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Tuesday, 28 November 2000 00:00 |
(Juneau, Alaska) - The wait is over…Alaskan Brewing Company is releasing its signature seasonal in limited edition quantities throughout the Pacific Northwest in early December.
Alaskan Smoked Porter has been honored three different times this year, at the 2000 Great American Beer Festival and twice internationally. A silver medal from the prestigious Brewing Industry International Awards and a gold from the World Beer Cup reaffirmed the beer's status as a quality beverage on an international scale.
"It's always exciting to be recognized for brewing quality products," said Brent Kesey, Lead Brewer at Alaskan Brewing Company, "And with this beer, there is a special level of pride for our crew. It is a labor intensive process to smoke the malt, so we really do brew it for the art and fun of it."
Now in its twelfth year, Alaskan Smoked Porter is brewed each fall with alder-smoked malts that the brewers smoke at Taku Smokeries, a Juneau fish smokery. It takes approximately three days to smoke enough malt for even a small batch. “It’s an around-the-clock process but when you finally get to taste it, it’s worth the long hours,” says Kesey.
The dark, robust body and pronounced smoky flavor of this limited edition beer make it an adventuresome taste experience. Alaskan Smoked Porter is produced in limited vintages each year, and, unlike most beer, may be aged in the bottle like a fine wine. On special occasions, vertical tastings of 3 to 5 different vintage years are held. A small amount of yeast is allowed to remain in the bottle and combines with the smoked character to assist the beer in aging gracefully. The increasing complexity allows flavors such as chocolate, plums, raisins and sherry to evolve.
Alaskan Smoked Porter has been credited with helping inspire an American revival of smoked beers. The Juneau based brewery handcrafts Alaskan Amber, Pale, ESB, and Stout year round. For more information or recipes to cook with this and other beers, visit the brewery’s website at www.alaskanbeer.com.
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For More Information Contact:
Kristi Monroe
Alaskan Brewing Co.
(907) 780-5866
© Copyright 1997 - 2003 by the Alaskan Brewing Company |
