Prairie Smoke
Sockeye Grill & Brewery

More campfire than bacon, very ashy taste to this. On tap at brewpub, pours out a clear brown, no head, flat body. Cigarette ashtray aroma, taste also kind of dirty, some nutty malts. Missed by a mile, cheers for trying.

RB

The wife and I were out and about and didn't plan on stopping in at Sockeye.. but the marquee said something about a Rauch on tap... We had to stop. After a lite snack and a brew or two.. we left.. but Inflatablechair and I had the BBQ and smoked beer tasting just a couple days away.. I went back on Saturday and grabbed a cold growler... Thanks Cathy :-)

Every time I've had the brew at the brewpub... somebody has told me how Josh (brewer) wasn't happy about how this brew turned out.. I keep saying that this is a damn fine brew and people should quit saying anything bad about it.

The aroma has a nice and not blown out smokiness to it.. I would guess an honest Beechwood smoked malt was used.. beyond the smoke there is a pleasing bacon essence that is pushed through by some background caramel maltiness..

Flavor is more dry than expected, but is very drinkable and probably more important.. approachable.. the smoke isn't heavy enough to make this seem like "liquid-jerky".. instead, it is enough in the front of the palate to ask for another sip..

I have no idea about what the original style of beer is.... If I had to guess... I would say a very low hopped amber ale with a fairly high attenuation.. there is only enough sweetness to make the malts known among the smoke and make me want another sip ... or as it seems.. another glass.

Sam and I had 4-5 great smoked beers while we sat around and waited for the pork to finish.. but this was IMO the most drinkable and Sam said he really enjoyed it too..

Edit: I never mentioned this.... but I normally hate smoked beers... just too much of what is supposed to make it good for my palate.. Prairie Smoke was a definite surprise... I honestly didn't expect to go back to Sockeye and get the growler fill.