Ommegang is one of the most respected breweries in the US, so I was thrilled to get their take on a smoked porter. And with a noted concern for my own biases for not only Ommegang, but all Belgian beers in general, Ommegang made it easy for me to set aside impartiality with this dangerously close to bland smoked porter. To start with, I can’t smell any smoke. But the taste did redeem itself a bit with moderately smoky and thirst quenching swig. There is a slight bitterness to it that seems to get along just fine with the other flavors in there, although, there really aren’t too many other flavors in there to speak of. A touch of roasted flavors, chocolate malts, and water, all round out to a safe rendition of a beer from a company (that I think was founded and sold to themselves somehow) that is a little too timid for my palate. The Ommegang website has the recipe posted and they sure do throw the word “smoke” around an awful lot to not step up with something more substantial, like the foam head they delivered. Overall score = a generous 4 out of 7 smokestacks.
| Brewer | Brewery Ommegang |
| Beer Name | Smoked Porter |
| Brewer’s Description | Ommegang Smoked Porter. This nod to a traditional English beer is brewed with subtle additions of smoked malt and a touch of Saaz hops to add additional depth and character to an otherwise traditional English brew. While the style is a departure from our traditional Belgian-style beers, the characteristic aromas of chocolate malt along with caramelized sugar are reminiscent of many things Belgian, and of all things good. |
| Food Pairings | Smoked meats and cheeses, chocolate cake |
| Brewery Location | Cooperstown, NY |
| Alcohol content by volume | 7.6% |
| IBU (International Bitterness Units) | not available |
| Beer opacity rate 1 – 7 (light – dark) | 6.5 |
| Smell smoke? 1 – 7 (No – George Burns) | 1 |
| Smokepower taste: 1 – 7 Smokestacks | 4 |
| Sausage detection? Y or N | N |
| Beer thickness 1-7 (water – used motor oil) | 4 |
| Overall Happiness: 1 – 7 (sad – happy) | 4 |
Not the most user friendly website. High on form, low on function.
SmokeBeerMinistry 