Third Base Slappys Smoked Porter

On draught during Great Taste of Midwest 2009 in Madison, Wisconsin. Pours a dark brownish amber colored brew with a decent tan head that slowly dissipates. Aroma of smoked wood, dark chocolate, toasted dark malt, and some floral hops. Taste is medium to full bodied, soft carbonation, with flavor of smoked toasted dark malt and some chocolate malt. Finish continues the smoked aftertaste that slowly disappears. Not your typical dry smoked rauchbier, but more of a semi-sweet aftertaste.

Sample at the brewpub. Pours black with amber around the edges. Medium tan head that dissipates steadily, and stringy lacing. Smoked meat aroma with notes of malt. Medium body with a strong smoke character with flavors of peat malt and dark chocolate. The finish is all smoked malt. Overall a fairly good crack at the style, but is a little too on the smokey side for my tastes.

Growler at DLD08. Deep red black cola color. Nice woody smokeon the nose. Flavor is mildy smokey with thin malt backbone with some mild fruit on the finish. Kinda simple and lacks the body that I look for in a porter. Not bad, but could use a few tweaks.

Draft at the brewpub. Poured an opaque black color. The head was thin, light tan, and reduced almost immediately to a whispy film. Pleasant aroma of chocolate, subdued smoked malt, and light flowery hops that foreshadowed the flavor. I tasted chocolate, smoky briskett, and flowery hop; all well balanced. Roasty, dry, and medium bodied with mild hop bitterness that peaked at about 2-3 out of 10. Pretty good beer.