AleSmith Decadence 2007

Formerly brewed at AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
San Diego, California USA

(bottle from Bartzilla) Pours black with an off-white head that lasts. Aroma is typical porter fare, with dark chocolate, roasted malt, and coffee. Tastes are also dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, and light hops in the finish. Smooth fairly full mouthfeel. A well done porter that didn’t really stand out negatively or positively.

Bottle (750ml) shared at ’Rudolf’s May 2008 Tasting’ -- courtesy of rudolf. Pours a very dark brown, almost black, with an average size lasting foamy tan head. Nice aroma of roasted malt, chocolate, light hops and caramel. Flavour of roasted malt, hops, nuts, alcohol and chocolate. Long, roasty bitter finish. For 10% the alcohol’s pretty well hidden. Medium bodied, smooth mouthfeel. Very good, another AleSmith winner. Note: Rudy is wrong!

OSLO and Guerde’s Memorial Weekend Tasting, 5/23/08. Courtesy of Guerde. Dark brown color with no head. Light chocolate and apple aroma. Chalky mouthfeel and taste. Light chocolate and oak. The apple sticks around a bit. Drinkable, but was sadly not wowed. To be fair, it followed quite a run of beers in the night.

Viscous pour nets you a medium sized choco brown head, retention and lace are good. An almost black bodied brew cept for a little red glow at the sides of yer glass. Nose is chocolate, caramel some cocoa and a whisp of alcohol. Creamy and coating on the palate, med/full body, soft carbonation. A blend of flavors, chocolate, cocoa, light berrys, caramel, vanilla and roast, some dark fruits as well. eaglefan mentioned something about a house yeast flavor and i tend to agree with him, it,s a good thing. Some alc notes hanging around also. Lasting dark finish, slick. Props to the amazing SDbruboy for the bottle. Thanks Cliff!

Shared by Guerde and sampled at OSLO/Guerde’s Memorial Day Weekend tasting. From a 750ml bottle pours a dark, opaque reddish brown brew with a thin tan head that slowly dissipates to a fine film and thin tan head that stays from the brew. Aroma of dark chocolate, some flowery hops, dark berries and a touch of marshmallow. Taste is full bodied, very little carbonation with flavors of roasted dark malts, sweet dark berries, milk chocolate, some red licorice and a touch of flowery hops. Finish is semi-sweet with a sugary chocolate aftertaste that slowly disappears. Alcohol warmth comes through during the finish.

Bottle shared by the most generous slobby sloth around, what a guy! Pour was dead on for the style, deep dark black, topped with a substantial tannish to chocolate colored head, which left behind strong lacing. The aroma was milk and cocoa chocolate, some hot alcohol notes. The flavor followed with an interesting 1-2 punch of milky chocolate, followed by a cocoa dry chocolate. Alcohol was tamer in the flavor profile for sure, and licorice and roasted malts joined in support of the overall flavor profile. Mouthfeel was full, yet it was a little more airy and chewy than I thought it would be, nothing motor oil-like about it. Good stuff again, AS! And, a great big thanks to ya, Bert!

Bottle from Zinister, sampled at his tasting. Thanks! Dead black color with a beautiful brown head. Nose is alcoholic. Taste of sweetness, chocolates, chewiness, and alcohol. Overall an excellent beer.

Shared with AlexsDad, Tmoney and shigadeyo. Alesmith has always done well with English/American ales and this one is no exception. It is one of the better porters I’ve had in a long time. Dark brown almost stoutish in color. Smooth well integrated flavors of chocolate and roast(mostly). Light on sweetness, a bit dry(alcohol) on the finish.