Cease And Desist Smoked Porter
Haymarket Beer Co. Pub & Brewery

 

On-tap at Haymarket.

A - Pours black, off-white colored head, thin ring, no lace.

S - Nice and roasty, chocolate, malts, light creamy bitterness. All very light, nothing truly sticks out...just good.

T - Similar to the nose. Roast, chocolate, toasted malts, creamy. The finish is a dark chocolate bitterness. As with the nose, nothing special sticks out, just solid.

M - Medium, nice carbonation, creamy finish.

O - A solid porter, but not outstanding. Would drink often if on-tap at Haymarket all the time. Fills my need for a nice dark medium-bodied beer.

I had a chance to try the Cease & Desist Smoked Porter last night. The beer poured a deep rich dark almost opaque color with thin tan head that laced slightly. The smell was smoke and roast...very good aroma. The taste definitely had smoke and some roasted earthen flavors with hints of coffee. The mouthfeel started well but finished pourly. The beer seemed to thin whilst in my mouth and the finish was like watery coffee. Overall it was decent...great aroma and decent start.

On-tap at Haymarket. Served in a 4oz taster glass.

A - A finger of tan foam settles to a thin cap and thicker collar, leaving glass-coating splotches of lace. The body is a very dark brown color with reddish transparency visible when held to the light.

S - Yep its a smoked porter alright. You can tell this uses similar malt to the Schenkerla lineup, as the aroma is quite similar. Behind the smoke is some roasted malts, a touch of vanilla, and perhaps some milk chocolate as well. Honey-glazed smoked ham comes out more as the beer warms up.

T - Taste is pretty similar, with plenty of smoke forcing some caramel and chocolate malt flavors to the periphery. Less meat than the aroma, and some char and espresso bitterness in the finish.

M - Smooth medium body, with only a hint of smokey grit. Lower carbonation, and light residual stickiness. No discernible alcohol present.

D - A well-executed smoked porter - if you dig this style you could easily drink a pint of this one. I will have this again if it's still on-tap next time I'm at Haymarket.

on tap at the brewpub.

A: deep, dark brown, almost black (though dark in the pub so hard to tell exactly). creamy tan head and good lacing.

S: no doubt this one is a smoked porter- the smokey aroma jumps right out of the glass and into the nose. if you like smoked beers, you'll like the initial impression on this one.

T: more smoke but not overpowering. common porter flavors also present- dark chocolate and roasted coffee.

M: medium bodied with no lingering aftertaste.

D: I very much enjoyed this smoked porter from Haymarket. This review is coming purely from memory (took no notes at the brewpub last night) so not as descriptive as it could be, but overall a beer to checkout if you find yourself in Chicago's West Loop neighborhood.