Stoutmaker.beer

Got a Porter up on the block today. A smoked porter. Karben4 Brewing.

As usual, I always mention up from for beers like this, that i usually DO NOT like smoked beers. But I never turn one down either. So lets get on with it.

Right out of the gate there is no head, foam or anything other than black liquid pouring from the bottle. In the glass though as you may spy in the pic, there is decent amount of bubbling or effervescence in it. And from that pour I start getting the aromas.

Not the band-aidy phenolic smoke smells,, but something in the range of salami or smoked meat. Thats definitely a plus. No hops or yeast, but a good malty grain backbone for sure. It sure is promising for a smoked beer.

I have prepared myself enough to taste it. And am perplexed at how good this smells, that there is so very little in taste. If I were to close my eyes (which I did) I would swear this is some sort of chocolate Porter.

Oh the smokey notes are there, but they are just that.. notes. They are so far back and downplayed that I bet some people wouldn’t even notice them. Dark fruity plums seem to be a big factor here too. Again no noticeable hop presence. And probably could stand the slightest more bittering than what it has,, but thats just me.

The one thing that you cannot ignore though, is the gloopy body. Remember how it poured so lifeless,, well thats the way it feels too. Just dead sweet on the tongue. And that may be the reason it feel just under bittered. Get some carbonation on this thing, and I think you have a winner.

I was surprised how much I liked this Smoked Porter as thats not my thing, but its really so subtly smoked that it worked well. But the almost dead flatness and heavy mouth is really disappointing cause you just know  they were thiiis close to nailing it.

Would love to give it more, but as it stands, 2 out of 5 on untappd.

PS: I’m gonna go mix this with a fizzier amber and see if I can coax it back to life.