Smoked Beer Appreciation Thread (2023)

Alaskan Smoked Porter. Whether you like it fresh or with heaps of age on it.

 

Campfire Jeans. From Modist Brewery Came out 2 years ago ,usually once a year release , mellow campfire smoke as the name implies , looks like it is retired ,would love to see a return soon.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/43654/518655/

 

This Notch Grodziskie was so amazing that it's on a different planet from any other version I've had previously. The mouthfeel was so creamy and full, especially for a sub-4% abv beer.

We were only there for one night, so I really wanted to try as many of their beers as I could; but the Grodziskie threw a monkey wrench in that plan, as it seemed silly not to get more of it.

 

If you're in the DC area Port City does amazing smoked beers, among their stellar German style beers. Their Colossal 2 Smoked Imperial Porter is excellent. Triple Crossing has also done some stellar smoked beers. And Jack's Abbey Smoke and Dagger is one of my all time favorites.

Does anyone remember Earth and Flame from Victory Brewing? THAT beer - holy shit, one of my all time favorites.

 

Sure.,. I’ll throw down.
Here’s my review of Epic Brewing’s ‘Smoked and Oaked’, from January 2023, with a courtesy stock photo:

3.71/5 rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

22 oz bomber, 2021 version, bought from Epic’s brewery in Salt Lake City.
Pours orangey and hazy, cream colored foam rises and lingers.
Smell is woodsy, mildly sweet, whiskey, smoky.
Taste doesn’t wow me. The mosh of flavors don’t coalesce uniformly and feels disperate. The character of the barrel treatment gets overwhelmed by what reminds me of artificial smoke flavoring. And that leads to an almost unpleasant aftertaste that hangs until rinsed with water., there’s a sweet malt note in there, whiskey, peat, cigar ash,., the ABV is there, it’s hard to discern the relationship to a Belgian ale, and it’s kinda off-putting as a whole.
Feel is medium heavy, medium carbonation.
Overall, seems like this is a different brew than when I first tried it 6 years ago. Used to be a top notch grand experience to be savored. Whatever the brewer changed makes this version harsh and hard to finish.

 

yeah, rarely and with non-smoked beer too, which makes me wonder if it is the smoke or some other factor from the kilning process.

Nuts. That’s on my list to watch for, if they brew it again.

My notes from 2012 indicate “light smoke”. The BA notes state cherry wood. Personally, I think they are trying to do too much with smoke and whiskey in an already characterful Strong Dark Belgian base beer.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/22893/60005/?ba=SLeffler27#review

 

Has anyone else compiled a list of smoke aromas and flavors found in beer? I can say I have never identified any specific wood species, (at least never with any confidence).

Below have been culled from my notes including published and unpublished comments. As always qualifiers can be added.

• Wood
  • Campfire
  • Charred/charcoal
  • Smoldering
  • Ash (not the tree)
  • S’more (this one is subtle and not always associated with a beer trying to emulate s’mores). It might even have nothing to do with a smoked beer.
• Meat
  • Bacon
  • Pulled Pork
  • Brisket
  • Salami (Lebanon in particular)
  • Kielbasa
  • Summer Sausage
• Misc.
  • Peat
  • Toasted bread
  • Cigar/Pipe (rareish)
  • Cheese (think Gouda or Havarti)
  • Sugar (charred or caramelized)
  • Dried leaves
  • Dried grass
• Off
  • Bandaid
  • Rubber tire
  • Plastic
  • Cigarette
  • Fat
  • Oil or diesel

 

That's quite a list! The one that best describes what I think smoke in a beer should taste like is charred/charcoal. All of the others seem offensive to me.

 

Yeah, my personal notes can be a bit much. Fortunately, when consulted, my copyeditor saves me from being too verbose and pretentious.

She’s off duty this morning.

 

There has been some discussion about a Band-Aid flavor in some smoked beers. The Band-Aid off-flavor is due to a chlorophenol compound. There are several ways this chlorophenol compound can be created with one explanation being a combination of a phenol from the smoked malt and chlorine present either from the brewing water or left over sanitizer.

Some folks will describe this chlorophenol off-flavor using the term medicinal.

I have experienced medicinal/Band-Aid a handful of times when drinking Smoked Beers and I am not a fan of this off-flavor.

Cheers!

P.S. I prefer Smoked Beers that feature the flavor of campfire.

@Redrover @SLeffler27

 

Nice list - I recall thinking specifically once "Hmmm, bar-b-que sauce" and it was in a good way!