Smoke & Dagger - Jack's Abby Brewing

starrdogg

District of Columbia

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

Thanks to Rob1110 for this and all the Jacky's Abby stuff.

Pours a very dark brown with a fluffy off-white head. Smell is a nice mix of roasted malt, chocolate and smoke that all blend together quite nicely and none of the aromas are too overpowering. The smoke is more prominent in the flavor than in the nose, but still doesn't overpower as the roastiness and chocolate hold up against the smoke nicely. Interestingly, the more I drink the less smoke I taste and the more the roasted malts come through, not sure if that's a product of the warming or just getting accustomed to the smoke flavor. Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied with nice carbonation. Overall, this comes off as a nice, smokey schwarzbier. I'm impressed that the schwarzbier characteristics shine through as well as they do and balance out the smoke nicely. I like this one more than the Cascadian Schwarzbier as I feel like the smoke suits the beer better than the hops do.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 22:25:16 | More by starrdogg

rvandint

Massachusetts

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

Pours a beautiful dark brown with a nice head that stays thinly on top throughout.

Smells like a camp fire on clothes.

Incredibly well balanced flavor with smoke throughout.

Silky mouthfeel. Wouldn't mind a bit more body.

Overall, this is a nice beer that I would happily drink again.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 01:33:34 | More by rvandint

Chico1985

Massachusetts

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

Pours into my Heady Topper glass just about black, some light brown highlights reveal some clarity. Beige head starts at a few fingers and retains as a mostly full cap, some lace left.

Nose reveals grainy+toasty lager malts, roasted coffee, chocolate tones, and light smoke that grows nicely with warmth.

Taste is a nice mix of roasty and toasty.. Chocolate, grains, coffee with cream, tame smoke and some notes of dark fruit. A light hop presence. Good balance of sweet and roasty. Easy drinking and keeps you sipping.

Nice full body for the ABV, a bit foamy with lower carbonation.

The label describes this as somewhere between a schwarzbier and a smoked porter, which is a lengthier but more accurate description than a rauchbier; the smoke is quite tame here. That being said - pretty great beer and very easy drinking, lots of porter-like flavors while maintaining that lager feel. Another winner from Jack's Abby.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 18:35:05 | More by Chico1985

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 mL bottle courtesy of jaasen64. It was poured into my Brooklyn Brewery tulip.

Smoke & Dagger pours jet black, with a surprising three and a half fingers of khaki colored foam. Head retention is very good, and lacing, while night quite sheet-like, is very good. The nose has a nice balance between roasty grains and smoke, though I'd say the roast leans more towards coffee than chocolate. The flavor profile is more of the same. The front end is a nice, smooth black coffee, with some subtle chocolate undertones. Smoky, BBQ type flavors then begin to creep in and build in intensity, eventually taking over the beer completely by the finish. The body is sturdy, while maintaining a dry enough finish to avoid becoming overly full or rich. The carbonation has a little bit of pep to it, but stays on the lower end of the spectrum. Smoke and Daggers was my first Jack's Abby brew, and I definitely dug the smoky schwarzbier vibe.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 02:57:45 | More by axeman9182

womencantsail

California

3.78/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The pour is a dark amber color with an off-white head. Strong smoke aroma to this, but still plenty of malt sweetness. Good caramel, toffee, and toasted bread aromas. A light woodiness to it. The flavor is sweet and malty with a nice smokiness. Light wood and salt notes, plenty of toast and caramel malts. A light chocolate flavor to it as well.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 22:44:13 | More by womencantsail

tigg924

Massachusetts

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

Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass

Appearance: 1/2 inch head, high carbonation, dark brown in color, hazy

Smell: smoke and dark chocolate

Taste: smoky malt dominates with a nice mixture of dark chocolate and some milk chocolate

Mouthfeel:sweet and smoky with light earthy bitterness, medium-high carbonation, medium-heavy bodied

Overall: Nice and chocolaty rauch. Ranks right up there with the best I have had being produced in the states. The chocolate element distinguishes this beer from others in the category. Probably my second favorite from the brewery only behind Leisure Time lager.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2012 18:35:33 | More by tigg924

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

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

Pours a solid dark brown with a huge creamy off white head that persists forever. Smells of bread and chocolate mostly with a hint of smoke and coffee. The flavor has little bit more roast and coffee than I expected. Huge notes of chocolate and caramel in each sip with a light smoky essence in the background. Medium body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet slick mouthfeel. Very flavorful, smooth easy drinking dark lager. Its nice that they didn't go overboard with the smoked malt like everyone seems to be doing these days.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 02:29:02 | More by johnnnniee

chugalug06

Colorado

2.5/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Four-finger foamy head pours milk chocolate in color. Brew is thin black. nice lacing too.

Tons of heavy campfire smoke. Raisin. Milk Chocolate. Char. Leather.

Very bitter. Licorice. Good carbonation. Leathery smoke.

Not smooth or refreshing. I figured it'd be great for a hot summer day, but it didn't quite hit the spot. Good, but not memorable.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 03:18:53 | More by chugalug06

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

16.9 oz bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Pours a very dark brown with reddish hues. Good clarity. Khaki-colored head is large and creamy looking. Retention is decent. Rings and spots of lacing.

S: Layered chocolate scents of cocoa, dark chocolate, and bakers chocolate. Faint cola and vanilla bean. Distinct beechwood smoked malts: smoked meat/campfire scents with a slight metallic edge. Slightly woody. Spicy hop character is hard to place.

T: Cola is the first apparent taste. Bitter dark chocolate is followed closely by a creeping tide of smoked malt flavors. Smoke, beef jerky, slight metallic twang. Slightly acrid roasted malt tastes almost get lost in the smoke. Smoke subsides eventually. Cocoa powder, slight caramel in the background. Cola, light caramel, and woody smoke in the finish.

M: Moderately heavy in body with a milky, velvety texture. Very smooth. Moderate carbonation. Rich and filling in the mouth. A great mouthfeel, and a lot like a good schwarzbier.

O: Not as complex as I was expecting, but still good and highly drinkable. Really love the mouthfeel. Definitely something to experience, I can't think of any other American breweries doing a beer like this. Easily worth a buy, especially at the very fair price of $2.99 a bottle (the four pack is even more economical).

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 04:57:11 | More by ryan1788a5

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.65/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle served in a Reissdorf stange. Pours the color and clarity of cola with a loose, 2.5 inch, khaki-colored head that sizzles and pops as it slowly fizzes down to an 1/8th inch cap. Thick, textured swaths of lacing are revealed during the tasting. Nose expresses hints of chocolate and roast with the merest suggestion of smoke towards the back end. Taste follows nose; however, it all comes off a bit watery and closer to a Schwartzbier than a Rauchbier in my opinion. Mouthfeel is light in body and starts off with an almost silky feel at the tip of the tongue, but quickly yields to a more watery consistency. Carbonation is assertive without being prickly or gassy. Overall, this beer is lacking in the smokiness I've come to associate with the style, and I'm actually okay with that - I didn't realize this was a Rauchbier when I purchased it. That said, a decent brew, but definitely closer to a Schwartzbier than a Rauchbier and there are better examples of Schwartzbiers out there if that is what you are looking for.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 22:47:13 | More by Jwale73

stonermouse

Massachusetts

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

Into a standard pint glass from the bottle.

Pours a nice dark chocolate color, with a puffy yet fast-receding head.

Aroma is mild, and doesn't reveal much in the way of smokiness. It's a farely benign porter-coffee aroma, clean with little booze or other interference.

The flavor is quite clean and neat, and showcases a couple of very specific flavors. The smokiness is mild, in flavor and in potency, but it's there and is complementary to the other primary flavor, a sort of mocha coffee. It all works together in mellow fashion but quite nicely.

Again, these guys have a good thing going with their lagers here, as they plow in some serious flavors to their beers, but everything finishes clean and washes away quite nicely. Nice, smooth mouthfeel here.

Another excellent offering from Jack's Abbey. A fine introduction to the more potent Rauchbiers out there.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 23:43:29 | More by stonermouse

jaasen64

Massachusetts

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

500 ml bottle part of a 4-pack. Poured into Sam Adams pint glass.

A- Pours an opaque slightly brown dark black with lots of carbonation, a big two-three finger foamy/pillowy light brown mocha head with good retention. Spotty lacing.

S- Mostly smoked malts, smoked bacon, cured ham, a little bit of earthy/grassy notes in the background. Fairly aromatic.

T- Smoked malts (not as intense as the smell), a little bit of caramel, brown sugar, nice balance between the sweetness and the smokieness. Lightly sweet aftertaste. Taste is pleasant, but a little lacking in intensity compared to the aroma.

M- Light, slightly creamy, big head adds a nice fluffy feel when drinking, carbonation not as apparent as in appearance, drinks smoothly, abv well hidden.

O- This was a good smoked beer from Jack's Abby. I didn't like it nearly as much as Hoponius Union. It is one of the better rauchbiers I've had but definitely not the best. The beer is very easy to drink has a nice aroma, a well-balanced taste, and a pleasant feel. The only thing it could have used a tiny bit more of is a little bit more flavor. Other then that this beer was definitely a good quality rauchbier. At $11.50 for a 4-pack of 500ml bottles (or $3.25 for a single) you can't go wrong. I definitely recommend giving it a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 23:19:00 | More by jaasen64

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

About $2.50 for a 500ml bottle. Can't beat that.

A: Deep brown with a very light brown, fluffy head. Big & bubbly but it fades into little lace and retention.

S: Smoky, peaty, earthy, roasted malt. Burnt sugar.

T: Delicious, slightly sweet, roasted, smoked malt.

M: Super smooth, tons of flavor, and an enjoyable drinking experience.

O: All that adds up to one really good beer. Jack's Abby does it again!

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 01:12:32 | More by Gatch

thatbentleyguy

4.23/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Jack's Abby is just about the most exciting new brewery in the 2011-2012 crop in Massachusetts. "Drink Local, Drink Lager!" Lager is a great niche, and they pull it off awesomely, yet keep the prices down to earth. A four-pack of 500 ml bottles runs $9.99, in a sad age where certain bombers are regularly going for that much and more.

Smoke and Dagger may be my favorite thus far. Pouring a deep dark chocolate brown, a lacy tan two-fingerhead tops my pint glass. Deep aroma of malt and light smoke hits the nostrils. A sip reveals a mouthfeel much like a dry Irish stout or a porter, with a roasted and slightly hopped bitterness up front, which gives way to nicely roasted malt, and ends with the mild sweet smokiness kicking in, subtle and delicious. Certain rauchbiers and smoked porters have an unfortunate aspect to them - BACON! Some of you may find that a good thing, but I'm a little dubious, especially on those unfortunate occasions when a smoked beer comes out that way by accident, and is not the result of a party trick like the Rogue Bacon Maple Ale.

Smoke and Dagger is fantastic, and at $2.50 a pint at the local packie? I'll have another!!

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 01:02:44 | More by thatbentleyguy

horshack7

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: On top is an light beige head two fingers thick beneath that is a wonderful black cauldron of goodness.

Aroma: Lots of smokiness, bits of char, dark roasted hops and malts. Oakiness that gives a slight dryness. As for anything citrusy well that's all swimming and hiding in all the wonderful smokiness.

Taste: Crisp mouthfeel at the start. Oh then comes the smokiness of oak with a nice char. Incredible bready malts roasted so very wonderfully dark. Subtle notes of chocolate malts. Hops are roasted rather well too top every thing off.

Notes: This big boy is all malt and very drinkable and very tasty. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2012 02:38:39 | More by horshack7

DavoleBomb

Ohio

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

Poured into a perfect pint. Big thanks to Dope for this.

4.0 A: Deep brown/black color. Three fingers of frothy tan head. Retention is good and moderate amounts of lacing is left.

4.5 S: Wonderful wonderful smokiness. Two parts campfire and one part porcine. Supple, mild roastiness to accompany. Grainy, sweet maltiness underneath.

4.0 T: Less smoke than the nose suggests, but still enough to please and overwhelmingly campfirery. Grainy, roasty, and clean. Soft, supple roast. Well crafted with no signs of any off flavors.

3.5 M: Lighter medium body. Good carbonation, but toward the upper end of the spectrum. Very lightly creamy. Infinitely smooth.

4.0 D: Solid beer with a great nose and taste. Super drinkable and well rounded.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 00:54:03 | More by DavoleBomb

scottfrie

California

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

500ml bottle into SA perfect pint. Thanks SneezyAchew!

A: Pours a very dark and clear mahogany with a couple fingers of dark tan head that slowly faded into a faint collar that left patchy lace down the glass.
S: Dominating notes of smoke with an underlying sweetness. I get some notes of dark fruits and caramel.
T: More smoke as expected, lager yeast, light chocolate, caramel, and toasted oats. The finish is very roasted with a lingering bit of fruity sweetness.
M: Clean and easy mouthfeel, crisp and refreshing body, with solid carbonation that goes down smooth.
O: An easy to drink rauchbier. I would have this again. Thanks Michael.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2012 03:38:17 | More by scottfrie

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Lasting but large bubbled head. Leaves plenty of spotty lace. Solid brown color where light passes through the center of the glass.

Dark, dry malt aromas. Light smokiness, like a distant campfire. Smells as if there is a touch of Black Patent Malt in there.

Tastes like a porter with some semisweet chocolate. Again, the smoke is modest but present. Dry and lasting aftertaste of bitter dark malts and spicy hops. Relatively thin bodied with a high level of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 19:57:46 | More by smcolw

NEhophead

Massachusetts

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

16.9 fl oz brown bottle served in a becker.

Deep maple in color beneath a densely creamy, lightly tanned head. A wall of compacted lacing with good strength throughout the glass.

A clean leathery-peat aroma that is well balanced with mild milk chocolate and dark roasted malts. Peanuts and almonds create a very pleasant dry quality. Not a rauchbier that overpowers your sense of smell with smoke; very pleasant.

A mild smoked oak character that presents first and then recedes to the background. Roasted hazelnuts and peanuts which really characterize this beer's flavor: dry, nutty, and slightly spicy. Faint hints of roasted chocolate malt and semi-sweet toffee round out the finish rather nicely.

A shade lighter than full bodied. Creamy to an extent, but a touch too carbonated. Boy, this one would nearly be perfect on cask.

A really well crafted, tame Rauchbier. This offering has certainly opened my eyes to Jack's Abby.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 00:49:16 | More by NEhophead

cbutova

Massachusetts

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

Jack's Abby excites me, local lagers are always welcome in my mind.

A- Poured into a stange (first time I have said that) with a black body that has just a few dark brown hints around the edges. Massive light brown head forms with a texture more similar to the top of a root beer float. Retention is first-class and thick lace surrounds the inside of my glass.

S- A roasty caramel malt profile with buttery hints hits me first. Cereal grains and slight vanilla sweets follow.

T- Reminds me of what some breweries call Black Lagers. It has a nice mix of roasted malt and yeast characteristics. Cocoa, roasted cereal grains, fruits, slight butter and smoked notes make up most of the flavor.

MF- Creamy and moderately thick body compliments the roasty overall flavor profile. Carbonation has a silky smooth feel. Leaves a roast grain bitterness on the palate.

Not nearly as smoky as most Rauchbiers I have experienced but still has a good roast malt flavor. I will definitely pick this one up again in the future.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 03:03:15 | More by cbutova

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

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

Tap: Poured a dark black color ale with a dark brown foamy head with good retention and some light lacing. Aroma of light roasted malt with light smoke notes and some dry black chocolate. Taste is an interesting mix between black chocolate and smoke with light lactose notes. Body is slightly fuller then average with medium carbonation which suits the style. Well brewed and somewhat unique. I would love to have a more regular access to this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 19:47:22 | More by Phyl21ca

FosterJM

California

3.68/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1252nd Review on BA
Bottle to English Pint
500ml

Thanks to Twstandley for this one

App- A dark cola brown with a medium clarity to it. A bit thicker than I was thinking/expecting. A huge khaki three finger head opened and then left fairly quick. Good amount of cling to it.

Smell- A small and subdued aromatic note to this one. Had a bit of Roast with a slight bit of liquid smoke. As it warmed it was chocolate, a bit ashy with some malty thickness behind it.

Taste- At 1st I didn't like it. I just dont like smoke beers but I wanted to give it a go. Maybe this will be the one. As it warmed it because more more enjoyable and on the level of Stone Smoked Porter with a great layered flavor of malts, chocolate and smoke. Wasnt the best but close.

Mouth- A lighter-medium body with a fairly medium carbonation. A bit of roasty and creamy smoky chocolate.

Drink- Overall it was pretty good, wasnt the best nor the worst. Great layered flavors but doesnt punch you in the face.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 23:08:31 | More by FosterJM

BrewEngland

Massachusetts

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

Please visit www.brewengland.com for pictures & our full review!

The Smoke and Dagger pours a pure black liquid, which is dark as night. However, if you look at the glass in the right light, you can pick up a slight red tinge. The head is fairly thin and off-white, and fades quickly into the brew. The aroma is earthy, with a dark roasted/toasted malts, but hints at having a tad bit sweet, subtle, and gentle hop characteristics.

The flavor of this Black Lager's label calls this basically a cross between a schwartzbier and smoked porter, and you can totally see that. This rich, full bodied, malty treat gives you nice tones of bacony, smoky, charred malts. You can also pick out nice dark bitter chocolate tones of the Smoke & Dagger too.

The mouth feel is surprisingly mild, considering the up front appearance of the Smoke & Dagger. It's not too heavy, and finishes with a sublet bitterness and lingering flavor.

Finally, the drinkability of Jack's Abby Smoke & Dagger is moderate for sure This was one of the first Jack's Abby beers Adam tried at their brewery during their hop harvesting event, and really enjoyed it then too. Now that it's in bottles, we'll be sure to pick up another bottle or two soon! It goes down so smooth!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 15:46:18 | More by BrewEngland

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

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

Reviewing the brew and not the category. This is not really a rauchbier. Nice brown brew with a big head and lacing.

French roast coffee and nice toasted malt notes.

Toasty dark roasted malt, but not overdone. The slight sweet note is pushed aside as this brew finishes crisp. Coffee, a little smokiness, mild bitterness, smooth malt. Highly drinkable and medium bodied, but maybe on the light side of that. Enjoyable and refreshing. Worthy.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 03:20:03 | More by OtherShoe2

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.65/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

16oz bottle. No bottle dating information. Poured into Deschutes tulip

A: Pours a very deep, reddish brown color. It's nearly opaque. I got about a finger of light tan head. It fades quite quickly. Leaves some lacing bits. On a second pour, I get tons of head and it had a cool two-tone light tan/dark tan split head. Very neat.

S: I certainly a smoked porter nose in this guy. Really deep roasted malt character and then underneath you pull some chocolate, both milk and dark.

T: I see exactly how they were try mesh these two style: schwarzbier and smoked porter. You get the deep roasted grains and smoky notes of a porter, and the smoothness of the schwarzbier. You don't get the bitterness that you might get from a porter. Its very smooth. I am pulling a good amount of chocolate from the drink and not much else. Maybe some mild coffee hints after I drink a while.

M: Medium bodied.

O: B

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2012 15:29:08 | More by inlimbo77