Alaskan Smoked Porter by Alaskan Brewing Co.

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Beer specs

Preferred vessel: Pint glass
Color: 29 SRM

Beer details: Rating: 80; Alaskan Smoked Porter; Brewery: Alaskan Brewing Co. · Juneau, AK; Variety: Ale · American Ale · American Porter; Alcohol: ABV 6.50% / ABW 5.20%; IBU: 45; Preferred vessel: Pint glass; Color: Light Black (Porter) (29 SRM); Added by Steve Ercolini

From Alaskan Brewing Co.

Style: Smoked Beer. Known as “rauchbier” in Germany, smoke-flavored beers were virtually unknown in the U.S. until Alaskan Smoked Porter was developed in 1988.

Flavor Profile: The dark, robust body and pronounced smoky flavor of this limited edition beer make it an adventuresome taste experience. Alaskan Smoked Porter is produced in limited “vintages” each year and unlike most beers, may be aged in the bottle much like fine wine.

History: Introduced in 1988, Alaskan Smoked Porter has been credited with helping inspire an American revival of smoked beers. Alaskan Smoked Porter is one of the most award-winning beers in the history of the Great American Beer Festival and a perennial winner at the World Beer Cup.

Ingredients: Water, five types of malt, 2 varieties of hops and yeast with no adjuncts, no preservatives and no pasteurization. Our glacier-fed water originates in the 1,500 square-mile Juneau Ice Field. Prior to brewing, selected malts are smoked in small batches under carefully controlled conditions in a commercial food smoker using local alder wood.

Recommendations: Alaskan Smoked Porter may be enjoyed with smoked seafood, cheese and other robust foods and as an after-dinner drink. It pairs beautifully with everything from bleu cheese to vanilla ice cream and raspberries. This unique beer is also a wonderful flavoring ingredient in sauces, seafood dishes and even cheesecake.

Dark, Bitter, Chocolate, Smoky

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Reviews

Review by Dave S.

Rating: 86

Dave S.

drank this beer from a Pint glass in Los Angeles, CA

Jan. 26th, 2009 at 10:08 p.m.

Comment:
I find smoked beers extremely hit and miss, mostly miss. Alaskan has figured out the perfect combination of dark chocolate and espresso-tinged porter flavor with thick — but not overwhelming — smoke to balance it. I wouldn’t drink a lot of these in a row, but that first one is incredibly complex and rewarding.

Characteristics: bitter chocolate dark espresso smoke
Review by Ryan King

Rating: 76

Ryan King

drank this beer from a Pint glass in San Francisco, CA

Feb. 2nd, 2009 at 10:31 p.m.

Comment:
The first taste of this beer is overwhelmingly smokey.

After your tastebuds acclimate to the smoke, it settles down into a decent espresso/chocolate porter, but not so good that it makes up for the in your face explosion of liquid smoke.

Characteristics: chocolate espresso smoke
Review by elmazz

Rating: 70

elmazz

drank this beer from a Bottle in Eugene, OR

Feb. 9th, 2009 at 9:16 a.m.

Comment:
Has a smokey falvor, but what would you expect…

Characteristics: smoke
Review by Keith

Rating: 85

Keith

drank this beer from a Goblet in Seattle, WA

April 12th, 2009 at 6:36 p.m.

Comment:
Pours dark brown with a nice tan head that recedes quickly. My first impression is one of smokey chocolate, just like you’d expect. It’s slightly sweet, but pretty well balanced while at the same time being fairly complex in flavor. It’s got a nice oily, medium bodied feel with a smooth finish. Very nice.

Characteristics: balanced chocolate complex oily smoke
Review by nilok

Rating: 87

nilok

drank this beer from a Goblet in Seattle, WA

April 4th, 2010 at 10:53 a.m.

Comment:
I always pick up smoked porters and they’re never quite what I hoped, but this one is different. It’s a good solid creamy thick porter, though not so thick as a stout with a good smoky feel to it. The nose even has a wonderful almost scotch-like nose.

Characteristics: dark smoky smooth