What happens when the owners of Wingman Brewers and Peaks and Pints gather around a campfire to toast their latest collaboration batch of Peaks and Pints Perfect Proctor Porter? Yes, a mean game of Kick The Can, but also a recipe development for their new collaboration, S’mores Porter.
Childhood memories in an adult beverage, indeed: Wingman Brewers and Peaks and Pints will release S’mores Porter on draft and in cans at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6 at Peaks and Pints bottle shop, taproom and restaurant in Tacoma’s Proctor District.
“To refresh everyone’s memory, s’mores are the tasty treats prepared for dessert around the campfire, including roasted marshmallows and chocolate between two graham crackers,” said Peter Brown, Wingman Brewers lead brewer on the S’mores Porter. “I think this porter will turn out as delicious and drinkable.”
Brown, Wingman co-owner/sales director Daniel Heath and Peaks and Pints co-owner Ron Swarner brewed the first batch in July 2017, singing campfire songs as they stirred Pale, Chocolate, Victory, Black and Carafa Type 2 malts in the mash tun. As Cascade and Saaz hops boiled the three campers tossed in an endless stream of marshmallows and Honey Maid Graham Crackers.
“There’s definite charm in a beer that has you reliving childhood memories of eating marshmallows until your fingers were forever glued together,” said Swarner as he unrolled a worn flannel sleeping bag beneath the fermenter.
You could call Tacoma’s Wingman Brewers porter people. Co-owner and head brewer Ken Thoburn, Heath and third founder, Derrick Moyer, opened in 2011 with their P-51 Porter on tap. Shortly after, the brewery launched annual Porterpalooza festivals, releasing P-51 variants such as Peanut Butter Porter, Coconut Porter, Pistacho, PB&J and Nuetella, to name a few. After much fanfare, Peanut Butter and Coconut became annual releases. A version of S’mores Porter debuted at Porterpalooza 2017 in January. Crowd demand deemed it worthy to join the regular rotation.
Thoburn approached Peaks and Pints with the idea of switching out the Perfect Proctor Porter, a similar recipe of Bert Grant’s famed Perfect Porter, with the s’mores variant.
“Perfect Proctor Porter has been a delicious winner since we tapped it on our opening day, November 1, 2016,” said Justin Peterson, who along with his twin brother, Robby, opened Peaks and Pints with longtime friend Swarner. “Wingman knows porters. No doubt this will be a winner, too. Plus, it fits our mountain lodge theme perfectly.”
In addition to draft, S’mores Porter will be available in 12-ounce cans. Tacoma graphic artist Sam Dollar designed the can, featuring caricatures of the three Peaks and Pints owners wilderness camping with Brown, Thoburn and Heath.
“It’s pretty awesome,” added Robby Peterson, the one who brings the beer to the campfire, at least according to the can’s label.
In addition to pints and cans of Wingman’s S’mores Porter at the Sept. 6 release party, Peaks and Pints will serve Tacoma’s Auntie B’s S’mores Jars, the house dessert featuring chocolate cream, ganache, spiced cookie crumble and vanilla-honey kissed meringue.
Peaks and Pints, open 11 a.m. to closing seven days a week, is at 3816 N. 26th St., Tacoma (253.328.5621). For further information, visit www.peaksandpints.com.
