drinking these beers on their own , where they really shine is when paired with food . It goes without saying that these beers pair well with grilled and smoked meats and seafood but they also pair well with creamy and strong cheeses and desserts like vanilla ice cream and cheesecake . Smoke beers pair nicely with maduro and oscuro cigars too , really taking them to a new level !
I managed to bring my beer loot back from Seattle without pilfering too much ( I did buy them to share with my friends after all ). Tasting the Alaskan Smoked Porter for the first time was impressive . It was easy to understand why it had won so many awards . I expected smokey but the level of complexity was like nothing I ’ d ever had before . It surprised me . It was familiar , as I had tasted these flavors in food , but foreign as well , having never tasted these flavors in a beer before . The friend that I was sharing it with had already tried it on one of his trips so he was more interested in my reaction . He wasn ’ t disappointed . It wasn ’ t long before more smoke beers came my way fostering my predilection for peatsmoked whisky as well .
It ’ s rare for me to get ahold of any kegs of smoke beer for the pub ( it is kind of a niche beer ) but a few weeks ago one did come my way . I haven ’ t put it on yet and I think I ’ m going to wait until this article publishes to do so . Just so if after reading this any of you fine people are interested in smoking your palate , I will , for a short time , have the ability to satisfy your curiosity .
Chris Keller has worked in beer sales for a distributor , as a brewer for Saint Arnold Brewing Co . in Houston , and is the owner of Pint and Barrel Drafthouse in Palestine , Texas .
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