Town Hall Sparnfarkel Smoked Porter

Brewed by Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
Style: Smoked
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA

Very dark brown with ruby tints, generous and nice dense head. An aroma of salami and smoke, and flavor notes of a deep cherry glaze on a roast ham with a crackling top from the oven, some suggestion of Juicy Fruit chewing gum, a little chocolate bitterness. I had it from the cask, hand-pulled, so it had a very soft palate, light like whipping cream. Quite good. (cask at brewpub)

I only picked up minimal smoke aroma and flavor from the cask version. Black, with a thick tan head. Fairly heavy body. Somewhat sweet. A good attempt but it seems they didn’t care to see it through to make a first rate beer.

Deep red. Nose very smoky, rauchbier-esque. Flavor is big smoke, some chocolate and caramel/cola sweetness. Could use a few more bitter roasts, but still rather nice.

thoroughly enjoyed this brew a very strong expresso flavor, even my girlfriend thought this one was pretty good and she is not a beer person, definately will have to try to make another trip for this one

On-tap at the brewpub: Exceptional dark brown nearly black color, thick and rich body, finger high cap of dark ivory thats puffy and whipped smooth with some bumpyness emerging as it settles slowly, very slowly in fact, to a substantial skim and thick collar, good lacing sticks in thick webbings. Aroma is rich and oaty sweet with a smokey charred vanilla bean dashed with semi sweet dry chocolate. Flavors are of a charred lightly smokey malt oaty-like sweetness with a nice blend of vanilla bean within. Finish brings in some darker chocolate notes then what the smell hinted to, but is very nice with an all emcompassing smooth rich flavor and subtle dryness leaving small vanilla hints and an ever so slight smokey charred puff across the palate. Mild overall but has a fairly inticing character that insues. Feel is very smooth and slick, slides right down with an overall mild tone thats easy to take in. Body is just shy of medium for a porter but its actual character allows for a smoother transition in its drinkability. A nice mix of vanilla, chocolate and charred smokey flavors with a sweet side to it.

Pours a dark black color with a thin and disappearing head. Odd aroma of smoke: not quite like cigar smoke, yet not like a bonfire. Interesting... The taste was odder still. There is the malt, there is the little pinch of chocolate, but the smoke really comes out. What kind of smoke is it?! Well, what ever kind it is, it tastes great. I agree with BitterPoet in that it might be a bit thin. It also doesn’t have the strong malt, coffee, or chocolate presence of a porter. Despite that, I found it to be incredibly tasty. Not great, but worth having a few pints of!

On cask: body is a bit thin, making it seem more like a smoky Scotch Ale rather than a porter. The creaminess and taste more than make up for this. This is delicious and quaffable. I like this even better than the Scotch Ale on cask. Perfect with a cigar.

Another unannounced surprise at the pub, another cult-favorite style as yet untried (to my experience) at this establishment. Appearance: complete darkness, black in totality, with a nice, creamy brown head, that lasts long, and leaves lace as the glass empties. Aroma is mild and subtle at first, showing light, subdued cocoa and coffee, eith the smoke character slyly entering the frame, but never being a large factor. On the tastebuds, though, a different story, for the smoke comes in first and foremost, mingles well with the coffe and chocolate, making for a very complex and flavorful experience in the mouth. Very silky smooth, even irresistible, downable indeed, but with plenty going on. Body feels a bit thin, after a while, but mouthfeel is creamy and the taste is rewarding, so I don’t hold that against it. Nice, longish finish. I enjoyed this all the way down. I’m betting it won’t be around much this time, so I’ll have to stop back for more. That’s how they getcha!