AleSmith Decadence 2007 Imperial Porter
750 ML bottle into a pint glass; no freshness date P: Pecan brown from the bottle, and sits almost completely opaque in the glass. 2 fingers worth of tan & frothy foam shows decent retention, and settled to form a halo with an island of bubbles in the middle. Not much lacing left behind. A: Loads of milk chocolate, caramel, dark fruits, toasty malts, and booze. Nice, but not as pronounced as I would have liked, though. T: Sweet from the start with creamy chocolate, a little nuttiness, and some dark fruits (figs?). Toasted malts support the profile, while caramel really comes out on the back end. Vague hop bitterness in the distant background provides some balance. Alcohol jumps in the ring and Gorilla Pimp-Slaps the palate and almost drowns out some of the other flavors, becoming way too overbearing after awhile. M: This must be where it gets its name from this year, because it sure is decadent. Full-bodied, rich and luxurious, and as silky smooth as it gets. D: Not great in my book, due to the overpowering ethanol in the finish. Notes: I was very excited to try an aged version of this anniversary ale from one of the best breweries around. But, I must say that I was a bit disappointed. The flavors in this brew were great, but the overpowering ethanol was a bit of a deal-breaker. If not for this strong alcohol presence, it would have been a grand-slam for me.