Smoke & Dagger - Jack's Abby Brewing

Dools9

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 10/17/12 poured into a shaker pint.

A: Pours a reddish brown, with ruby hues. Khaki, two finger head. Nice, clinging lace is left on the glass.

S: Good mix of roasted barley malt, light smoke, chocalte malt, and some caramel sweetness.

T: Starts off with a good dose of smokey roasted malt and follows with a chocolate and vanilla cream sweetness. Finishes with a light espresoo like dryness, mildly bitter bite from the roasted malt, with a lingering roasted, smokey char aftertaste. The smoke is a bit subdued, but as the beer warms it becomes more pronounced.

M: Lighter bodied, could use a bit more heft, soft mouthfeel, carbonation is right down the middle. Very easy going down, good drinkability.

O: Solid brew, finds the right balance of smoke, roast, and sweetness. Drinks more like a smokey porter to me but nonetheless, another solid offering from JA.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 16:37:02 | More by Dools9

DerekMorgan

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -12.5%

05-18-2013 02:34:46 | More by DerekMorgan

pveilleux

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%

05-16-2013 02:33:36 | More by pveilleux

atone315

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%

05-10-2013 12:36:04 | More by atone315

vonnegut21

New York

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%

05-07-2013 14:10:46 | More by vonnegut21

Kevincredible

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev 0%

05-06-2013 23:32:07 | More by Kevincredible

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.01/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Served in a bottle at The Whiskey Priest in Boston, MA

A: Pours a clear dark brown in color with some moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some ruby red highlights. The beer has a finger tall sudsy light tan head that quickly redues to a medium patch of very thin film and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of smoked malts (you can definitely pick out the fact that it was smoked with beechwood) with lighter notes of chocolate malts and coffee. Very light notes of earthy hops.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of chocolate malts and smoked malts, with just the most subtle hints of a BBQ pit. There is a light hint of nuttiness and some light caramel sweetness as well. Next come the flavors of roasted coffee and the touch of dark chocolate. There are light amounts of earthy hops in the finish which give the beer a light amount of bitterness which fades pretty quickly.

M: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of gentle carbonation. Smooth with a light amount of dryness in the finish.

O: I enjoyed this beer - the smoke flavors are quite pleasant and really add to the beer without being overwhelming or having too much of an iodine flavor. The beer was easy to drink and I had no problem putting down a 22 oz bottle on my own - in fact, I wish there was a little more of it to drink. Would pair very nicely with meats.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 17:53:50 | More by dbrauneis

Dhamma73

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev 0%

05-06-2013 15:33:32 | More by Dhamma73

Mikecap

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev 0%

05-05-2013 16:01:17 | More by Mikecap

ericlawton007

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +12.5%

05-03-2013 02:38:38 | More by ericlawton007

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle from Boston Wine Exchange, 500ml into a tulip. Bottled March 7, 2013.

Dark brown, tan head. Light roast and chocolate on the nose, along with some lightly bready and doughy notes. Taste is chocolatey, roasty, lightly sweet, smoke is peripheral. Lager yeast qualities come through. Medium light body, perfectly medium light carbonation. More of a schwarzbier, and perhaps the best I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 20:47:39 | More by liamt07

Sultz04

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%

05-02-2013 00:51:30 | More by Sultz04

lukulele

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +18.8%

04-28-2013 23:35:46 | More by lukulele

Kelp

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev 0%

04-27-2013 08:53:55 | More by Kelp

takelondon

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -12.5%

04-23-2013 13:46:52 | More by takelondon

sommersb

Tennessee

3.89/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 04-22-2013
Freshness: Bottled 02-18-2013
Packaging: 500ml brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Willi Becher
Purchased: Received in a trade

Thanks to DrewShal9 for this trade!

Appearance is a clear and dark brown beer, nearly black, with red edges on the glass when held to light. The huge off-white head is frothy and has a great deal of retention, plus an excellent ring of lace.

Smells have a big dose of toasted grains, as well as smoked malts. The campfire smokiness is not as heavy as most rauchbiers - this one is more tame in the smoke, with some sweetness in the aroma. Also has some wood and vanilla notes.

Taste starts with smoked malts; meaty like most smoked beers. Also has earthy/woody characteristics, and bittersweet chocolate.

The mouthfeel is creamy with a moderate carbonation. The finish is dry and tastes of coffee-like bitterness and some unpleasant chalky textures.

Overall a curious melding of several styles; schwarzbier, porter and rauchbier. I think they all worked together very well, but this is kind of one-time beer that I wouldn't probably seek out again.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 03:13:35 | More by sommersb

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

4.05/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Consumed 4/16/13

Appearance: Dark, dark brown with some clarity around the edges - creamy, light tan head - keeps a solid cap and leaves some nice streaks and spots of lacing

Smell: Moderately smoky, with a nice malt base - nicely malty, with a great level of chocolate malts and caramel - some nice chocolate and roasty coffee - some hints of hops in the background

Taste: Nicely balanced with chocolate and smoke - smoky wood, roasty coffee, dark chocolate, cocoa, nuts, caramelized malts, and caramel - smoky and roasty without going overboard, very nice - some grassy hops - medium level of bitterness - clean, especially considering the smoke

Mouthfeel: Medium body, remarkably smooth, nicely carbonated, oddly clean finish

Overall: You can really taste the dagger!

I split a bottle of this with Goblinmunkey7 roughly a year ago, and this bottle is even better than I remember. There are some nice smoke and chocolate notes here, in an impressive amount of balance. Another winner from Jack's Abby.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 05:11:00 | More by angrybabboon

JohnQVD

New York

4/5  rDev 0%

04-15-2013 22:21:09 | More by JohnQVD

carndog

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -6.3%

04-14-2013 12:49:56 | More by carndog

apintofknowledge

New Jersey

4.5/5  rDev +12.5%

04-14-2013 02:37:50 | More by apintofknowledge

Colosdog

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev 0%

04-12-2013 20:09:22 | More by Colosdog

mre0683

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +6.3%

04-11-2013 22:19:19 | More by mre0683

ManMoosePig

Connecticut

4/5  rDev 0%

04-11-2013 00:51:53 | More by ManMoosePig

smutty33

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -12.5%

04-08-2013 13:44:03 | More by smutty33

seplo

Connecticut

3.25/5  rDev -18.8%

04-07-2013 12:47:19 | More by seplo