachusetts

Sep 13, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.92/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This was poured into a becher pint glass. The appearance was a dark chocolate milky looking color with a sly brown tint to it. A thin edged off white to white foamy head started and dissipated. Spotty lacing runs here and there. The aroma starts off with some roasty coffee bean blending with some smoked malts. Sly sweet meat slides in to balance nicely. The flavor starts sweet and leads to a nice balance of smoke. Meaty portion tends to blend subtly with a crisp sweet aftertaste. Nice sweet and smoky finish. On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a nice sessionably smooth sweet feel just rolling stealthily over my tongue. Beautifully and wonderfully done mouthfeel! Carbonation seems to hit spot on. Overall, damn nice smoked porter, watch out Alaskan Brewing Company, looks like you have some competition with this one.
Jun 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4.94 by rljkeimig from Iowa

Jun 03, 2017
Photo of moose1980
Rated by moose1980 from Germany

3.99/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Smooth smokiness.
Mar 13, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by Narthax from Texas

Jan 28, 2017
 
Rated: 3.86 by toddstolarski from Illinois

Jan 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by YvesB from Belgium

Jan 20, 2017
 
Rated: 3.79 by RickyBfromCT from Connecticut

Jan 10, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by thinwhiteduke from Illinois

Nov 05, 2016
Ashtray Heart from Evil Twin Brewing
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 497 ratings