Moccasin Bend Smoky Mountain Porter

Bottle acquired in trade. Poured a dark black, with brown edges, and a large sized off white head. Aromas of lighter smoke, camp fire ashes, chocolate, and roast. Tastes of smoke (not too much, but more than the aromas), chocolate, roast, caramel, and had a coffee bitter finish. Smoke was there, but on the softer side. Would be a good smoked beer to use as an introduction to someone who’s never had one.

Pours black with minimal head. Fresh from the brewery, thanks Bobby! A bit of smoke in the aroma, mostly smells like a porter. Taste, not thinnish, but poor indeed compared to the vertical of a smoked imperial porter. The smoke is there and constrained. A bit cola carbonated. Average taste and average porter all around.

Tap at the brewery. I tried both the stronger version and the lighter smoked version. The body was black with an orangeish colored head. Strong notes of smoke and wood come trhough. Also some apples come to play. The taste was smoky wood with some apple and lots of malt. There was also some chocolate. A surprisingly bitter finish.

The brewers seemed a little unsure about this one, but they shouldn’t be. This was an excellent beer and the best of their lineup, at least for the big-flavor seeking beer geeks. Assertive smoke does not overwhelm the cocoa of the beer. Relatively thin body, but flavorful. Nice.

I will always be a sucker for the aroma of a smoked beer. This one smells great - in addistion to the smoke aroma, there is a definate hint of coffee. Flavor is very much a breakfast in a glass kind thing - coffee and bacon, all in one. Very enjoyable and tasty.

Appearance: Pours an opaque, dark brown body with a medium-sized, off-white head. Smell: Subtle meaty smokiness enveloping an aroma of dark malt, cocoa powder, licorice, and prunes. Taste: Dark maltiness, mildly sweet, and a full (though never overblown) taste of sooty smoke and roast. Integrated fruit and licorice flavors. Some hunks of baker’s chocolate. Dialed up licorice on the cocoa coated finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: Not bad! There’s a very reasonable, well-balanced smoke character in this one. Enough to please the smoke fans and keep the smoke crybabies from screeching.

Version 1: Pours an opaque brown color with a brown head. Aroma is malty, smoky, chocolate, roast, some hardwood notes, and caramel. Flavor is smoky, roast, chocolate, caramel, and a bitter roasty finish. Version 2: Pours an opaque brown color with a brown head. Aroma is smoky, caramel, chocolate, and some floral notes. Flavor is malty, caramel, roast, smoky, floral, and a sweet caramel finish. The second version has a little less smoke flavor and lets more of the dark grain flavors come through.

Date: 11/04/2006
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewery

black, whispy tan head, drippy lace, big roasted malt aroma with a nice smokey character,dry chocolate flavor, lots of roasted character mixed in with a touch of smoke and earthy bitterness,
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Date: 11/08/2006
Mode: growler

ditto, picking up a touch more hops, light tartness, just too dry
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Date: 05/31/2008
Source: brewery
Score: 3.0 to 3.2
Words: heavy smoked

Aroma: lots of smoked chocolate aroma with a hint of dark caramel sweetness,
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, lots of earthy smoke character keeps it dry
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Date: 05/31/2008
Mode: draft
Source: brewery
Words: lessor smoke

Aroma: less smoke in the aroma allows the chocolate come through stronger,
Flavor: same rich smoked chocolate flavor, a bit lighter on the earthyness, a bit more dark caramel sweetness sneaks through adding more balance,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4