East End Smokestack Heritage Porter

Brewed by East End Brewing Company
Style: Smoked
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

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My particular dread--the vivid possibility that left me staring at tree shadows on the bedroom ceiling night after night--was having to lie in a small tent, alone in an inky wilderness, listening to a foraging bear outside and wondering what its intentions were. I was especially riveted by an amateur photograph in Herrero’s book, taken late at night by a camper with a flash at a campground out West. The photograph caught four black bears as they puzzled over a suspended food bag. The bears were clearly startled but not remotely alarmed by the flash. It was not the size or demeanor of the bears that troubled me--they looked almost comically non aggressive, like four guys who had gotten a Frisbee caught up a tree--but their numbers. Up to that moment it had not occurred to me that bears might prowl in parties. What on earth would I do if four bears came into my camp? Why, I would die, of course. Literally shit myself lifeless. I would blow my sphincter out my backside like one of those unrolling paper streamers you get at children’s parties--I daresay it would even give a merry toot--and bleed to a messy death in my sleeping bag. A top draw smoked beer, I really enjoyed it.

2011 growler/flip top bottle with Ray and Megan. Poured nearly black with thin tan head. Not that much smoke but a little, roasted malt. Average mouthfeel. I don’t really like overly smokey beers and this was pretty solid.

Growler. Pours a dark cola with minimal head. brown sugar, burnt malt, some peat, smoke, and chocolate. Light bodied and quite drinkable

Pours deep brown/black wit a medium tan head...dissipates quickly. Aroma has significant smoke...mildly antiseptic...mild bacon too. Flavor is roasty with charred wood and good smoke...leans more toward antiseptic/band-aid than bacon. Mouthfeel is medium and slightly creamy and the finish is smoky and mildly roasty.

Very dark brown, almost black with a small tan head that dissipated quickly. Immediate scent of smoke that made it hard to get the porter smell. The smokiness is tasted throughout, but can pick up the earthy tones of the porter with some bitter chocolate notes.

3 year old growler has a decent carb pop and pours unclear dark chestnut brown with a decent tan caramel head. The aroma has generous smoke and roasted malt notes. The flavor still has plenty of smoke and flavors of sweet chocolate and bitter coffee. The body isd medium with seemingly no carbonation lost.

UPDATED: MAR 1, 2013 A: Dark black-brown with a decent khaki cap that holds fairly well, sporadic lacing left on the glass S: Smokey caramel and roasted malts, lighter coffee highlights... screams burnt malts T: Very very nice, I was impressed with the delicacy of the malts considering the burnt character of the nose... nice caramel, coffee and roasted barley flavoring M: Medium bodied, consistent presence on the tongue right through the compact finish O: By the end the smoke slows you down... the flavor doesn’t languish but it is an assault on the tongue

1 Litre swingtop. Pour is very dark brown with a thick white head...very bubbly and rocky. Nose of smoked wood. Flavor is very smoky and malty with a nice milky stout flavor. The smoke reminds me of beef jerky. Really smooth with a very nice layered body

Poured into a pint glass. 4.0 A: Black color. Two fingers of tan head with good retention and touches of lacing. 4.0 S: At this point in its life, a lot of the smoke is gone, but enough remains to take a good porter aroma and add a pleasant smokiness to it. Toasted malts, slightly bready, and coffee tones. 4.5 T: Again, a lot of the smoke is gone, but the underlying porter is still mighty tasty. Lots of coffee again, burnt toast, dark roasted malts. Smoke is still there and supplements rather than stealing the show. Touch of plum fruitiness, but overall rather dry. Well done. 4.0 M: Medium body. Decently creamy, good carbonation, super smooth. Soft lasting burntness on the finish. 4.0 D: I like this a lot. I wish I would have had more of this when it was fresh. Oh well, I have a damn good porter in my cellar. Serving type: bottle Reviewed on: 04-08-2010 23:44:53

In short: A sessionnable chocolaty smoked beer. Very nice beer
How: Bottle, flip-top 1L. Consumed relatively fresh a few months after purchase. Tasting session with Montreal crew.
The look: Dark brown body topped by a medium beige head
In long: Nose is moderately smoky (between smoked ham and smoked wood) with notes of fresh toasted cookies. Taste is chocolaty (milk chocolate bar), smoke, some caramel, woody hops, very light fruity notes. The body is very creamy. With that chocolaty creamy body it felt like eating an Oreo™ bar around a campfire. This beer is far from intense, this is actually something that can be drank by the pint. This is good stuff. If you are an auto-mechanic from New-Jersey whose family have been New-Jersey auto-mechanics for six generations, then I recommend that you make the drive to Pittsburgh, buy this beer and bring it to a tasting. So for once you won’t be ashamed of your Heritage.