Dark Horse Fore Smoked Stout

Brewed by Dark Horse Brewing Company
Style: Smoked
Marshall, Michigan USA

Bottle: Black, tan head and no lacing. Nose of bright sweet roast and chewy malts. Some hop, dry and dusty, not much smoke, more like burnt toast. The flavor isn’t that special, just some char and alcohol. Tons of cocoa and mocha. Finishes stouty.

12oz bottle, courtesy of artusory. Thanks, Ryan! Pours a pitch-black, oily appearance; medium tan head with a thin perimeter of bubbles. Dense, smoky and charred malt aroma; dark chocolate. Medium carbonation. Viscous, oily mouthfeel: plenty of smoke and dark chocolate; dense, chewy goodness, with some nuts; excellent smoke character. Medium, smoky and dry chocolate finish.

Bottle at 48F. Poured dark brown with an average brown frothy head that was mostly lasting with very good lacing. Moderate chocolate smoke malt aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture. Medium bittersweet roasted smoked flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Complex standout beer.

12-oz bottle provided via trade with Duane. Pours opaque with spare to no head, no lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (toasted, roasted, caramel), average hops (grass), heavy yeast (dough, leather) with notes of prune, tar, charcoal and smoke. Full bodied, creamy texture, flat carbonation, and an astringent finish. Long duration, light sweetness and acidity, moderate bitterness; heavy roasted, smoked malt flavor.

Wow, that a lot of sludge in the bottom of the bottle. Pours black, with a minimal brown head. But a tiny whiff of smoke, and then a chocolate and a lot of coffee and then another touch of, say, hickory or something. Big coffee flavors and an understated note of woodsy smoke. Earthy, dry finish. Thanks to ogglethorp for the trade!

Small brown head, good retention with a skimpy lace. She,s black. Nose is lightly smokey, peaty, grainy malts and a touch bready. Body is medium, oily on the palate with a fair amount of carbonation. Plenty of smoke flavors, light roast, a little bacon, caramel and chocolate hiding in there. Finish is dry, roasty and lightly smokey. Thanks to ogglethorp for the trade!

Bottle: Dark brown pour with a smaller tan head. Nose is roasted malt, coffee, and a light smoky presence. Even hints of molasses. The taste is a blend of roasted malt, coffee, cocoa, brown sugar, and light smokiness. Finished dry. Nice how the smoke is complimentary rather than dominant. Thanks Eithcubes.

Original Rating 5/25/07: The last of the series Skyview was gracious enough to share with all of us. Black color with no head. Very weak smoke aroma. The taste is very subdued, with just some smoke and a generally smooth, slightly dry malt flavor. Not bad, but I’d like to have way more smoke out of a Smoked beer. 6/3/6/3/13 Re-rate 4/22/08: Black color with a thin head. Smokey and some oak aroma. Lots of smoke, roasted barley and some coffee. The smoke struck me as more beechwood with a little peat.