Ithaca Gorges Smoked Porter

Brewed by Ithaca Beer Company
Style: Smoked
Ithaca, New York USA

Bottle from Rich and served in my Ratebeer Tulip: <P> Poured a cola like brown hue with a fading head and okay lace. The aroma has notes of smoked wood, caramel and mocha, maple sugar, apple, and peat esters. The taste has a nice smoked balance with sweet malt background. Undertones of coffee, mocha, and hazelnut make a minor showing. The bad news is there is a bit of sourness around the palate making me think the beer is starting to turn. That sourness also gave an unwanted mouthfeel finish. I think in prime condition, this beer would be a solid offering.

Dark brown color with a small tan head. Smoky aroma. Tastes of malts with a slight taste of smoke and somewhat bitter finish. Not a bad porter.

(12 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with jah noth, thanks Dan!) Quite the carbonation release when popping this beer, often not a good sign. The light tan head explodes upward despite the very gentle pour. There seems to be far too strong an apple skin flavor for this beer to be in tip-top shape, especially since it is easily detected even with all the sweet, chocolatey, roasty malts providing the base. But those apple skins are far more prevalent in the nose, where that aroma is easily what dominates. Medium bodied, but not overly carbonated, a surprise considering the pour. Not quite opaque, very dark brown in color but with a slight ruddy hue, even through the center. The head never fades below a quarter inch and leaves a fairly dense scum (not lace) on the glass. Just not enjoyable, but if I can obtain a new, healthy sample, I’ll rerate it.

Deep lacquered brown with ruby accents and translucent in light. Booming, copiously foamy and loose tan head with sticky sandstorm lacing. Metallic twang hits the nostrils and reminds us of snowy street poles, followed with other accents in supporting role capacities: anise, dried out jerky, turning chicken stock in a maple vat, maple and brown sugar breakfast sausage links and a tiny semblance of cocoa butter and prunes. At first, rauch malts control the flavor, save for all but the faintest, unsweetened dark chocolate elements. But the dark chocolate is persistent and seems to build by committee as we delve deeper. Rustic flavor nuance of semi-sweet chocolate wrapped in leather and left undisturbed for a week’s time. Caramel on birch summarizes the sweet bark tendencies, along with chicory and wood-fired beef hide. Medium-to-full bodied and slightly syrupy when it all subsides. Spritsy, but for once that’s not bothering the otherwise well-balanced act that Gorge embodies. Very tasty and fun to explore. Thanks for the bottle, tpkenned!

Clear dark brown, beady tan head. Nice label. Aroma is moderate vingegar, creosote and tart. Medium sweetness, tart, creosote, tangy roast. Session weight. Overall, a little acidic, not exceptionally smoked in character. Finish is medium long and nutty. Pretty good, not too distinct.

Pours a dark brown, nearly opaque with huge tufts of off-white head. Aroma has some nice smoke and mild vinous character. Starts with a nice maltiness, pleasant smokiness and a semi-dry, bittersweet finish. Nicely balanced and easy drining, a good smoked porter.

Poured a deep ruby brown color with a huge tan head. Aroma of soft smoke and creamy chocolate. Chocolatey, roasty flavors with notes of smoked meat and a dry finish.

Bottle: Dark brown with lots of ruby, moderate frothy beige head, dies quickly, spotty lacing.   Fairly strong smoked or burnt malt aroma, very slight charred wood or campfire.   Flavor is rather sweet, milk sugar at least, with a very subtle hop presense.   Smoked aspect isn’t as strong on the tongue as the nose, but is quite noticable.   Not quite big enough for a porter, but moreso a dark ale of sorts.   Medium body and mouthfeel.   Quick finish, smoke is very soft at his point, remaining quite sweet til the end.   Not terribley robust, but moreso a sessionable smoked beer.   Thanks Dan!