Hickory Red Bacon Ale

22 ounce bottle into pint glass; no bottle dating, but it is a recent release. Pours slightly hazy deep ruby red color with a 1-2 finger dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Aromas of wood smoke, bacon, caramel, toffee,brown sugar, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light chocolate, herbal, light pepper, and yeast earthiness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of bacon/smoke, dark/bready malt, and light-moderate earthy hop notes; with solid strength. Taste of wood smoke, bacon, caramel, toffee, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, light chocolate, herbal, light pepper, and yeast earthiness. Light-moderate earthy/spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of wood smoke, bacon, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, nuttiness, herbal, light pepper, and yeast earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice compelxity, robustness, and balance of bacon/smoke, dark/bready malt, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; with a great malt bitterness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth, moderately creamy/bready, and slightly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with minimal warming present after the finish. Overall this is a very nice smoked red ale. All around good robustness, complexity, and balance of bacon/smoke, dark/bready malt, and light-moderate earthy hop flavors; and very smooth and easy to drink. Wasn’t sure what to expect as far as level of smoke character; but it turned out extremely well done and balanced, while still letting the base red ale be the main flavor showcase. A very enjoyable offering.