AleSmith Decadence 2007

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

Bottle from Lone Hill. This is a challenging beer, not only because it’s extremely subtle, but because I am trying not to make this rating an argument with nbutler11’s rating (which it really couldn’t be because his rating has no substantiation except for claiming the beer contains gold). To start, the aroma is amateur. It is unlike any high-profile dark beer I have tasted as it is inundated with alcohol. Not remotely porter like. The flavor is also quite hot, which is not a problem, just different than most Porters, imperial or not. At midpoint the beer gets great: absurdly smooth and unlike typical buttery Porter flavor. You have toffee, burnt Tootsie roll, you even have a weird figgish quality a la BA Speed. I would say after 2-3 years of age, the flavor will be 9+ for me. But the finish is tinged alcohol and this kills the smoothness. Probably the best beer to age I have ever tasted.

Bottle. Aroma of semisweet chocolate, rich, nutty, earthy, and again, rich coffee, alcohol, sweet, lightly roasted cookie/cake malt. Decadence is a perfect name for this brew, and in the mouth that becomes even more evident. Incredibly rich incredibly vinous maltiness, coffee, cookie, cake, chocolate, decadence upon decadence. This is a monster, but a monster to be adored and cherished.

Bottle courtesy of my secret santa! Pours black with a thick chocolate head that lasts and leaves a thick lacing on the glass. Aroma of chocolate, sweet malt, raisins, figs, and alcohol. Flavor is quite chocolatey and rich, with a slightly sweet malt finish. Warming, but not overly boozy. Mouthfeel is smooth and full-bodied. A very nice beer, but I would have liked a more complex flavor. 8/4/7/4/15 (3.8/5)

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color ale with a medium light brown foamy head with great retention and very good lacing. Aroma of deep coffee notes with some creamy black chocolate and some lightly bitter roasted malt. Taste is a very well balance with a very nice coffee notes with some delicate black chocolate and a perfect creamy texture. Full body with good carbonation and some well hidden alcohol. This is very sublime and probably the best I had from this very fine brewery.

Bottle. Pours opaque with a large, creamy, dark brown head, mostly lasting with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (cookie, roasted grain, chocolate, nutty), average hops (perfume), heavy yeast (leather, earth) with notes of alcohol, prunes, and dates. Full bodied, creamy and alcoholic texture, average carbonation, and a bitter finish. Average duration, moderate sweetness, acidity, and bitterness.

750 ml bottle. Lots of dark roasted and burnt malt aromas off this very dark pour. Flavors were chocolate and coffee and dust and more burnt malts. Pretty yummy.

Bottle from Ross. He told me that this was drinking very well, so I pulled it out of the fridge for New Years. Pours black with a brown head. Aroma of dark roasted malt and coffee. Full bodied with a nice oily texture. Initial flavor smacks you with dark chocolate and coffee, countered by a somewhat acrid bitterness. Finish is extremely hot with some rubbing alcohol flavor as well. Sadly this did not hold up in my opinion, so drink these now if you have them. Ross will be aiming me soon whining about the rating, but he is just jealous that have a more advanced palate when it comes to beer.

Thx for a great tasting, Kim Johansen... it will never be the same again :-) Dark amber w tiny head. Strong malty hoppy aroma of flowers, citrus, spices and toffee.... full aroma.... Flavour is sweet with a long dry bitter finish. More of this please!!