Smoky Mountain Tuckaleechee Porter

Brewed by Smoky Mountain Brewery & Restaurant
Style: Porter
Gatlinburg, Tennessee USA

Draught. Pours blackish with a little brown and a nice tan head. The aroma has notes of soy sauce, light chocolate and rosy, herbal hops which definitely take a back seat to the maltier aromas. The flavor has a fairly sturdy coffee presence with a bit of dark chocolate in the finish. Decent porter. I’ve noticed serious variances in quality from bottle to tap.
[April 17, 2008]
Draught at Gatlinburg. Not a good night for Tuckaleechee but it does seem that the porter generally tastes better at the Pigeon Forge location. The aroma as well as the flavor have the chewy toffee suggestions along with a decent chocolate character. Minimal roast is present. The problem is some gummy, corny thing going on that lingers in the aftertaste. The lady seated next to me at the bar asked me I was drinking beer. Then she asked me if it was sweet.
[August 3, 2008]
On tap at PF. The last few times I’ve had this it has been a disappointment. It has been almost completely flat, stale, and basically pure soy sauce. Today was a good day. I was excited to see my glass with a fully formed light tan head and evidence of adequate carbonation. The aroma had rich toffee, chocolate, coffee, and soy sauce. My palate was satisfied with more robust toffee, almonds, chocolate, and modest coffee. When a good batch of Tuckaleechee is on, it is a fine porter. It is hearty and well rounded, though English-leaning in its flavor. I was tempted to up my score of this brew, but I can’t get over all the other bad samples I’ve had.
[October 24, 2008]
Bottle, and probably the best bottle I’ve had from Smoky Mountain. This was a pretty good sample, right up there with the better batches on tap. This pours dark brown with a very small head. The aroma is nutty, sweet, slightly gummy, with distinct roasty qualities. This drinks like a full bodied, chocolaty brown ale more than a porter. Hints at vanilla, dark chocolate, wood, and almonds are found in the flavor. The palate is silky and middle of the road. This really isn’t a bad beer. I’ve had a few good servings of this recently, I’m gonna bump up my score slightly.

Singing "I aint got love for ya hunny" while drinking this brew. Needless to say, the song is the highlight. Pours a dark brown, no head. Aroma of chocolate. Flavor/body is thick, oily, chocolate, a little roasted malt.

On draft at brewpub in Gatlinburg TN - Pours black with a creamy tan head. Aroma was of coffee and smoke. Flavor was much the same with a nice molasses sweetness creeping in and hints of chocolate. Full bodied on the palate. Creamy and mouth coating., This was a delicous porter and what I thought the best brew in the pub. I brought a 6 home with me too.

Tap. Smoky roasted dark malt aroma. Pours black with brown hints and a very small tan head. Smoky roasted malt flavor with a hop end. Dark and full bodied.

It’s sad, this could be so much better with less water. I feel like SMB is watering down their brews to make them more drinkable for non-enthusiasts. Roasty nutty flavors and black (although it was dark in the restaurant) in color. Good beer just too much water in the finish.

Pitch black with a thin brown head. Roasted malty and buttery aroma with hints of alcohol. Roasted, buttery and sharp citrus fruity flavor with salty notes and some alcohol showing in the finish. Quite odd.

Dark color with red tinges. A thin tan head immediatly after pour. The head quickly dissipates. Minimal chocolate aroma. Palate is watery and weak. Flavor is kinda tangy. Not what I lok for in a porter.

Thos bottle was all hype. Nice enogh nose, but this was watered down, and, lacking . The very first sip was nice, but right after it hits the tongue, there is nothing there./ Thanxs for the trade though.