Session #26 is Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em, hosted by Lew Bryson.

There may be more smoked beers than are dreamed of in your philosophy, Horatio; it’s not just rauchbier lagers from Franconia. Within the last year, I’ve had a strange smoked wheat beer, light and tart, that local brewers insisted was a re-creation of a Polish grodziski beer; a lichtenhainer, another light smoked wheat beer; several smoked porters; the odd Schlenkerla unsmoked helles that tastes pretty damned smokey; and, yeah, several types of smoked lagers. You’ve got three weeks, is what I’m saying: go find a smoked beer.

If you follow my writings on Hop-Talk at all, you know about me and porters; but, I promise not to go off on the porter style. I will treat this brew as a specialty brew and nothing more.  I will comment on my enjoyment of drinking smoke flavoring which I am going to hate.

wait for it…..

I loved this. I am surprised by how great this beer is, but not by who made it. After all, Stone tells us outright that they don’t make beer that everyone will like, rather, they make beer that only some will absolutely LOVE; otherwise they are just on the road to mediocrity.

It does not taste smokey, yet the hint is there. It is complex, strong, and a fine dark ale. I congratulate Stone for hitting the porter style on the head. This is a dark beer, strong, with roasted flavors abound but none overpowering the beer on the whole.

Stone claims only malted barley, hops yeast and water, so some of the barley may have been smoked, but they certainly did it to the perfect degree. I don’t feel like I am drinking ashes.

Stone suggests serving with chocolate or  even with a good PB&J. (they recommend sourdough, all natural peanut butter, and blackberry preserves) I had mine with some smoked Swiss cheese… it really goes with anything.

Only 5.9% ABV and my wife loved it too – bonus!

I will pay the premium for this beer and give a 4.5 on the unofficial Hop-Talk rating.