New Glarus Unplugged Smoke on the Porter

Formerly brewed at New Glarus Brewing Company
Style: Smoked
New Glarus, Wisconsin USA

Pours a dark, dark brown with mahogany hints around the edges. The off-white head is small and dissipates quickly leaving very little lacing. Smoke comes out immediately in the smell - a hickory smoked bacon aroma that doesn’t overpower. The sweet malts are in the background as well with a little coffee and chocolate. The smoke is a little less evident up front in the taste with the sweetness of roasted malts and molasses hitting first. This gives way to a bit of the chocolate and dark fruits before the smoke makes itself felt in the finish, lingering nicely. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with decent carbonation and a tad dry in the finish. The smoke taste in this beer is subtle an doesn’t overpower. As such, this is very well balanced smoked porter and one that I could drink all night.

[Bottle] shared by EddyB23. Pours deep brown with a medium off white head. Aroma is very smoky and smokey, with some coffee note in there as well. Bittersweet flavor with plenty of smoked meats. Very smooth flavor, and by far one of my favorite smoked beers.

Bottle from Bockyhorsey. The pour was brownish with some reddish hues. The head was a little weak, but ok. The aroma was meaty smoke flavors over top of a roasted dark malt choco-coffee blend. The flavor followed the aroma, some more coffee and roast than chocolate. When all is said and done, I don’t like the meaty smokes mixed in with the porter elements - the rauch-edness seems to work better with lager and marzen base beers much better. Thanks, Bill, for the great opportunity, though, always indebted to you for your kindness.

(bottle) Pours dark brown with a cream colored head. Aroma contains a lot of smoke, with definite roasted malt, and the scent of salty bacon and campfire as well. Taste is chocolate up front followed by a nice smoky, chocolate, and roasted malt finish that lasts for awhile. The aroma and finish of this beer are great, but the flavor is somewhat lacking.

Dark brown pour with a small off-white lace - fairly strong smoke in the aroma, complimented well by the roasted malt - light notes of sweet cream underneath - soft mouthfeel, medium body - bitter coffee and cocoa in the flavor - the smoke doesn’t come through as much as the aroma suggests it will - just a little sweet, mostly drying out in the finish and getting fairly bitter, developing light tobacco notes - just okay.

Pours out black with a thick tan head. Big smoked wood, meat aroma, very campfire like. Lots of Bamberg in the aroma. Taste is malty, smoky, with a hint of some spice. A little creaminess keeps everything smooth. Leaves a slight smokiness on the tongue afterwards. Not a fan of the style, but this is delicious.

Pours black with a small creamy beige froth. Aroma of smoke, creamy chocolate, some dark fruits and a hint of alcohol. Flavor of smokey bacon, creamy dark chocolate and light coffee bitterness. Mo’s bacon bar? A nice smoked, but not nearly as interesting as I was expecting... needs more smoke! Creamy but light body some larger carbonation bubbles. A solid, complete brew, that is very well balanced.

I should have known better. I am just not a fan of smoked beers, but I have liked most of New Glarus’ products so I gave this one a shot. It smells like a big glass full of smoked meat. The smoke aroma is very strong. Pours a deep brown color with almost no head. Flavor is significantly less meaty than the aroma. Actually has a good malt backbone that isn’t completely overpowered by the smoke. Probably my last smoked beer. Just not my style. This is the best of the ones I’ve sampled though.