Click here to read the description of this beer that’s in the beginning of the above video. My Tasting Notes:

Appearance: True to style this Imperial Porter poured dark brown in color with a fluffy light brown head. While its body was pretty much opaque, I could see red hues on its edges when I held my glass up to the light. The head stuff around as ring of foam over the top of the beer and left some attractive lacing behind with each sip.

Aroma: If you’ve had a smoked porter before (e.g. Stone Smoked Porter) you’ll be able to relate to my immediate reaction upon taking a whiff of Fire and Ice, which was that it smelled like a “classic smoked porter.” In other words I was met by big notes of smoked meat sweetened by a semi-sweet chocolate and roasted malt backbone.

Taste: To me this beer drank like a rauchbier (smoked beer) with a porter body. While the porter flavors peaked through in the finish in the form of dark fruit, darker malts, and a slight astringency. The smoked malt notes dominated the beer’s overall flavor profile.

Mouthfeel / Drinkability: With a smooth medium body the smokiness never go to be too much and the 7.2% alcohol was hidden remarkably well.

Overall: As a craft beer geek who likes to occasionally drink a smoky beer I was glad to see the Garrett Oliver and his team of brewers decided to release of smoky beer just in time for the colder months in New York City. However, I was remised by the fact that Fire and Ice didn’t have a complexity beyond what I’ve tasted in other smoked porters. Rating: 7.5/10 – A spot on smoked porter with great drinkability. “A casual cold weather porter for a lover of smoked beers.”

Cheers!