Smoke Break
Atlanta Brewing Company

 

Collaboration between Red Brick and the Brick Store Pub, brewed at Red Brick (then still called Atlanta Brewing Company). The BSP called this a "peated porter", so a smoked porter it is. Served 16oz for $5. Looks solid enough, pouring a dark brown with some burnt orange highlights with a large beaded, cask-looking head that sticks around as a cap. Great lacing. Made with Apollo hops and chocolate malt. The smell is fruity, then roasty, then nutty. The smoke is very light in the aroma. Tastes quite balanced between rich malt, fruity hops, and a light but noticeable smoke element. Very tasty. Smooth and firm in the mouth, I found this beer to be quite nice, and didn't experience any palate fatigue at all after a couple, which is good for a smoked beer. Good job!

I missed the first tapping of this at the Brick Store but the second batch was served on-tap at the brewery.

Pours a dark brown color with a half-finger tan head. The head recedes into a thin layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of heavily smoked and roasted malts with hints of dark chocolate.

Tastes similar to how is smells. Roasted and deeply smoked malt flavors up front segue into very light amounts of unsweetened chocolate. As it warms the intensity of the smokiness decreases a bit however it remains in charge. The ending is solidly bitter without being acrid.

Mouthfeel is good. It has a solid thickness with moderate carbonation.

Drinkability is good. I finished my glass quickly and could have another.

Overall I thought this was a solid smoked porter that doesn't mess around and delivers what it says it will - strong and earthy smokiness. Nicely done.

Brewed at the Atlanta Brewing Company in conjunction with the Brick Store Pub and their regular staff training sessions. What a nice idea!

Appearance: Dark brown, near black body with a hint of dark mahogany at its murky depths. Topped with an inch of beige-colored foam that left some substantial rings of lacing on the way down.

Smell: Aroma of fully roasted barley tossed with a small handful of dark chocolate morsels and simply teeming with a delightfully acrid smokiness.

Taste: Roasty, dark maltiness with flavors of day-old coffee, charred caramel, and dark chocolate powder. Medium sweetness overall. Perceived fruity hint of fired prune skins. Slight, clean hop bitterness - really all you get is a big dose of roastiness and smoke. Hint of blackened grain astringency shows up in the back half, but, thankfully, it's soothed by a ready rebound of dark chocolate. Finishes expectantly roasty with a lingering taste of fine, wholesome smoke.

Mouthfeel: Just a hair above medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Boldly roasty and smokey, but enjoyable. Paired rather well with the St. Agur Blue and Abbaye de Belloc cheeses.