O'Fallon Smoked Porter

O'Fallon Smoked Porter comes to us from, obviously, O'Fallon, MO kinda right down the road from my father-in-laws...hmmm (extra stop next visit perhaps). You've probably seen their Wheach beer at Buffalo Wild Wings, and other places around town. They offer 5 "everyday" beers plus a few rotating seasonal offerings. Their motto is one we can all get behind, simply "We Love Beer"                                                                                                                                                                                   Anyhow, on to this fine brew. It won the Gold Medal at the 2004 Great American Beer Fest, for the best smoked beer in America, and I can see why. Holy cow is this some good stuff. It pours very dark brown, almost black with a tanish head. Right away, you can smell the smokey essence, which comes from the malted barley that has been dried over open flame. It's much more crisp and light tasting than the name and color lets on, but still maintains a great full flavor. It's a very smooth beer, with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

For a long time, I was hesitant about getting into darker beers, but now as I've eased myself into darker brews, I'm kicking myself for not experiencing these flavors sooner. Don't be afraid of the dark. Try something new this weekend. You never know, you might find your new favorite. Enjoy life, enjoy beer. Until next time, Cheers!

The Stats:
ABV: 6%
IBU: 24

http://www.ofallonbrewery.com/