NachlamSie (1631), Tennessee, USA Sep 8, 2008 bottle big thanks to Hopdog. Pours very dark, near blcak with a nice looking tan head. Lacing is firm. The aroma is certainly meaty, but not out of control like Schlenkerla. Bacon, cigars, with a chocolatey background. The flavor is where this sutff really excels. Big time smoke comes out now. Beef jerky, cigars, smoked wood, meat. Hell yeah. Now we’re talking. I love the mouthfeel and sweeter chocolate balance. I hate to keep comparing all somked beer to Schlenkerla, but how can I help it. . .this has the benefits of an ale over those lagers with fairly robust smoked character (comparatively anyway). Calumet Grand Chef truly excels in the use of meaty, hearty, smoked quality. I’d like to see more brewers flex their cajones like this. piscator34 (1121), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Sep 6, 2008 Bottled sample via radiomgb, shared with oakbluff. Dark brown in colour with medium carbonation. Aromas are of smoke, dark chocolate, caramel, and a bit of plum. More smoke in the mouth, along with roasted grains, more caramel and chocolate, and a bit of earthy hop character. Medium bodied... but we drank it a bit on the cold side, so it probably would have presented a bit thicker at the proper temperature. Excellent stuff, with great flavor concentration. TheJester (694), Peterborough, Ontario, Canada Sep 1, 2008 341 mL bottle. Deep chestnut brown with a nice, sticky light brown head. Aroma is smoky, with some burnt caramel. The smoke aroma changes as it warms!? Flavour is smoke, toffee, burnt chocolate, roast, and dark fruit. But mostly smoke. Some bitterness, some sweetness. Relatively dry finish. Not my thing, but not bad either. notalush (2628), Denver, Colorado, USA Aug 25, 2008 12 ounce bottle purchased at Fromagerie du Marché Atwater - consumed out of a hotel wine glass - pours dark ruby, nearly black, with a soapy lace - wonderfully smoky, woody aroma, with caramelized sugars and toasted marshmallow, tobacco, charred oak - chocolate - creamy, full mouthfeel - perfect balance of choco-sweet malts, charred character, light tartness, leafy tobacco - a little vinous character late - fantastic beer. Eructoblaster (1477), Gatineau, Quebec, Canada Aug 16, 2008 Bottle - 341ml. Pours an opaque black body with low carbonation and a thin brown creamy head. Very nice malty/hoppy aroma with roasty and smoky hints. Alcohol is well hidden. Taste is very well balanced. it is basically hoppy, but it also carries strong smoky, malty and roasty notes. It leaves a long bitter/smoky aftertaste. Very good stuff. JMFG (1514), Florida, USA Aug 16, 2008 Bottle from Secret Santa. Very dark chestnut brown color, a few stray bits of foam circle the glass. Great aroma - charred wood, spruce, a light meatiness and a nice background roastiness. The taste is surprising in that the smoke eases up and lets the porter character through. Very roasty taste backed by some smoke and an almost minty tone. Creamy mouthfeel. One of the better smoked brews I’ve had in a while. Bierotherapeut (43), Canada Aug 16, 2008 D’un noir foncé, l’arôme de ce porter dégage une bonne dose de fumée et d’iode. Le côté iodé rappel des pastilles pour la toux. Au goût, c’est complexe. Du chocolat se dispute avec un fort côté boisé un une bonne dose d’iode. MrManning (1634), London, Ontario, Canada Aug 7, 2008 Bottle thanks to, and courtesy of Jadoreblanche- This porter poured deep chestnut, and was quite still with only a tiny thin layer of white fizz. This beer packs a punch. The aromas show woodsmoke, campfirey goodness.....mmmm......smoked meat leads to chipotles and some well rooted dark fruit and some mint. Interesting. Tastes of sweet smoked malts, some peat, smoked meat, dark pit fruits towards the finish, with a smokey char bitterness leading the way. Creamy, smoked out bitterness lingers. Pleasing. A pleasure to drink! Thanks Bast!
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