Beer 62/365 – East End Smokestack Heritage Porter

Style: Smoked Beer

Purchased at: East End Brewery

What makes this beer different: Smoked Vanilla flavor

Will I be drinking this again: A bit pricey, but it is good stuff so yes.

Grade: A-

1/09/2010: This is brewed in Pittsburgh’s only real craft brewery; East End Brewing (Penn is now back up and running but they are a bit more mainstream). It’s a one man show starring Pittsburgh’s own Scott Smith. Most of his beer rates a B+ or better on BeerAdvocate , so he obviously knows what he is doing. Ashamed to admit this was the first time I have ever been out to the brewery because they have very limited hours for growler fills. The brewery is a huge rundown red-brick building, and the door to get into the growler fill area is only marked with a sharpee. It has the name and the hours written real tiny on a gray metal door, but don’t let the exterior fool you because some magic takes place inside.

On to the beer. It is a bit pricey @ $17 for the big bottle, but you get $3 back if you return the bottle (but I’m not going to because I am a bottle hoarder, and the artwork on the label is sweet). I shared this with the girlfriend and my buddy Nick as there was enough beer to fill 3 pint glasses. You smell the smoke as soon as you open it. The smoked taste isn’t what I would call a campfire type smoke, but more a meaty smoke. Might sound gross but the taste is nice and not as overwhelming as some other Smoked Beers I have had in the past. There is also a hint of vanilla, and a little bit of coffee in the background. Little to no hop presence, a bit dry actually. Mouthfeel is medium; similar to your average porter. Overall this is a pretty solid beer.