Town Hall Sparnfarkel Smoked Porter

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

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!

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.

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)

Very Dark Brown with Sandy Head. Coffee Roasts and Smokey Notes with an Overall Burnt, Dry Aroma. Malty Beer All Around with a Dominant Flavor Profile of Smoke. Coffee Roast Notes Help Keep it in Check. Medium Bodied Porter. Overall a Very Solid Smoked Porter.

Tap on 10/28/2005 (rating from notes). Black color with a cask rich brown head. A strong smoked aroma with a smooth BBQ chicken flavors. Smooth and light.

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!

Brown pour thick tan head w/ nice lacing. Odd funk in the aroma hints of ash, a little odd almost peaty reminded me of a hit of scotch but not very appetising. Full well coated palate. Very smoky rich campfire taste some smoked salmon that was nice in the aftertaste. Not bad, but not my type.

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.