Calumet Grand Chef
Brasserie Bièropholie

Tasted on September 13, 2009.

A: The beer color is black as a porter should be, however there is no head, as I expect from some tripel. Not very dark.

S: Smokey! coffee and chocolate behind but mainly smoke.

T: Smoke again. Hickory BBQ I would say. As the beer warms up, I get dark chocolate. The taste is complex... and hard for me to get everything... Hope I can revisit later to see if I get better at identifying stuff.

M: Thin

D: One per session is enough.

12oz from a recent Montreal trip from the soon to be no more Bierophile. Pours a nice almost jet black color but a vigorous pour brings up just a few streams of bubbles along the edge of the glass. A few more make their way up but even a nice swirl can't bring a pile-up of any sort.

Uh, wow. Haven't had a beer where the smoke is so pronounced in the nose and taste. Smoldering hickory chips mix with a slightly salty back bacon, smoke from the campfire, a slight peat/earthiness, a slick sweetness in the middle somewhere that pops out from time to time, all blended with a choco-roast malt. Very nice, well blended. Smooth body, could use just a touch more carb but wouldn't want too much more. Just a hint of bitterness in finish which is short.

Feel this could use a bit more robustness in the body through a more present malt, the smoke gets a little one dimensional by the end, but other than that, a nice drinker for this cooler fall evening. Just need a fire to sit by...

Another Bieropholie release thanks to papat444. No idea of the vintage on this one - served in the NotLA taster glass.

A - Not as good a looker as the regular Calumet. A half-finger of tan foam that dissipates pretty quickly. This brew is actually lighter, with some dark red-brown wood-colored highlights when held to the light. Strangely transparent.

S - Smoke! Smells like smokehouse bacon, hickory, campfire, with maybe the faintest hint of roasted malts underneath. This is actually less complex than the regular Calumet in that the smoke has kind of taken over.

T - The taste is, again, more smokey than the regular Calumet, with light notes of cocoa, roasted, nuts, burnt malts, and dark fruit. Still, the predominant flavors are smoke, peat, hickory, campfire, etc. Aftertaste has a slight sour bite to it that is quite nice, but thankfully the smoke taste calms down pretty quickly and doesn't linger.

M - Appropriate medium-thick body for the ABV, lower carbonation than regular Calumet, nice residual feel with some stickiness and dryness at the same time.

D - This one was less chuggable, and the double smoking and extra ABV didn't really add much in the way of complexity. Still, as far as smoked beers goes it was pretty drinkable.

Bottle thanks to, and courtesy of Jadoreblanche- This porter poured deep chestnut, and was quite still with only a tiny thin layer of white fizz. This beer packs a punch. The aromas show woodsmoke, campfirey goodness...mmmm...smoked meat leads to chipotles and some well rooted dark fruit and some mint. Interesting. Tastes of sweet smoked malts, some peat, smoked meat, dark pit fruits towards the finish, with a smokey char bitterness leading the way. Creamy, smoked out bitterness lingers. Pleasing. A pleasure to drink! Thanks Bast!

This beer pours a very deep dark brown hue, with slight reddish edges in the light, and a finger of soapy beige head, the leaves no lace as it melts away. It smells of smoked wood, a bit salty, kind of peaty overall. The taste blew a few of my fuses at first swig - roasted, smoky malt, charred wood (the label, she don't lie), smoked salmon (sans the fishy part), and a bit of chocolaty/coffee malt. The carbonation is quite mild, the body rather full and smooth, and it finishes slick and full of off-dry, smoky choco-cafe malt. The extra booze can't compete amongst all of this, flavour-wise.

I didn't quite expect the incarnation of the campfire from the label to make its way into the bottle. Wow. Once accustomed, this is a very nice smoked porter, balanced and strong.

Pours an inky black with a slight beige head. A ring of foam encircles the glass as it leaves some spotty traces of lacing.

Smells wonderfully smoky and like dried wood. There's roasted aromas here, with some sweet and nutty malt at play in the background and undertones of chocolate.

This hits me at first as 100% pure smoke against a really nice amount of bitterness. As I go on I get hints of chocolate and roasted coffee, maybe a little nuttiness and peatiness. It all works together against a medium bitterness with a lingering dryness in the finish that is reminiscent of beechwood.

Mouthfeel is smooth, medium--could use a touch more carbonation.

Overall a good beer but I'm not huge on smoky flavors and this one is a little heavy-handed with the smoke, so I don't think I'll likely ever drink another.

Poured out of a 341ml bottle into a Guinness pint glass.

Appearance: ink black body with red and brown hues. A thin layer of beige film sits on top of the beer.

Smell: smoked meat (salami), fire logs, and lots of barley. Yeast aromas and scotch. Sweet alcohol and maple sugar appear towards the end.

Taste: roasted whisky malt with smoke and salt. Barley and scotch. A charred and dryly malted aftertaste. Liquor.

Mouthfeel: rich and full-bodied. Chocolaty. Super dry and chalky in the finish. Smokey.

Drinkability: this is one of the most complex beers that I've tasted. Never tried a beer like it before. Quintessentially Canadian with the smoky and sweet malt flavours. A bit too rich and dry for my liking, but this beer deserves points for originality. It would pair well with barbeque ribs or cold cuts and cheese.

Bought at the *beer store* Sixième Monde in Saint-Hyacinthe. 7,8% triple porter, doublement fumé.

Drank this one, and enjoyd it while watching this 1988 movie Willow, with trolls, elfs and Val Kilmer..

Appearance for this one is blackest of the black.. with a small head caramel colored

Smells smoke, a lot..this beer is on fire

Taste like a good strong porter with a lot of
smoke and its good

Mouthfeel is good too. it is kind of a little creamy

Drinkbility is good, but with a strong smoked taste like that, one bottle is enought to appreciate this extreme brew. More than 341ml and it might be damagable because of the smoke..

Nice beer here

A: Very nice dark red color. Tan head is a bit thin, but it is there. It fades to ring fast.

S: Smoke, smoke, smoke and more smoke! Some red fruits sweetness coming from the alcohol and a hint of vanilla.

T: Powerful smoke taste coming up front. Followed by a more present red fruits sweetness, very interesting. Some vanilla and roasted malts there too. Molasses are also very present.

M: It really dominates the mouth. Very high mouthfeel! A bit creamy like most porters. Carbonation is low, as expected.

D: With such a powerful smoke taste and a high ABV, it wouldn't surprise me that I wouldn't drink a lot of these even if I could do.

bottle from trade with glouglouburp.

transparent dark ruby brown capped with a tan head which leaves light spotty and horizontal lacing.

much toastier richer smoke than the calumet... sweet barbecue sauce like smokiness, fudgey chocolate, roasty grain, caramel and a slight sourness.

the flavor is richer, smoother and all around heartier than the calumet... caramel, chocolate, grassy floral hops and rich sweet smoke with some spiciness on the dry finish. the aftertaste (which lingers for hours) is quite lactic and reminds me a lot of true lebanon bologna. the body is quite full and has soft slick carbonation. the level of acidity makes it seem thinner.

this pairs insanely well with chocolate creme brulee...
8/4/8/5/17/4.2

341ml bottle shared courtesy of dickinsonbeer.

Poured a dark brown color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of camp fire with some chocolate and roast in the back ground. Tastes of lighter smoke, chocolate, roast, and light coffee.

Notes from 11/29/07

12oz bottle courtesy of papat444, as a trade extra about 6 months ago...

Dark brown, not quite opaque. Little to no head, even with a fairly rough pour. Smells just a little smokey, but not much flavor overall. Tastes much smokier, but still balanced. Not as much smoke as ASP for sure. Smooth in the mouth, but just a little thin or watery. Light carbonation. Overall, this was pretty nice.

On tap at Saint Bock. Listed as "just" a smoked porter...didnt know I was getting this big boy till later.

A-Deep black with brown highlights. Thin dark tan head that quickly disapates leaving spotty lace.

S-Bold and smoky with traces of hickory and campfire. An exquisite aroma that I can only hope for in most smoked beers!

T-Roasty malts with a ton of smoky goodness. This is a full flavoured and bodied brew.

M-Medium-heavy body with a very smooth aspect. Luscious smokiness prevades your every quaff!

D-A hit! This is a very well done smoked porter. It lacks something, but I am not sure what it is...nonetheless I would not turn this one away!

Bottle courtesy of Phyl21ca poured into a snifter.

Poured pitch black with slight ruby hints when held up to the light. There was absolutely no head or lacing on this one. Whoa, there is a serious aroma on this sucker, with the huge hickory smoked summer sausage smell. Some sweet malts, coffee, and chocolate, but it's really all about the smoke. Taste is a more subtle smoked malt flavor with a hint of the smoked hickory. There is also some more prevalent sweetness in the taste with malts and dark fruit along with heavier coffee and chocolate hints. Mouthfeel is medium with no carbonation and coats the mouth thoroughly.

This is one of the more interesting beers I have had in a while and I really enjoyed it. It's certainly big on the smoke, but the drinkability was still pretty good. Very solid and unique brew. Thanks Phil for (another) interesting brew from north of the border.

A thick smoked porter. Satisfying and what porter can be. Black, small white topping. Concentrated smoke in a bottle with hickory and some chocolate, and a sipper.Aroma is barbeque sauce. Salty.Understated carbonation. Not for the fainthearted. Thanks probtsk.

The bottle releases a dark ruby liquid, verging on black. with an effusive cocoa head. It gives off an intense smoky aroma,with an underlying sweetness, and a meaty complexity. The initial hit on the taste buds is all smoke, but the more traditional aspects of a porter begin to push through after the initial sensation has died down. Roasted grains, in particular cocoa and chocolate lurk in the background, before leading to what I can only describe as a smoked chocolate finish. Medium-heavy mouthfeel with restrained carbonation makes this one a sipper, but seems well suited to the meatiness of the flavours. Very drinkable for a smoked beer, but I'm not sure how much smoke I can take in an evening.

Served at about 50 degrees.

A: Poured a very dark brown with reddish hues into a pint. Looks like coke. No head at all despite a semi-aggressive pour.

S: Very interesting campfire smell with very faint hints of chocolate. Hard to find anything else through the smokyness.

T: Very similar to the the smell, mostly smoke initially with a bit of dark chocolate and coffee bitterness near the end. I was expecting much more smokyness from the smell it has but the more I have a of it, I appreciate the fact that it's not too in your face. Very enjoyable dark chocolate aftertaste.

M: Fairly thick, leaves an oily finish. Carbonation is fairly low which gives it a very smooth mouthfeel.

D: Alcohol is well hidden and with it's pleasant taste, I could have another although it might start to hit me. Does not feel as strong as it is.

Overall, a very interesting beer, not as flashy as the aromas suggest but I could see myself having this once in a while.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body capped by a ring of beige-colored bubbles.

Smell: Dark malts and roasted barley with a scent of baker's chocolate. The smokiness, though distinct, is kept under control.

Taste: Roasted malts with flavors of chocolate and fire-scorched barley. Medium sweetness. There's a full smokiness on deck, but it really blends in well with the rest of the beer. Roasty finish with further hints of dark chocolate and coffee.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Mild carbonation. Slight chewiness to the mouthfeel.

Drinkability: A very good example of a smoked beer.

This is the January 2008 release.

Poured from a 341ml. bottle.

Appearance: Pours a black body with tinges of brown & very thin head that quickly disappears.

Smell: Smoky aroma with traces of hickory & a barbecue-like aspect. Like the picture shows, this reminds me of a campfire. The aroma is exquisite & heavenly.

Taste: Malty with a dominant smoky aspect. Trace of burnt wood but not as bold as the aroma would have led me to believe.

Mouthfeel: Fairly subdued & flavors are a bit muted so i let this one warm up. Roasted aspect with a slight hickory finish & soya sauce i think. Felt a bit thin but as i let it warm up, flavors really came out with a dark chocolate feel & barbecue hickory flavor.

Drinkability: It drinks well & smooth. Alcohol though present does not impede ease of consumption.

Overall: I have to admit to being underwhelmed a bit as the intense aroma led me to believe i was dealing with a monster wherareas it was actually a bit tame. But letting it warm was the saving grace as it really came out. I have to retry this at room temperature which in my opinion is the way to go. Next time i go camping, i'm bringing one of these.

Pours opaque black with some translucent, mahogany edging.
Barely a quarter-inch head developed, with an exagerated pour.
Aromatics filled with dark chocolate, espresso grounds, and smoldering embers.
Quite complex as it warms, with an earthy quality to the smoke, and vanilla in the finish.
The mouthfeel is on the thick side of medium, somewhat chewy and plenty tacky. Crisp and drying.
The pallet has a sturdy porter profile. Plenty big and robust, with acrid malts, bitter chocolate, and roasted coffee beans.
Quickly following through on each sip is a large smoke character. Enough smoldering char to bring forward an almost funky, barnyard nod.
Alcohol is warming and bitterness is firm and drying. All other hopping is nill.
Finishes with lingering oaky char, bitter chocolate, espresso, and suggestion of creosote.

Now *this* is a smoked porter.