3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
On tap at the brewery also named as Smokingman’s Lunch. Brown pour with medium white head and some lacing. Aroma was chocolate and some spice, with a hint of the smoke. Smoke was more prevalent in the flavor, and the finish was full bodied. Interesting hybrid beer.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Draft at the brewery. Pours a clear dark brown color with a large creamy tan head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma of whisky, chocolate and vanilla. The taste is whisky, chocolate, vanilla and a tart fruity finish. Medium bodied, high carbonation and fairly drinkable.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
On tap at the brewpub. Not having been the greatest fan of the base beer, I found this a bit of an improvement. Slightly heftier pour than anticipated, with an oily consistency to it and a medium head. Understated nose, slightly sharp wood and bourbon (though nothing of a particularly distinctive character) and tons of choc. Flavors are more or less consistent with that summation, with a bit less bourbon presence than in the nose, and thus more of the chocolate from the base beer. Still a bit too thin, but on the whole I thought this one was an improvement.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
On tap at the brewery/taproom. Pours an attractively muddy medium brown. Not the biggest head I’ve ever seen, but a nice bit of foam around the edges after the waters settle. Nose hits with whiskey off the bat, but then a lot more starts happening... dark fruits (maybe some figs), and an assortment of stewed fruits show up, as well as some mild chocolate. Taste hints on some sourness and is surprisingly fruity. Not what you’d expect from a beer containing chocolate and aged in bourbon barrels... and I mean that in a good way. The drawback to this beer is that it’s pretty light, so the taste ends up thinner than I wanted... but the consolation prize is that it wasn’t strong and was a nice after-work pint that didn’t give me a buzz before dinner. Yum.
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