Bringing back a classic beer from head brewer James' past, and in doing so introducing our new smoked porter with vanilla. This beer is based on a recipe James brewed over 10 years ago, and it has since been modified to incorporate modern ingredients and brewing techniques. The base porter starts out as a blend of English and American styles, keeping the finish balanced, and featuring a blend of Golden Promise, Pale and Dark Chocolate malts, with an added touch of Vienna and Crystal Malts for a depth of flavour. We wanted to keep the smoke character light on this one, and so we went with a smoked wheat malt, contributing a gentler softer smoke flavour than most smoked barley variants. This smoked malt was selected to add a savoury depth to the porter, while also balancing the sweet character of the vanilla. Speaking of the vanilla, we went with Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. This vanilla is known for its rich, creamy, and slightly fruity character, while also having some of the highest vanillin concentration of any varieties. Like many of the beers we like to brew, drinkability is a huge focus. For a beer like this, packing and layering flavours is important, but we wanted to do this while maintaining a balance that would make drinking a large pint (or several) enjoyable to the last drop. This beer balances sweet chocolate, savoury roast and smoke flavour, with creamy vanilla sweetness. It shows off a lot of what we like about dark and malty beers in one glass.