AleSmith Decadence 2007

The third offering in our series of Decadence Anniversary Ales, is a big, rich Imperial Porter. Brewed to the parameters of a classic Porter, Decadence 2007 has the intense aromas of dark malt and chocolate complimented by a lusciously smooth mouthfeel. The flavor is rich and malty, and balanced with just the right amount of English East Kent Goldings hops. The aftertaste will leave you pining for more, so don’t miss out on this release of Decadence 2007. Once it’s gone, it’s gone!

334 reviews

San Diego, United States

Community reviews

3.8 Bottle thanks to Sparky! Pours a deep black in color with a thin to minimal tan head. Aroma is chocolate, dark fruit and roasted malt. Taste is disappointing: roasted coffee, malt, bitter chocolates and some mild dark fruit. Flat on the palate. Decent offering but the barrel aged version wins over this.

4.2 Pours dark unclear crimson roasted chestnut with a beige head and decent lacing. Aroma brings rich roasted dark chocolate and sweet roasted malts. Flavor bring rich roasted chocolate malt flavors with a fantastic aftertaste of coffee and sweet malts. Well aged for 6 years! Wow!

3.7 Bottle from Mane Liquor. I had higher expectations than I should have when it came to this beer. Very balanced. Heavy on chocolate notes throughout but balanced by some dark fruit and powdered chocolate notes. All worked well. Solid

3.8 Bottle from mane liquor. Pours a deep brown/black with a small tanned head. Aromas of chewy biscuit malt, raisin toast and doughy yeast. Toffee and chocolate really coming through in the taste backed by the raisin toast doughy like chewy maltiness. Huge bitterness. Good but not as mind blowing as I thought it would be

4.1 Pours extrememly dark brown / black with a fluffy light tan head that doesn’t last for too long. Aroma of raisins, molasses, prunes, and some gummi bears. Flavor is roasty chocolate and caramel goodness. Very huge warming alcohol flavor. A little coffee and a nice bitterness, too. Seems bitter and dry on the tongue. The huge flavors make me want to rate it lower on the palate, because it tastes like it should be an Imperial Stout. Really exceptional beer.

3.8 750mL bottle, split several ways, pours a dark brown with a reddish tint and a small beige / tan head. Aroma of dark fruits, some oxidation, and very slight molasses - zero roast character. Flavour is dominated by the dark dried fruits, particularly dates and raisins, maybe some berries, toffee, no roast, no chocolate or coffee - characterized almost exclusively by the dark fruits. No hint of oxidation either, unlike the nose. Very rich in dried fruits - dates and raisins especially. A little cloying in sweetness, but not overbearingly so. It’s held up well over the years. Excellent.

4.1 Wow, thanks Josh. Nose is intense with caramel, port wine, fig, raisins, and canned sweet tomatoes (good ones) for aromatics. Very rich aromas. Pour is dark brown with a light brown head that leaves a pool of bubbles in the center of the liquid. Rich flavors of caramel, a nutty quality, dark fruits, coffee, and roast made this one a winner in my book. Great stuff, yet again, from Alesmith.

4.1 Bottle Appearance - Deep brown body, caramel head Aroma - Rum-soaked cherries, raisins, cocoa Taste - Chocolate, caramel, raisins, plum, coffee, dark chocolate finish, mellow #700 thanks to OmegaX! This beer was increcible, a VERY fruity and sweet porter, only with a mellow dry finish. The body is smooth and the aroma is almost intoxicating if you spend the time picking out the scents as it warms up. Cheers!!!

3.9 Pours a dark chestnut brown color with a one finger beige head that slowly settles into lasting ring. Sporadic spots of lace left behind. Slightly boozy aroma with subtle smokiness. Nice toasted character with sweet and roasted malt notes. Lots of chocolate malt sweetness along with caramel and toffee countered by earthy hops. Slight viscous, medium body with a good balance of roasted and sweet malt notes along with some earthy hops and sweet booze. Lots of chocolate with hints of toast, dark chocolate, toffee, caramel and hazelnut. Velvety and well masked ABV make this deceptively drinkable Subtle heat toward the finish but not as strong as the nose suggests. This beer held up really well.

4.1 Thanks again to my cousin for a spectacular line-up of sushi night brews. I am taking a guess at the vintage, so given that he usually cellars his big stouts for a few years... Citrusy, roasty aroma. Sweet, bready flavor with chocolate, licorice, and a little coffee. Not too heavy - very good indeed (but maybe not a great choice to pair with fish.)

4.4 Bottle. Aroma has notes of sweet caramel malts, chocolate, dry roasted malts, toffee, coffee, port and nice dried dark fruit. Very nice aroma for a 5 year old beer. Very dark brown that sits black in the glass and has a small tan head that mostly diminished and left okay lace. Flavor is very sweet and lightly bitter. Palate is very full bodied and oily soft. Overall a fantastic brew that has aged very well. Wonderful aged malt aroma and faded hops. Very rich and very good!

3.9 I have wanted to try this one for quite awhile now. Thanks to whoever brought this one to Imminent Liquidation II. A - Pours black as night with a decent one finger tall off white head leaving light streaks of lace down most of the glass. S - Smells of chocolate, coffee, vanilla and plenty of dark roasted malt. The chocolate is still surprisingly strong, combining with the dark roast, to make a luscious smell that is very inciting. T - Starts off with some nice chocolatey sweetness slowly giving way to hints of vanilla, coffee grounds and dark roasted malt. It almost tastes like melted tootsie rolls. Finish is a mix of dark roast and light chocolatey sweetness, lingering on the pallet long after consumption. M - Full body with plenty of sweet flavors and moderate carbonation. Nice creamy feel with very little booze left. Some sweetness and dark roast linger long after the finish. O - This one really lived up to my expectations. It had all the flavors I like and it held up well over the time in the bottle. I hope to try the BA version some day, if it is anything like this one it will be great.

3.8 Bottle shared by Fred82. Appearance: Brown, almost black with brown head that receds quickly. Decent lacing and ring of foam. Aroma: Hops are still present despite the age, some chocolate and caramel, light sherry notes that complements the hops. Flavor: English hops, toffee, red fruits and menthol. Very rich. Reminded me more of a barleywine than a strong porter / stout. Palate: Soft carbonation, rich and liquorous. Overall: Held up exceptionnally well for a 4 years old + beer but you still could feel the age. Alesmith always seems to impress.

4.0 750ml bottle thanks to mikesgroove I think. Appearance : Dark amber with medium creamy head. Aroma : Big fruits with light oxidation. Nice raisins with roasted malt. Taste : Raisins and dark fruits with rich dark chocolate. Lots of coffee on the finish. Light acidity. Overall : Very nice and quite complex. Nice coffee and dark chocolate. Finish is very persistent. The light oxidation shows it’s getting old but it’s still goes very well with the beer.

3.8 Bottle sahred at Paul’s. The aroma is chocolate, brown sugar. The appearance is dark brown, light tan head. The flavor is chocolate, brown sugar, sweet. The finish is also sweet, some roastiness. Medium in body. Very good.

3.7 2007 750ml bottle .. pours a deep brown .. low foam .. low lacing but sticks .. . light molasses, burnt sugar, and light dark fruits .. . a nice brew to be sure .. . . Gasman? I don’t get it.

3.6 Bottle shared at Paul’s Dec 3rd tasting. Pours a deep murky brown. Aroma is molasses, burnt chocolate, roasted chocolate malts, caramel. Mouthfeel is medium to thin with notes of cocoa, roast, toasted chocolate and caramel malts. Nice.

3.7 Bottle at Paul’s tasting. Pours a dark brown with a thin beige head that deflates quickly. Sweet roast and cocoa. Chocolate, a touch of roast and cocoa. Smooth and rich, dark malt and cocoa powder. Long bitter cocoa on the finish.

4.3 750ml, gold foiled bottle, courtesy of petematte46. thanks, pete! this is the 1st part of my "epic" 2007 Alesmith Decadence night to be followed by the barrel aged version. pours a gorgeous, dark, hazy chestnut brown with a rich, creamy, khaki head that has beautiful retention and leaves bubbly rings of lace on the glass. aroma is simply oustanding with huge notes of bitter, dark chocolate, raisin bread, and toffee nougat backed by black cherries, roasted coffee, and rich, molasses-dipped pecans with just a hint of char and vanilla as it warms. flavor is wonderful as well with heavy, dark, roasted malts, ash, and espresso up front backed by notes of milk chocolate, toasted trail mix, dried figs, and a touch of molasses with dry, roasted coffee, and dusty cocoa on the finish. palate is smooth, dry, and pefectly carbonated allowing the complexity of flavors to really shine. overall, a marvelous imperial porter that has held up remarkably well after 4 years.

3.8 Thanks to CaptainCougar for this one. Near black pour. Nose holds mostly sweet chocolate, raisin, and some lactic cream. The flavor brings a bit more roasted malt, a touch of mocha, and molasses, caramel, and cherry to add to that chocolatey dark fruit profile. Good, but not very complex.

3.9 Thanks CaptainCougar. Uber dark brown with a thin beige head. Earthen coffee grounds, chocolate (bakers and milk), cherries, and dark fruits with a thick rich palate, sporting low carbonation and a sweet finish.

3.7 750mL thanks to CaptainCougar. Deep blackish pour with a medium tan head. Not a hell of a lot of lace but decent webby tan lace. Needs coaxing. Nose is chocolate, sweet black cherry, cocoa, Taste is heavy vanilla bitter, dry cocoa, dark chocolate, and overall soft. Palate is wildly silky. Wow. Very smooth and bitter with waxy dark chocolate. A wavers1 beer for the ages. Very nice. One of the few beers you can call imperial porter. Good stuff.

4.5 Black pour with tan head and lace. Medium coffee, toasted malt and a hinto abv. Burnt coffee, sweet chocolate, good malt bitter with a hinto abv. Full bodied with good carbonation. Top notch.

4.5 Sweet blend of milk chocolate and slight roastiness, a bit of coffee in there, great thick body, really freaking tasty. An unusual beer, in a great way, due to the sweetness not pairing with a booze overload.

4.2 Bottle from a trade with cbkschubert. Pours dark brown/black color with light brown head. Aromas of caramel and chocolate with a hint of roasted malts. Sweet molasses flavor with a ton of mlk chocolate and some roasted malts. Medium body with soft carbonation. Another awesome beer from Alesmith. Thanks Craig.

3.8 Mat with another awesome Dark Lord Day offering. was fortunate enough to try the barrel aged version with BBB over a year ago, now finally the regular. Notes of dusty, doughy cocoa. touch of milky chocolate and molasses. creamy. hint of ripe plum. enjoyable.

4.0 750 ml bottle shared by foppa78 at Dark Lord Day 2011- thanks a ton, Mat! Pours a super dark brown color with a small tan head. Aroma of roasted malts, dark chocolate, molasses, oak, and tannins. Flavor of dark, rich chocolate, roasted malts, molasses, and espresso. Medium-full bodied, with minimal carbonation and a smooth, rich mouthfeel. Doing well for 4 years old, but might have lost a bit of carbonation. I didn’t mind, and really liked the smoothness.

4.4 DLD’11 Bottle, HUGE thanks to Matt for bringing this gem! Thick black pour, thin tan head with nice fine carbonation. Aroma has notes of thick dark chocolate, cocoa powder, roasted malt, coffee and espresso, dark fruit, toffee, some molasses. Thick oily mouthfeel with a beautiful array of bitter and sweet chocolate, sweet toffee, vanilla quickly balanced by bitter coffee, lots of roasted malt with a bitter and dry finish. Every element works together to create a delicious rich porter.

4.4 750 ml bottle courtesy of a trade a while back with moejuck. I was brewing an oatmeal stout today and decided I needed something warming, rich and dark since it was a little chilly outside. This one fit the bill quite nicely. Pours black with a moderate-large light brown head that lasted beyond mid-glass and left ample lace. Very pleasant aroma of roasted malt and chocolate along with some vinous notes. The flavor is excellent with ample roasted malt, chocolate, very mild wood smoke, oak, and vanilla. There is some mild alcohol warmth that rises towards the finish. Full, well-rounded body. Silky mouthfeel. Delicious.

3.8 Bottle at O’Briens. Dark brown pour, with tan head. Sweet dark malts, dark fruit, raisin, chocolate, lightly roasted, caramel, and liquorice. Heavy, but smooth mouth feel. Quite nice, glad to have tried it finally.