Sue
Brewed by Yazoo Brewing, Nashville, TN
Imperial Smoked Porter

A “friend” sent this to Scribe. And if you’ve been reading Scribe for a while you know who this friend is. After other Yazoo shippings, yuletide past, Scribe was slightly disappointed. Not quite enough a Robust, not really a Brown. Certainly not Imperial as claimed. This smoked Porter is slightly unbalanced, just like Scribe. It does improve with warmth, as does Scribe.

“Come closer my dearie.”

Would it be inappropriate for Scribe to say to his beer at this point: first pour, “Nice head?” Hey, Scribe was just starting to enjoy the experience, Yazoo, why did you fizzle on his fazael?

Smoked? Yes. But the smoke seems to dominate too much. Keep the level but add more malt. More malt! More malt!

Pours blacker than a moonless, starless midnight in the middle of nowhere. The mouth is met by smoke and, eventually, darker malt.

Assertive Galena and Perle? Where? The Galena may have just gone up in the smoke. The Perles must still be in da sea.

Pleasant and enjoyable, just not quite as advertised. Scribe’s advice? Let it get very warm and it will be far better. The cold hides way too much. But still: well, Scribe is unbalanced too, but he makes his living BEING unbalanced. Beer shouldn’t have to. And Yazoo? Either beef up the malt or drop some of the smoke and “Imperial.”