Sierra Nevada Imperial Smoked Porter

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Smoked
Chico, California USA

Draft. Blackish beer with a light tan head. Malt and caramel aroma. Caramel/toffee flavor with light roast and very light smoke. Medium-plus bodied. Caramel/toffee lingers. Not enough smoke.

On tap at Rose & Crown. I really like where these Sierra Nevada guys are going with their recent stuff. Nearly black color with a two-finger tan head. Lots of smoke in the aroma, along with coffee and roastiness. Flavor hits you with BBQ smoke up front, then backs off a little bit leaving you with a nice roasted malt, coffee, and earth flavor. Medium-heavy body with a creamy palate. Not quite Alaskan Smoked Porter but close.

Draft. Faint smoke and roast in the aroma, along with toffee, earth and a touch of sweetness. Dark brown-black color, head is tan and fine. Flavor matches the aroma pretty closely, with faint smoke in the background, coffee, sweet and creamy notes, toffee/caramel, charry wood, and some mild bitterness towards the finish. Low-medium level of effervescence, pretty smooth and largely dry with a medium-full body. Very easy to drink for the style, certainly doesn’t seem like an Imperial at all and the smoke is pretty muted, too. Overall, tasty, just not what I was expecting, I suppose.

So easy drinking. Very nice. A hint of smoke but not overpowering. Nice roast and very good. Tap @ BT.

On tap @ 1702 - Pours a dark brown color with a small light tan head. The head left nice layers of lacing all the way down the glass. The aroma was light roasted malt and chocolate. The flavor was chocolate, light smoke, and just the right amount of roasted malt. Medium body. Finish was clean with no lingering aftertaste. An excellent smoked porter. SN needs to bottle this bad boy.

Light smokiness and some roastiness. Somewhat muted due to temp but really came around after warming. Flavor is roasted barley with a smokey swallow. Lingers nicely. Some chocolate and chestnut. Nice beer though not sure I would call it an impy.

on tap Ginger Man NYC Pours black with thin head. Smokey chocolate aroma, light meatiness. Smokey coffee flavour with some bitter baker’s chocolate towards the finish. Good balance.

Tap at Taco Mac Metropolis. Black, little head. Aroma was a very nice blend of smoky notes with a solid roasty backbone. Flavor matched, with a faint note of bacon present. Good stuff, the smoke was strong without being overpowering. Very well made, nice to see Sierra Nevada making stuff like this. Just not a huge fan of smoky beers.