Alaskan Smoked Porter: 2008, 2013 and 2014 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau, AK A legendary beer, with malt smoked at a nearby salmon processing facility. In tasting three vintages that span six years, the pattern of aging becomes quite clear. The most recent version offers just a hint of bacon aroma, with a strong alcohol nose.... View Article
Recently I had a chance to sit down with the new company president, Chris Rice, and our beer wrangler, Adam Harold, over three different vintages of Alaskan Smoked Porter. Just to add to the pleasure, I brought out some Alaskan salmon and some smoked salmon. The beer reviews will be published in the January issue... View Article
Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends around the comfort of a good meal and lively conversation. It’s a brief respite from the commercialization that comes on Black Friday and continues through Christmas. The All About Beer family, of course, gives beer the same kind of attention and thought as the food.... View Article
Beer and cheese have a lot on common. As Brooklyn Brewing’s brewmaster, Garrett Oliver, is fond of pointing out, cheese is grass processed by microbes in the cow’s stomach, and beer is grass processed by the brewer and the action of a microbe, yeast.
The modern beer renaissance has led to the rediscovery and appreciation of many traditional beer styles, followed by a wave of experimentation among the more adventurous nouveau brewers. One of the more obscure historical ingredients useful for experimentation is smoked malt. It comes in several forms, but the most common type is the smoked malt... View Article
