Joseph James BA Smoked Porter with Vanilla
What the brewers say
“This starts with a rich, dark ale brewed with cherry wood–smoked malt that has been aged in bourbon barrels for eight months. Then we blended it with a young, dark ale and added vanilla.”
What our panel thought
Aroma: “Rich chocolate and vanilla dominate the aroma. Touch of corn sweetness from the bourbon and some fusel alcoholic heat.”
Flavor: “Bourbon, oak, and vanilla. The malt blends with the barrel to make a kind of maple character. As it warms up, a bit of roast comes out. Moderately high sweetness up front fades into a fairly dry finish.”
Overall: “The barrel character is really well done—the underlying beer is a bit sweet, but the spicy bourbon and wood character are well balanced, with great lingering complexity. The chocolate, dark fruit, and boozy finish are well balanced throughout.”
