Beer of the Week! 02/19/24

Casita Year of the Dragon Imperial Smoked Porter

Normally $19.99 / Now on Sale for $18.96
Imperial Smoked Porter with Chiles

This beer was the breakout hit at last week’s Porter tasting! People liked all the other porters (The Frost Coffee Porter, in particular, brought a number of smiles.), but the Casita was really the champ.

Casita Brewing Company in Wilson, NC makes this imperial porter with a blend of German smoked malts and a specialty malt. The “Imperial” is no joke, as this porter begs the question, “What is the difference between an Imperial Porter and a Stout?” It’s inky black and has a slight “pours like motor oil” sheen to it without being quite that thick. However, the smokiness is light as is the heat from the chiles. Both remain parts of an appealingly balanced package.

At the tasting, we talked about going on a journey with this beer. Some of us got a fruity quality at the front before diving into the “porterness” and the smoke only to end with a brush of chiles on the finish. (Heh. That heat must be the dragon!)