Sleep Now In The Fire
Big aLICe Brewing Finger Lakes

Can from Whole Foods on the UES NYC. Pours a dark brown/black with two fingers of light tan head that dissipates, nice lacing, smell is a lot of bourbon, sweet smokiness, molasses, smoked ham, boozy chewy toffee cake, smokey BBQ sauce, hints of burnt caramel and wood, taste is smoke, wood, and bourbon, hints of toffee, chocolate, dry chocolate cake, and oats, light bodied, dry finish. A glass of bourbon stirred with a chocolate dipped charred stick of wood.

I have a soft spot for smoked porters, but I don’t really get much smokiness from this beer. Definitely some underlying chocolate notes but they’re a bit hidden under the bitterness.
I do really like the viscosity and carbonation, but that’s not much of a make or break category for me.
Overall, I’d say it’s subdued in the factors that constitute a smoked porter, but it’s still a fine beer if you like dark and hoppy with playful fizz.

 

 

 

 

 

Dark as night this porter is with a nice deep mahogany look when held up to the light. Initial nose detected was of smoked chocolate. Tasted of rich mocha with notes of tobacco and toast not much of an aftertaste on this fairly big beer so that's the one thing that left me wanting. The feel was quite silky and pleasant.

I wanted to love this - so I bought two. It is technically a smoked porter aged in Islay scotch barrels. Opened one and sitting on the other for a few more months. The look and nose of this is nice. Its rich black with a slight opacity. The nose is all smoky scotch with light undertones of roasted malts. The taste was VERY heavy on the smoky scotch but the beer was very light, almost no body, and not a lot of flavors under (or that show under) the scotchyness. I wanted to love it in part because I love the experimentation that goes on at Big Alice. Also, because of the hefty price for a 375 ml. But there was no depth. Hopefully with a bit more time in the bottle the beer matures and the smoke and scotch subside a bit.