AleSmith Decadence 2007

Formerly brewed at AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
San Diego, California USA

Aroma is sweet caramel, chocolate, light fruit, some bitter notes. Taste is very chocolate, with some fruit, and coffee. Some astringent notes as well. I’m not sure how well this has aged. Overall, the few off notes don’t detract greatly. After reading through some of the other ratings, I’m not sure if this isn’t common. Overall, a good porter that has many complex flavors.

Very black, nice tan lingering head. Aroma is off crystal malts, some melony fruit business associated with very high ABV stouts, some burnt toast. Flavor starts similar to the aroma, but quickly is overwhelmed by some alcohol hotness, but mainly this gross hot melon fresh fruit junk that made DFH WWS undrinkable, some chocolate also accompanies this section and continues through the finish helping it along. It’s not nearly that strong but still enough to bring down an otherwise incredible beer. This middle part of the beer is definitely the weak spot, but I am nevertheless very impressed by the multiple stages Alesmith beers seem to go through. The most remarkable thing about this beer is undoubtedly the finish. It starts with some alcohol and more of the middle junk but soon very slight hop bitterness comes in, but it soon evolves into this very very roasty, burnt toast. Sooo much burnt toast, with a little bit of chocolate. It’s good. The chocolate comes out more and more as it warms, balance this beast and making her better and better. Palate is solid, good carbonation level, silky smooth, good body, slight alcohol burn. Actually right between 4.0 and 4.1, but I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt thinking about 6 more months would make it perfect. Flavor > aroma.

Pours a dark body with a tan head. Not surprising there. Aroma is a sweet and roasted with a fair amount of chocolate. Flavor is quite some burnt toast. It actually leaves the taste of burnt toast overwhelmingly in your mouth. There’s some dark fruit in there and some alcoholic burn. Not the most appealing thing, but certainly good. Alright beer.

Dark brown pour with tan head. Aroma of dark fruits, roast, dark chocolate. Flavor begins with something akin to scraping a piece of burnt toast and eating what falls off mixed with a bit of baking chocolate. Nice. Next a mildly nasty dark fruit sweetness hits - like a quad gone wrong (though it doesn’t ruin the beer by any means). Finally, the roast/chocolate and fruit sweetness combine into a pleasantly balanced finish. Medium body works very well, and prevents the beer from being overwhelming. This is a very solid brew, but the fruity sweetness detracts a bit.

2007 bottle, purchased 4/08 and consumed om 2/28/09 Poured from a bottle into a small hotel room water glass. Hard to get a head to appear, but eventually got a small and extremely densely bubbled head. Very tan head with an espresso body showing hints of burgundy. Smells most strongly of chocolate and dark fruits, not as nutty as i’d expect. Taste is complex, ,slight nuttiness, quite chocolaty, but strong flavors of dark fruits. tastes almost like a quad with a British yeast. Not as overwhelmingly roasty as expected, this is a very unique imp porter and quite drinkable for it being 10%. Alcohol is well hidden, and just a very well crafted beer.

Very tasty and easy to drink porter. Not nearly as roasty as many, and much more chocolaty than most porters. I really enjoyed the balance and wish this was available regularly. Slight hop bitterness on the back end, but it is very well integrated into the other flavors. Finish was slightly metallic, but overall I really enjoyed it.

Man, I love this stuff, I’ve had a few bottles, and I just can’t get enough. Just a lovely chocolate and coffee flavor without the ridiculous thickness that you get from big stouts.

#1598! Thanks to Sparky27 for the bottle - This one has a nice dark brown color with a substantial off-white/tannish head. Aroma is dominated by a smooth chocolate, coffee, roasty aroma that is not too sweet nor overwhelming. Flavor is really nice with a smooth milk chocolate, light espresso, raspberries and assorted sweet fruit, and pleasant mix of caramel and roasted malt. This one is quite nice and certainly a prime candidate for barrel aging. Can’t wait for the BA version. Nice.