Smoke & Dagger - Jack's Abby Brewing

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.99/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle served in a snifter.

pours a deep amber; sits a an opaque, borderline black tone while yielding a frothy 1" khaki colored head; middling retention and a little lacing evident in small patches. nose offers notes of chocolate, with some roasted malt and a little smoke. nice.

taste delivers the chocolate, roastiness, and smoke along with secondary notes of vanilla, caramel, and even a little oak. flavors work well together; distinct yet cohesive. there's a subdued hoppy presence notable in the finish... smooth, creamy mouthfeel - medium bodied - with average carbonation.

overall an excellent brew, sort of a beer Frankenstein, blending elements from a few styles (rauchbier, schwarzbier, and smoked porter); the finished product is a smooth, flavorful beer. proves you don't need an imperial to deliver and onslaught of character. while i wouldn't count any of the aforementioned styles among my personal favorites, smoke and dagger does work for me, and though it won't earn a spot in my regular rotation i will definitely be back for more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 04:39:30 | More by BostonHops

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.84/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

Bottle opened on 5.25.13
Dated 03.07.13

A - Pours a brown with a dark tan soapy head with good retention.

S - Smoke, fishy, malty, toasted malts.

T - Smokey and roasted malts, very similar to the nose.

D - Good carbonation with a light body.

O - Smoke and lots of lager yeast.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2013 04:42:23 | More by HuskyinPDX

nootch23

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

A - pours black with a about a fingers worth of a khaki white head. As the head recedes to the side of the glass makes a pretty presentable looking beer as expected with this style.

S - very roasty smell right up front with underlying traces of chocolate. Big maltiness to the smell.

T - for me this is all coffee and malt. No signs of sweetness to this beer, not even a little bit as expected. Has a semi-dry finish to it and a little bitterness that I attribute to the coffee aspect of this beer. Nice roastiness to it.

M - semi-dry finish to it. Leaves my mouth with the roastiness that was prevelant in the taste. Slight bitterness to it as well.

O - It's impressive that Jack's Abby only makes lagers and find ways of making lagers taste absolutely nothing like a lager. Smoke & Dagger is no different and tastes like a different style of beer. It's a pretty solid and a favorite of mine by them when the weather puts me in the mood for a black lager. Will definitely purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2013 02:04:35 | More by nootch23

kojevergas

California

3.25/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

My second Jack's Abby beer. Acquired from ICCULIS in a trade; thanks again, buddy! Per the label description, it's somewhere between a schwarzbier and a smoked porter. I'm reviewing it as a shwarzbier (not a rauchbier as currently classified on the site) because I trust the brewer over some guy who clicked a style. 5.8% ABV confirmed. 25 IBUs. 14.5 plato. 500ml brown glass bottle with standard silver unbranded pressure cap served into a Mitchells of Lancaster flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the brewery's reputation (though I was underwhelmed by their biere de garde).

Served cold, straight from the fridge, and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a one finger light khaki colour head. Slight cream. Nice thickness. Above average (~3 minute) retention. No lacing as the head recedes. Body colour is an extremely dark brown; not quite a black but seemingly so if you don't look carefully. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Opaque (nontransparent and nontranslucent). Par for the style. Not unique or special.

Sm: Light oak catches my attention, actually. A light hint of vanilla. Has my broken nose steered me wrong? Dark malts. Chocolate malt. Very very light smoked malts - not the pork/meat or heavy smoke you get from most smoked beers, but rather a subtle backgrounded smokiness. It's extremely restrained and not at all dominant. This is definitely not a rauchbier as is currently classified. No bacon notes. Light indistinct coffee. Mild woodiness. Lacks sufficient roast. No yeast character or alcohol is detectable. Interesting for a schwarzbier. I can see where one could claim it's a borderline smoked porter. A mild strength aroma. I'm looking forward to trying it.

T: Smokiness is present throughout, but lurks as an undertone rather than surfacing as an isolated note. It lends the beer a guided cohesive feel. Dark malts and chocolate malt comprise the foundation, which is unobtrusive and somewhat generic. Any hopping is minimal; I don't notice any evocative character in terms of hops. Coffee is rather restrained; it's barely present. Tends towards the slightly sweeter side of the sweet/bitter balance, but the smokiness keeps it in check. No yeast character or alcohol comes through. I do like it, but while well balanced, it doesn't provide any unique or special features. It may be one of the better scharzbiers/black lagers I've had, but that isn't saying much in my personal case. Well put together, but I suppose an ideal beer in the style would bring far more complexity and subtlety to the table. I nitpick only because I respect the quality that's there.

Mf: Nice thickness. Interesting coarseness/smoothness interplay; it varies throughout but hits either end at just the right points in my opinion. Slight overcarbonation. Decent presence on the palate. Lackluster depth of flavour. Not very soft at all. Unrefreshing.

Dr: A solid schwarzbier from Jack's Abby, but there's definite room for improvement. I think in terms of adherence to style this is a far better effort than their biere de garde. Of course, style be damned here. It's a schwarzbier-come-smoked porter and so much the better; I think it's better for its experimentation and I like what it's trying to do. Hides its ABV pretty well. Drinkable for a schwarzbier. I think the smoked character is very well implemented; this is the only subtlety I detect in the beer. Jack's Abby still has yet to truly wow me, but this is only my second beer of theirs. A solid sporting effort that gives me renewed interest in trying more of their beers. Still, it leaves much to be desired.

High C+

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 02:46:16 | More by kojevergas

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

4.24/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle shared by Liam

Deep brown head, decent ring of whiteish head, good amount of lace here too. Smell is of roasted malts, chocolate and smoke, a little bit of liquorice, a mild but noteable hop presence as well here, bit of a dark bread note as well. Taste is of dark malts and chocolate, well roasted malts, lightly bitter, a bit of anise as well, roast-chocolate finish and aftertaste. Lightly carbonated with a medium-full body, a bit of an oily feel as well. Awesome stuff here, great flavours and really drinkable, worthy of revisits for sure.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 20:11:44 | More by peensteen

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

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

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

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Who says that traditional lager makers lack imagination or are passe in taste. Jack's Abby puts on a full-out display of charisma and quality in this smoky dark ale that borrows influences from German Black Beers, Rauchbiers, Dunkels and Baltic Porters for a refined taste that's highly complex for its drinkability.

The stealth-like "Smoke & Dagger" pours with the mystery-shrouded dark brown hue that's only pierced with crystal clear highlights of mahogany and chestnut. Ats it quietly releases a light khaki foam, the beer captures the eye with a frothy whipped topping that retains firmly and laces the glass with intermittent and artistic patterns.

A ton of malt and phenol complexes converge in aromas for blend that keeps speaking, "smoky chocolate". With the air of lightly scorched barley, the scent hinges on toffee, caramel and brown sugar. Grounded notes of toast, coffee, heavy whipping cream form the underpinnings of a classic dark lager.

It's smooth taste relaxes the taste buds with medium malt sweetness of the same caramel and toffee that the nose promises. More earthy and rustic notes of coffee, woodish hops, and a light alcohol & peppercorn spice ushers in a balancing bitterness to close. All this flavor is wrapped in a cocoon of heavy whipping cream and beechwood campfire.

It's creamy. It's dry, It slices; it dices- it Juliennes! The beer is a Swiss Army knife in that it starts creamy and rich, but turns roasty and powdery midway through before diving into a drinkable sensibility to close. Creamy like milkshake and bitter like coffee- the beer spans the gamut of mouthfeel descriptor en route to a grainy-sweet alcohol warmth to finish.

With a touch of confusion, I can see why the beer doesn't settle on a set style when a blend of well-tested recipes will obviously work better. Jack's Abby proves that there's a ton of imagination that if not bound by the "rules" of beer making.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 05:26:51 | More by BEERchitect

nataku00

California

3.8/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Bottle poured into a tulip glass. Beer pours a dark cola brown, bordering on black, with a finger and a half of tan loose foam head. Head dissipates after a few minutes to a slick of bubbles and a collar of foam, leaving some light lacing. Decent carbonation visible at the edges of the glass.

Nose is smoked malt, roasted malt, coffee.

Taking a sip, typical rauchbier flavors of smoked and roasted malt. A touch of coffee and chocolate as well. Finish is all smoke.

Light body with some decent soft carbonation. Easier to drink rauchbier, with the smoke being subtle but flavorful and not in your face.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:38:03 | More by nataku00

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16.9oz bottle. Pours a dark cola color with very little head. Some lacing. The aroma is rich with some smoke, roasted malts, and earth. The taste is a nice mix of smoke, roasted malts with some earth and hints of chocolate . Has somewhat of a cola taste at the end. Nice roasty/smokey flavor. Heavy mouthfeel. This beer certainly does taste like a mix of a Schwarzbier and a Smoked Porter. Nicely done. Overall, a great autumn beer but it drinks just fine year round.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 17:37:59 | More by PicoPapa

BEERMILER12

Maine

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

A: Pours a slightly hazy dark mahogany color with 2 fingers of tan head

S: Roasted and smoked malts, some dark fruits, and a hint of earthy hops and coffee

T: Follows the nose. Starts off with a very light smoke and roasted malts, followed by dark fruits, earthy hops, and a hint of coffee and chocolate

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation

O: A nice, easy-going smoked schwarzbier with a restrained smokiness that goes well with the roasted malts and dark fruits. At under 6%, this is an easy-to-drink dark beer

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:43:52 | More by BEERMILER12

tkelley

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a tulip glass.

A - really dark but not quite black, red hues. Pale, lingering head with moderate lacing.

N - woody and smoky. Chocolate roast too.

T - close to the smell. Nice and chocolatey roasted character with obvious smoke features. An appropriate level of smoke.

M - goes down easy. Medium to low carbonation. Sits easily in the mouth with being an agitator.

O - really well done. Love the combo of smoke and chocolate. Would be a great camping beer.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2013 23:40:00 | More by tkelley

AnitaBrewski

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I love everything about this beer. I love that Jack's Abby makes such wonderfully unique lagers, and that it's a neighborhood brewery for those of us in the Boston area. The 1/2 liter bottle and label are beautiful, and the color and aroma are great. What's exceptional for me was the mouthfeel, so very smooth and silky, and the taste is great. Drinking this beer was a treat!

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 23:06:13 | More by AnitaBrewski

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.95/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours with a four-finger, khaki head that fades slowly leaving some lace. Black color, hints of mahogany highlights. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is light smoke and chocolate and flavor is smooth baked chocolate with hints of smoke. $3.50 for a 500ml bottle, from Giles Fine Wine Arlington, MA.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 21:21:48 | More by jdhilt

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown and sporting a friendly, pale tan head. Steady retention leaves a few worm trails of foam. Neat German influenced (I'm assuming) .5 liter bottle.

Smells like woody cocoa nibs and mild smoke. Tastes like it smells: gentle smoke wraps around smooth roast malt. A very gentle beer. The smoke is present but not overpowering and the roast malt is dark and mildly chocolatey but never acidic or charred.

I just found out that there's a peanut butter of this beer which I now must have.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 14:57:39 | More by donkeyrunner

oline73

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a goblet.

Appearance: The beer pours a dark brown color with some red light coming through at the edges. There is a half finger of off white head that fades rather quickly.

Smell: Not as roasty as I would have expected, but the roast compliments everything else nicely. I'm getting bready malt sweetness along with some dark fruit. Just a bit nutty with mild smoke.

Taste: Not quite as nice as the smell, but still quite good. Some bready malt with dark chocolate and smokey notes. I'm getting mild caramel and dark fruit. The finish is slightly bitter with a nice smoke to it.

Mouthfeel: The body is medium with very full carbonation and a slightly dry finish.

Overall: I really enjoyed this beer. I was super easy to drink and quite interesting. I would definitely have more in the future.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:25:01 | More by oline73

BlackBelt5112203

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

4 oz pour at Jack’s Abby in a tasting glass at cellar temperature.

L – Brown color with a 2-finger frothy tan head. Great retention and really nice lacing. Clear with a good amount of bubbles as far as I can see.

S – Chocolate malt and a good amount of smokiness as well.

T – Starts off sweet with chocolate and caramel malt and gains spicy smokiness that is almost reminiscent of rye. As the spice mellows at the finish, smooth and sweet cocoa becomes apparent.

F – Light-to-medium-bodied with great prickling carbonation, a mouth-coating but crisp feel, and a sweet finish. Sweet chocolaty malt lingers nicely.

O – This is a great smoked beer. It smells nice and tastes great with much more complexity than expected from the nose. This is really tasty and very drinkable, especially for a smoky beer like this.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2012 23:51:49 | More by BlackBelt5112203

LeRose

Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First, I was happy to discover that this beer is not over the top with aggressive smoke or heavy with the roasted malts. Sometimes less is more.

Poured a deep brown with two fingers of rich creamy tan head that thinned quickly, but plenty of foam clung to the glass. Aroma was a whiff of smoke, maybe a little malt underneath. Not much there, really. But the flavor really popped in a nice little surprise package. Definite smokiness, definite roasted malts, some chocolate tones in the dark sweet area, nothing dominates and very well balanced. A little bitter on the finish, but carbonated well enough to brighten things up and make it lively. Crisp and clean. A very balanced, enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 01:23:03 | More by LeRose

dasenebler

Maine

4.15/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Jack's Abby Smoke & Dagger
12/17/12
.5L bottle, no date

Not really black, more of a dark mahogany with reddish highlights. Modest head dissipates quickly, average lacing. (3.5)

Aroma is clean, though very lagery. Some earthy notes and subtle hops, but that's it really. (3)

Rich chocolate malts and a moderate level of smoke on the palate. Not nearly as smoky as a Schlenkerla, however. Bready, light-roast coffee. Not sweet at all, with a dry, crisp finish. Smooth bitterness complements the malt character without overwhelming the subtleties. Carbonation is medium-low, with a soft, lilting mouthfeel. A very authentic and elegant lager. (4.5, 4.5)

This is one of the best American-made lagers I've had. I love the dryness combined with the malt complexities, all in a highly drinkable package. The other Jack's Abby brews I've had have been somewhat underwhelming, but Smoke & Dagger is excellent. (4.5)

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 22:53:00 | More by dasenebler

homebrew311

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Received in trade with cbeer88- thanks man! Appearance is a deep auburn with crimson highlight, layer of tan head with plenty of sticky lacing. The nose is like a campfire, heavily smoked with layers of hickory, ash, and roasted malts. The taste meets the palate with some caramel malt character which brings a little sweetness before the smoke cuts through. Roasted malts and smoke take turns as it finishes with heavy woody smoke character. This is a very flavorful and smokey rauchbier, lots of depth in the flavor. The mouthfeel is somewhat thin with moderate to high carbonation. Overall, a winner, especially if smoked beers are your thing.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 04:57:27 | More by homebrew311

BigCheese

Massachusetts

3.9/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle purchased right at the brewery.

A: Pours a dark ruby brown, near black. Medium sized tan head. Some decent lacing.

S: Toasted and roasted malts, got an english nutty bready smell.

T: Caramel, Molasses, brown bread. Roasted malts. Slightly smoky/peaty and a tad salty ham flavor. Some chocolate notes too. Its got a malt bitterness to it in a robust porter kinda way. Espresso notes/dark coco mixed with smoke.

M: High carbonation, lighter mouthfeel, still got a decent creamyness to it. Definitely sessionable and has that refreshing lager character.

O: Havent had many black lagers or rauchbiers, but I like this one. Theres a smoky aspect but its not overpowering. A solid session brew that I think would be easy to like.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 02:32:04 | More by BigCheese

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.4/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer is named after Jack’s Abby’s two brewery cats, Smoke and Dagger. It pours a very dark brown color, bordering on black, but sits in the glass as just plain clean black with a light white fluffy head that has the barest hints of tan in it. On the nose, the beer smells nicely smoked with rich beechwood notes and slight chocolate and black coffee. The beer smells very much of woodsy smoke, but the smell still carries the clean lager aromatics that are expect from the style. I was hoping for a little more pungency, but now that the beer is before me I think too much smell would off-put its lager qualities and ruin the beer. On the taste, the beer is richly layered with woodsy smoke. In the initial gulp there is big Beachwood notes that are slowly enveloped with rich smoke and then roasted chocolate malts, and then rich dark coffee, all the while shinning with the rich complexities of the beechwood. In the middle of the taste the chocolate malts do provide a slight burp of sweet that borders on strange, but is quickly enveloped by the other complexities of the beer, and dutifully managed. Citrus is also present in the taste as a faint ghost that haunts the latter half of the swallow. The aftertaste of this beer is light with Beechwood smoke and hints of coffee, but nothing more. This beer is meaty with flavor, and deliciously easy to sip. On the mouth, the beer feels thin, crisp, and refreshing, as all lagers should. Carbonation is effervescent but not prickly, working to nicely cleanse the palate and ready it for another sip. After each sip the mouth is left only slightly dry with woodsy smoke and with the faintest hints of sticky saliva griming the tongue and roof of the mouth with the sweet smoke taste. Overall this beer is another success from Jack’s Abby, I think I like it more than the version brewed with coffee, as this beer stands perfectly on its own, and I feel that the coffee cuts through some of the complex flavors of this beer. This beer is very drinkable and completely worthy of a try, with great locally sourced ingredients and an even better taste. It even pairs well with Gorgonzola cheese! Try this beer!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 20:20:08 | More by Maxwell

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