Weyerbacher Fireside Ale

Brewed by Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Style: Smoked
Easton, Pennsylvania USA

THOUGHTS: I didn’t like this at first, but it grew on me. Drink it without too much of a chill to get the best flavor. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, dark, red that was bright red in the light. It had an average, off-white head that mostly diminished, but left good lacing. The aroma was nice but a little weak. There was moderate caramel malt, a little barbecue sauce type smokiness. There was a great balance between the smoke and the malt. The initial flavor was sweet and a little bitter; while the finish was sort of sour, sweet and bitter with an average to long duration. There was caramel malt, and smokiness similar to barbecue sauce. The light to medium body was slightly syrupy with lightly fizzy carbonation and a slightly metallic, lightly astringent and a little bit smokey finish.

On tap at Rattle n Hum a couple weeks ago (from scribbled notes). Called "Charlie". Dark brown with lasting head and lace. Mild smoky brown sugar bready aroma. Medium smoky caramel brown sugar ripe fruity aleness with mild bitter finish and lingering smoke. Well blended with noticeable smoke. Enjoyable despite the fruity mid-section. Nice effort.

Bottle from case and keg in Boca. Pours a very dark brown with a small off white head. Aroma has a good bit of smoke and a sweet malty aroma as well. Flavor leans more towards the sweet caramel malt than the smoke. It certainly does have smoke, just not as much as the nose. Has a hint of bitterness, but its smooth and easy to drink.

Two 12oz bottles shared with blankboy, biegaman and garthicus. Clear deep ruby pour, smallish creamy off-white head. Smokey, somewhat barnyard aroma - sweet and funky. Taste is VERY smoky, herbal bitterness and moderate alcohol. Average slick body, a bit astringent - long smoky/burnt finish. Not bad at all! I’d like to have this with carbonara.

Draught at Birreria Paradiso. Dark red-brown with a creamy light beige head that has good retention. The aroma was quite closed at first, but they served this far too cold, my one gripe about the place. Half an hour later, and its at proper cellar temp, with some sweet and lightly roasted malt showing. The flavor is a rich maltiness that is toasted, lightly roasted, and has a caramel sweetness. The smoke manifests in a meaty richness, adding a light complexity to a rather straight-forward malty ale. There isn’t much in the way of aroma hopping, but there is enough bitterness to counter the majority of the malt, though it still finishes sweet, enhanced my a light salty quality from the smoke. Medium, verging on full bodied, though still easy to quaff and not really in the realm of a sipper. Decent stuff, and I like how they used the smoke as a subtle enhancing element. That being said, I wouldn’t call this a "smoked" because of the subtlety, and I really wish they had chosen to put a bolder smokey profile in here.

Thanks to HogTownHarry. Appearance: Ruby red with a nice thick small head. Aroma: Roasted malt, smoke, a little floral too. Flavour: Smoky, malty, some carbonation, a long malty smoke finish. Not bad at all!

Bottle. Dark red in color, good head. Nice aroma of slight smokiness. Taste is a slight sweet smokiness...Kind of different. Malty. Crisp. Texture is a little thin but still good. Overall a decent smoke beer

12oz bottle. Pours dark, hazy, reddish-brown color. Thin white head. Rich malt aroma, light smoke smell. Grilled hot dogs. Sweet malt flavor, balanced hop bittering. Unique sweet fireplace smoke flavor in the finish. Crisp hop, sweet rich malt. Not as smoked as most, hint of closeness, enough to keep you warm.