Noble Empire
AleSmith Brewing Company

Noble EmpireNoble Empire
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From:
AleSmith Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
English Porter
ABV:
11%
Score:
92
Avg:
4.23 | pDev: 7.09%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
32
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 22, 2020
Added:
Oct 13, 2016
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  6
In our 20th year, we had the good fortune to grow, expand, and relocate to our new home on what was originally named Empire Street. The city soon recognized us by renaming that street to AleSmith Court, a rare honor. Now at our larger facility, we continue to explore our passion for complex beers and expand our barrel-aging program. We have thus created Noble Empire, a brawny, complex, imperial version of a traditional English-style porter as a tribute to craftsmanship of the highest quality. Rich with chocolaty flavors derived from a variety of specialty malts, this beer has patiently found the delicate balance between sweet notes of vanilla and toast from the bourbon barrels. Enjoy this tribute to the former Empire Street and its noble evolution for the sake of craft beer. Cheers!
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Lucnifter:
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Rated by Lucnifter from California

4.52/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oct 31, 2016
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.29 by tofs from Montana

Aug 22, 2020
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Reviewed by Ohknows from Nevada

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This beers pours a jet black color with very little head and it’s a brown ish color.

Wow, just wow. For an 11% alcohol beer, this beer is smooth, sweet . I can taste the alcohol ( I know it’s 11%) that’s the only thing I don’t like about this beer. Besides that... this beer is awesome! Definitely buying this one again!
Jul 03, 2020
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Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.39/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Shimmering black body with a tan head poured from a cellared bottle. Oak, char, chocolate, roasted malt, bourbon, and roasted nuts in the nose. Taste is more bourbon and chocolate focused, with kisses of vanilla and more so oak. Clean and not to boozy, good composition of the maltwork and barrel influences. Very nice BA porter
Apr 07, 2020
 
Rated: 3.94 by acurtis from New Jersey

Dec 27, 2018
 
Rated: 4 by oline73 from Maryland

May 16, 2018
Photo of BucannonXC5
Reviewed by BucannonXC5 from California

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Type: 750-ml. bottle
Glass: AleSmith Barrel-Aged Reserve 10-oz. snifter
From: Peggy, who purchased it at AleSmith Brewing Company
Price: $33.00
Purchased: Received on Dec. 30, 2017
Consumed: Jan. 6, 2018
Reviewed as: Imperial Porter
Misc.: 2016 release; No bottled on date

Thanks, Peggy!

Gave a 1.5-oz. sampler of this a 4.25 back on Jan. 24, 2017. Was excited to review the entire beer thanks to Peggy buying one for me out of the blue at Emily’s third birthday party. Description on bottled read, “In our 20th year, we had the good fortune to grow, expand, and relocate to our new home on what was originally named Empire Street. The city soon recognized us by renaming that street to AleSmith Court, a rare honor. Now at our larger facility, we continue to explore our passion for complex beers and expand our barrel-aging program. We have thus created Noble Empire, a brawny, complex, imperial version of a traditional English-style porter as a tribute to craftsmanship of the highest quality. Rich with chocolaty flavors derived from a variety of specialty malts, this beer has patiently found the delicate balance between sweet notes of vanilla and toast from the bourbon barrels. Enjoy this tribute to the former Empire Street and its noble evolution for the sake of craft beer. Cheers!” Was expecting to be in the 4.30-4.40 range.

Poured a black color with two fingers of frothy tan head. Lots of small bubbles coming up from the bottom of the glass. Outstanding uneven foamy lacing. Outstanding foamy retention. (Sight - 4.50)

Smelled smooth bourbon, oak, vanilla, leather, whiskey, milk chocolate, figs, chewy toffee, caramel and chocolate syrup. (Smell - 4.50)

Tasted about as good as the smell. In order got figs, oaky leather, vanilla, dark fruits, smooth bourbon, milk chocolate syrup, espresso, chewy caramel, toffee and Rolos candy. (Taste - 4.50)

Full body. Sticky texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth, warming finish. (Feel - 4.50)

This was tremendous. Much better than I remember. Very sweet, but very smooth. (Overall - 4.50)

4.50 | 100 | A+
Jan 11, 2018
 
Rated: 4.36 by Texasfan549 from Texas

Aug 19, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by kjkinsey from Texas

Aug 16, 2017
 
Rated: 4.44 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Jul 07, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by lupercmda from North Carolina

Jun 27, 2017
 
Rated: 3.25 by TheStoutHound from Wisconsin

May 30, 2017
 
Rated: 3.75 by Nat1975 from Indiana

May 13, 2017
 
Rated: 4.33 by CheapBeerBuzz from California

Mar 22, 2017
 
Rated: 4.25 by DVMin98 from North Carolina

Mar 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.49 by Gagnonsux from Texas

Mar 12, 2017
 
Rated: 4.04 by epyon396 from Pennsylvania

Mar 10, 2017
 
Rated: 5 by Beernoobie from California

Feb 06, 2017
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Reviewed by GreesyFizeek from New York

4.46/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottle purchased at Alesmith Brewing Company in San Diego, CA.

This one pours a pretty significantly dark black, with a small head, and basically no lacing.

Smells like oak, chocolate, boozy whiskey, char, slight smoke, and roasted malt.

As usual, Alesmith shows remarkable restraint and class when barrel-aging a beer. This is possibly slightly more boozy than their usual BA offering, but it adds a nice heat and warmth to this, with melds nicely with the spicy char and oak, the whiskey, and slight vanilla. It's a quite toasty beer, with chocolately malt, and lots of roast. I'm definitely digging it.

This is medium bodied, with a creamy mouthfeel, and a lower but appropriate level of carbonation.

Alesmith can't be beat when it comes to this stuff.
Jan 25, 2017
 
Rated: 4.19 by Knapp85 from Pennsylvania

Jan 05, 2017
Noble Empire from AleSmith Brewing Company
Beer rating: 92 out of 100 with 32 ratings