Alaskan Brewing - Smoked Porter 2011

Tonight's review is of a beer that is legendary in the ring of smoked beers.  Alaskan's Smoked Porter is not one to be messed with.  Instead, you respect the shit out of it!  When Alaskan Brewing originally started to distribute in Minnesota the first question on everyone's mind was "Do you have the smoked porter"?  Many breweries are known for a signature beer.  I firmly believe Alaskan Brewing's signature beer is their Smoked Porter.  And now it's here, in my mug, waiting to be licked.  So excited!

A fun fact I didn't know prior to visiting Alaskan's website was that the smoke in this porter acts as a preservative.  As it ages, the smoke slowly drops out of the beer and is replaced with sherry, currant and raisin flavors in its third and fourth year.  Knowing this now makes me want to buy a case of this stuff every year.  But three years is so long to wait.  This will be an intense test of patience.

This is a very dark porter.  Darker than a stout even.  A healthy brown foam forms, but only after a vigorous pour.  Lots of roasted malt, dark chocolate and just a hint of smoke.  Not nearly as oppressive as other porters that use liquid smoke instead of smoked malt.  I'm loving this already.  Oh hey, I found the smoke!  It's balanced perfectly with a solid roasty base and full body.  It reminds me a lot of smoked salmon and faint whiffs of charcoal.  This would be amazing with a big steak.  A bit of sweetness is ushered along with some hop bitterness in the finish.

Overall - I bought two bottles of Alaskan's Smoked Porter.  I wish I had picked up more!  This is the epitome of what a smoked porter should taste like.  The flavors are bold and balanced.  The smoke isn't overpowering and plays nicely with roastiness of the base porter.  The bottle label mentions that it can be aged for a number of years.  I'm definitely holding on to my second bottle for at least one. 

Alaskan Brewing - Winter Ale

Tonight I am reviewing another new brew to Minnesota, Alaskan Winter Ale.  I also learned that today is Alaskan Day!  This annual festival commemorates the Purchase Transfer of Russian claim of Alaska to the United States of America at Sitka on October 18, 1867, and celebrates the diversity of cultures and historical perspectives of the Alaskan people.  I bet they have some pretty tasty beer at this festival.  Check out the site if you are interested in the history of the event.

If I had to guess, I would guess the bald eagle on this
label is trained by Alaskan Brewery to harvest spruce
tips for this beer.  Just a hunch.

Ever since Alaskan Brewing started distributing to MN in May, Duns and I have been all over their brew.  We have reviewed almost everything they have thrown our way.  Their Amber is one of the best alts on the market.  The Kolsch, refreshing and tasty.  The IPA made Duns happier with each sip!  Our expectations were high with Perseverance Ale and it fell just a bit short, but not bad.  And I have a bottle of White in my fridge, screaming to be reviewed.  Soon, little one, very soon.

This winter warmer is a light pale orange with a nice frothy head.  The nose is a bit fruity with sweet malt and earthy hops and spruce.  Although, the spruce isn't as prominent as I had anticipated.  No matter, the flavors await! A fuller malt body than anticipated greets my palate and brings forth a subtle mixture of toasted bread, caramel and a slight hop bite.  The spruce comes through ever so slightly on the heels of the hops.  Complex but not over done.  Some alcohol warmth sneaks in and drys out the finish.

Overall - Before I opened the bottle, I had hoped for a lot of spruce flavors since I have never enjoyed a beer brewed with spruce tips.  But after finishing this bottle, I'm very happy that the spruce was a subtle accent to an otherwise tasty winter warmer.  I generally stray away from the winter warmer ales since most are over spiced or too alcoholic for their own good.  Alaskan's iteration makes me rethink my bias.  Next time I'm looking for a winter warmer, this is the six pack that I'll go to first.  Happy Alaska Day!!!

Alaskan Brewing - Amber

As far as many of my beer drinking friends are concerned, this is the beer that Alaskan Brewing has built its name on.  Their Amber is known across the country.  My roommate in college, who is from Alaska, buys this beer in bulk, at a premium, and online, so that he can taste it once a year.  Both he and I lived in an area where Alaskan Brewing did not distribute to until about a month ago.  And that's when my outlook on this brewery changed.

I had never tasted Alaskan Amber prior to them shipping to MN.  The hype around their arrival was palpable.  Local bars were doing tastings, men were sacrificing their first born to be the first to get their hands on Alaskan's Amber... it was nuts.  But a month after its arrival, what is the feeling of most Minnesotan craft beer lovers now?  Well, since I'm too lazy to do a survey we will never know.  However, I do know that this is the second six pack I have purchased, and I know Dunz has procured a few sixers of Amber in the past few weeks, and we rarely buy the same beer more then once since we enjoy tasting a variety of beers.  So that must mean something, right?

Alaskan Amber is classified as an Altbier which, by style definition, is malty, with little to no hop aroma, and smooth since its lagered.  This should be a very clean tasting beer.

My first observation after disposing its stubby, twist-off capped bottle, is of its color.  Perfectly clear with a bold, rusty amber hue and light tan head.  This is what all craft beers should look like.  A+ for presentation.  A grainy, malty aroma is all that is present here.  Nothing too complicated.  Caramelized malt with hints of chocolate and black tea meld their way into this creamy brew.  Carbonation is laying low and alcohol is on vacation.  All six of these could disappear instantaneously.  An easily drinkable beer, no doubt about it.

Overall - By far, my favorite in their current line-up within MN.  We have reviewed their Summer Kolsch and IPA since they started shipping out our way.  But in my opinion, neither match the quality and accuracy to its stated style like this amber.  Well done Alaskan Brewing.  Maybe sometime soon you will start sending us your Smoked Porter?  Here's to hoping... Cheers!


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Alaskan Brewing - Summer Kolsch Style Ale

Alaskan Brewing Co has finally made it here to Minnesota!  I had heard the rumors floating around for the past few months about their potential arrival.  It wasnt until I saw a poster at one of the beer halls I frequent about an upcoming Alaskan Brewing beer dinner that I knew my excitement was justified.  My buddy from college who is originally from Alaska would not stop raving about their Amber.  He would buy this stuff directly from the distributor at a large premium just so he could fulfill his craving.  Any beer worth that level of dedication must be something special.

Between Dunz and I, we were able to pick up all four styles that landed in MN.  Im letting him review their IPA and Amber while Ill take on the Kolsch and White ale.  It just so happens that tonight Im craving the Kolsch, especially since its actually starting to feel like Spring around here!

Brilliantly clear.  In fact, I dont think bottled water is this clear!  Light blonde colored with no head retention to speak of.  Slightly fruity with a subtle bready/malty character in the aroma that flows directly through to the flavor.  Clean, crisp and refreshing.  What a summer time ale should be!  Malty with a hint of fruit, maybe lemon?  Tough to tell.  Medium carbonation and a small kick of hop bitterness finish this Kolsch off nice a crisp.

Overall - Definitely a nice Summer time ale.  I cant find much wrong with it other than the price tag.  As nice as it is to try beers from across the country and internationally, you need to give me something pretty darn amazing for me to want to pay the premium price tag that comes with shipping it out here.  Would I drink this again?  Absolutely.  Will I be buying another six pack at its current price?  Probably not.