Monday Mailbag: Newport Storm Smoked Porter

The BDN offices receive samples of books, food and more all the time. While these samples might not find a home in the articles we publish, I wanted to highlight some of the best things that cross the features desk. You never know what you might find … This week? Newport Storm Smoked Porter beer.

Newport Storm Smoked Porter Beer

A little while back, a box arrived to the BDN containing two bottles of beer from Newport Storm, a Rhode Island brewery started by four college friends in the late 1990s. Late last year, this microbrewery with a commitment to keeping things small released a unique brew unlike any I’ve sampled before: Smoked Porter.

What makes this special is how this beer is made. At least 75 percent of the grains used in the recipe are smoked over beechwood, giving it a rich, deep, smoky flavor. The brewery says it is reminiscent of bacon, but the flavor made me think of the aroma at a good barbecue joint with a smoker outback. It was a lush ale that I enjoyed from the first sip to the very last.

This is a beer that would be perfect for sipping while enjoying some brisket … or maybe some hot wings.

Newport Storm beer is available in Maine. Check out the company website for locations.

Sarah Walker Caron

About Sarah Walker Caron

Sarah Walker Caron is editor of Bangor Metro magazine and senior features editor for the Bangor Daily News. She is the author of "The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook," (Sept. 2018, Rockridge Press) and the co-author of "Grains as Mains: Modern Recipes Using Ancient Grains" (March 2015, DK). Her recipes have appeared in the BDN, Betty Crocker publications, Glamour.com and more. She also writes about food at www.sarahscucinabella.com.