Indeed Hot Box

This 9.0% ABV beer is an Imperial smoked pepper porter. It is from the Indeed Brewing Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Like several other recent and brand new brewers in the Twin Cities, they are located in Northeast Minneapolis. They are a member of 1% for the planet, a global alliance of businesses that donate one percent of their gross revenue to organizations that help preserve and restore the natural environment. 

The beer uses poblano and jalapeno peppers smoked over hickory and malt cold-smoked over alder, maple and apple woods. It was made in collaboration with the Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub in South Minneapolis.

 The beer pours the darkest of brown, appearing black, with just a bit of translucent brown around the edges when held to the light. There is nearly an inch of thick, somewhat creamy light tan head. The aroma is campfire smoke in the cool early morning air, smoked peppers, hot green New Mexico chilies. I imagine sleeping in a field of hot peppers with a campfire, and awakening on the ground in the morning with the campfire embers to my back and my face right next to hot pepper plants that were downwind from the fire during the night. The taste follows the aromas, smoke and roasted peppers, with just a bit of a light traditional porter underneath. The peppers provide heat, putting a nice sting in the mouth and down the throat, but never overwhelm the palate. If you follow my blog, you will know I rarely like a smoked beer, but this one was matched perfectly to the taste and heat of the peppers. The porter underneath is not out front, but is a sturdy enough base to hold up all that smoke and pepper flavor.