Alaskan Smoked Porter vs Yazoo Sue: Which Should You Drink?

HOPIQ FACEOFF

Alaskan Smoked Porter

Alaskan Brewing Company

United States · Smoked Porter

hopIQ rank #2384

85%

Overall similarity

side by side, across 56 flavour tags

Yazoo Sue

Yazoo Brewing Company

United States · Smoked Porter

HOPIQ TAKE

Alaskan Smoked Porter if you want restraint and balance, Yazoo Sue if you want smoke to dominate and don't mind the heat. Both nail the smoked porter style, but they're pulling in different directions—one's a refined evening sipper, the other's a statement beer that demands attention. The ABV gap (6.5% vs 8.5%) matters more than you'd think here; that extra two points in the Yazoo shifts the whole personality.

See what fits your taste

Build your Beer DNA

hopIQ scores every beer against your palate, not the average drinker's.

WHEN TO CHOOSE WHICH

Pick Alaskan Smoked Porter when…

→You want to drink multiple beers in a session without getting knocked sideways
→You prefer subtlety and nuance in your barrel-aged or smoked styles
→It's a weeknight and you need something sophisticated but drinkable

Pick Yazoo Sue when…

→You want smoke to be the main event—this is a beer about the technique, not balance
→You like the warming, almost whiskey-like character that higher ABV brings
→You're looking for a dessert-style porter experience, something to linger over slowly

SIDE BY SIDE

	Alaskan Smoked Porter	Yazoo Sue
ABV	6.5%	8.5%
Bitterness	Strongly bitter	Noticeably bitter
Colour	Dark	Dark
Style	Smoked Porter	Smoked Porter
Origin	United States	United States

WHAT IT TASTES OF

10 shared · 3 distinct

Both beers

roastedsmokyrichchocolatebittermaltydark fruitcoffeesmoothboozy

STRUCTURE — HOW IT'S BUILT

Alaskan Smoked PorterYazoo Sue

Bitterness

Body

TASTING NOTES

Alaskan Smoked Porter

RoastedSmokyRich

Alaskan's got this subtle wood-smoke character that doesn't muscle its way in—it's more like you're sitting near a campfire than inside the smokehouse. The 45 IBUs give it just enough grip to keep things interesting without bitterness taking over. There's a real smoothness to the malt base, almost like bacon fat coating your mouth in the best way. It drinks easier than you'd expect for a porter, which is exactly the point.

Yazoo Sue

RoastedSmokyRich

Yazoo Sue comes in hot and smoky—this is bacon and ash and char, unapologetic. The lower IBU count (33) might seem contradictory, but the alcohol warmth and that aggressive smoke actually fill the bitterness role themselves. It's denser, thicker, sits heavier on your palate. This is a beer you're actively engaged with for every sip, not one that fades into the background.

Find beers like Alaskan Smoked Porter

View alternatives →

Find beers like Yazoo Sue

View alternatives →

← All comparisons