Smoked Porter 2008, Alaskan Brewing Company, Juneau Alaska

Our next beer is a perennial favorite of mine - the Smoked Porter by Alaskan Brewing Company. It is widely released for a short time....

It pours opaque with a big caramel colored head.

It smells of big malt - roasty, smoky and slightly sweet.

The taste is big smoky malt. It has a full body and is consistent throughout. It has a nice roasty character that builds as you drink it.

The aftertaste is roasty and smoky giving away to a nice smoky residue before resetting.

It is an interesting and fairly unique beer. If you haven't tried it - it is definitely worth the sample!

From their website, I learned that they smoke a select amount of malts in a commercial food smoker with local alder wood.

It is 6.5%, with 45 IBUs

Cheers!

Winter Ale, Alaska Brewing Company, Juneau Alaska

So, we've all heard of the Alaska Brewing Company - let's see how their Winter Ale holds up. Its an English Old (or Olde - a little more authentic) Ale...

It pours a bright glowing amber with a medium head.

The aroma is hop with a mild tree-ish flavor. The website identifies it as Spruce, I'm not sure I can be that specific.

The taste is clean crisp hop with very little bitterness. It is a balanced ale - with a hearty body, that is definitely a warmer for the winter. The "tree"ness i.e. Spruce is definitely there in the finish. It finishes more complex than it starts and lingers nicely.

The aftertaste is mild - the malt, tree and hop linger before leaving the palate clean. It has a great warmth to it that grows as it is consumed!

I've seen the beer all over - it's an easy drinker that is a sure bet for enjoyment at a party. I think you could pair it with any holiday meal - it is 6.4 % with 27 IBU's.

Cheers!