Saturday, July 3, 2010

368. Heavy Seas Smoke on the Water Imperial Smoked Porter

Another big bottle from Heavy Seas; while it is sadly not another cask, it was certainly much tastier than our last beer from them. As with the Below Decks, Smoke on the Water is part of the Mutiny Fleet. This is our fourth beer from Heavy Seas, including Heavy Seas Cabernet Barrel Aged Below Decks, Clipper City IPA/Loose Cannon Cask and Loose Cannon 420 Cask.

More sweet World Cup action to accompany our beer...

Smoke on the Water (cue repetetive power chords) pours a rich dark chocolate with a minimal cocoa head that quickly reduces to a ring around the edge of the glass. The nose is a nice balance of roasty and chocolate, with a touch of rauchbier smokiness that has just a bit of bacon-y greasiness. Flavors start with a sweet chocolate with a bit of roasted malt in the background before moving into smokiness in the middle along with lighter cocoa flavors. The smokiness picks up in the final third, along with bitterness and dryness, although there is a touch of lingering roasty chocolate sweetness to accompany the smoky dryness. Smoke on the Water has a medium body with a chewy yet dry mouthfeel—it’s chewy and sweet on the palate at the start, but a bit flat, dry, and crackery towards the end even as the smoky slickness picks up. There is also a slight touch of sourness at the end from the smoke flavors. Smoke on the Water has a good flavor and mouthfeel throughout, although it does shift from front to back. Carbonation is medium to low; it rounds and shapes the beer, but doesn’t have much bite or variation on the tongue. There is a bit of warmth that emerges as the beer warms, but nothing that changes much in regards to the profile. Smoke on the Water is an enjoyable beer—the smokiness is well-balanced, and the light touch of greasy slickness from the smoke is well done. Tasty and delicious.

From the Heavy Seas website: “This first time release boasts complex roasted malt flavors with a hint of smoke. Available in 22oz bottles and limited draft.”

ABV: 8.0%

(7/3/2010)

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