Thoughts on how smoky flavors evolve

I had a Midnight Sun Second Hand Smoke not too long ago.. it was clocked at about 8% or so and I had sat on it for maybe two years, for no particular reason really.. from what I remember it was good, smoke was still there.. that was all I really remember cause I never had one before and was looking for it..

 

In my admittedly limited experience aging smoked beers, the smoke flavor doesn't really evolve at all. It diminishes, rather like coffee or chocolate, although more slowly, and allows the malt flavors to become more prominent. Basically, if the beer is all smoke to you fresh, give it a few years and it should be more balanced. How long you should age depends on how strong the smoke is at first and how much smoke you prefer.

 

Dang, good question man. Not a Smokey fan, but I’ve had friends who have been fans of that Alaskan Smoked Porter and have had some old ones. I remember a more deeply smoke flavor in the body and back end, but the front end it was more of a sweet than smokey aroma and flavor. In other words I remember it being good even though I’m not a rauchbier fan- you should be good with 5 years on it depending on the beer I would imagine.

Start your own “cellaring program” for smokey beers for science and report your findings in the monthly cellar review my friend!

 

Most excellent example to mention. The smoke seems to come and go as it evolves over the years.
I used to have a fairly large collection, now I am down to an 05, 06, 2 08s, a 15 and a 16. 17s are still on the shelves locally.

I can say, unequivocally, that it's my favourite beer to cellar .

 

I'm a rauchbier fanatic. I'm my limited experience with older rauchbiers and smoked ales the smoke does not drop off like cofree does, it does seem to get more ingrained in the malt flavors though where once you may be able to separate grainy or chocolately malt from smoke in 2 distinct notes, it becomes more of one.