Cascadian Schwarzbier - Jack's Abby Brewing

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Pours black with a two inch off-white head. Good retention. Thin rings and small spots of lacing.

S: Hops are very earthy. Pine, resin, herbs, spicy. Lemon zest. Roasted malt scents are very sooty. Whiffs of toasted bread and milk chocolate as well. Subtle smokey undercurrent. Touch of earthy yeast.

T: Citrusy hop tastes up front are redolent of lemon zest. They then shift and go earthy and spicy. Herbs and pepper. Bitterness grips the tongue like a respectably firm handshake. Malts lay down a baseline of milk chocolate, cola, and lots of soot. Tropical esters of tangerine and pineapple. Very bitter on the finish with an oily, spicy bite and a lingering sooty taste underneath.

M: Medium bodied. Low carbonation lets the creaminess of the mouthfeel come through more. Silky. Good.

O: Black IPAs are all the rage these days, and Jack's Abby decided to get in on the action. Don't think for a second that this is simply a reflex 'jump on the bandwagon' type of reaction though. Never content to just follow the trends, Jack's Abby has put their own unique spin on the style, essentially creating a 'black IPL'. Lagers are, after all, the only thing they brew. This is a well made beer from start to finish. Clean and drinkable. Nice roasted but not burnt malt base, impressively bold and spicy hop profile. Yet another great entry into the increasingly diverse Jack's Abby portfolio of brews.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2013 03:33:51 | More by ryan1788a5

nesarebad

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-22-2013 04:12:23 | More by nesarebad

Texasfan549

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-15-2013 23:23:43 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-15-2013 23:16:02 | More by kjkinsey

Horbar

Rhode Island

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-13-2013 00:12:04 | More by Horbar

mre0683

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-12-2013 22:34:35 | More by mre0683

thebigredone

Wisconsin

3.94/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jaasen64 for hooking me up!

Pours a creamy black with a nice foamy beige head.

The smell is excellent, picking up a cocoa aspect from the dark malt and some nice tingly hop aromas.

Taste is a little different from the smell. Large amounts of roasty flvaors with a definite lingering dry cocoa powder taste/feel. Hops come in on the mid-palate, a nice counterpoint to the roast, but then get lost in that cocoa flavor on the back end.

Mouthfeel is great, nice and thick.

Overall, definitely a solid beer. Tasted blind, I would have guesses this was an american porter. Would have liked to see the hop presence kicked up a touch more, but a very solid overall brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 14:29:14 | More by thebigredone

sirsteve42

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-09-2013 02:02:34 | More by sirsteve42

vonnegut21

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-07-2013 14:11:07 | More by vonnegut21

bootdown21

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-07-2013 01:07:27 | More by bootdown21

bpk59

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

05-06-2013 15:14:28 | More by bpk59

bostonryan

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10.6%

05-02-2013 23:44:06 | More by bostonryan

rusty3335

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -14%

04-30-2013 07:23:32 | More by rusty3335

tkelley

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Second pour from a new growler into a tulip.

A - dark dark body. Very little light comes through but a little if you tilt it tot the side. Good head, retention, and lacing.

N - Mostly roasts and malts on the nose. Obvious hops as well. Pine, grapefruit. But again mostly roasted malts.

T - opposite of the smell. Mostly fresh hops. Really tasty. Piney, fruity. Then the roast. Mommy.

M - smooth but on the heavier side. Hearty. Good carbonation

O - love it. Love choppy dark beers and one this fresh doesn't come along too often.

Cheers!

Serving type: growler

04-30-2013 00:00:08 | More by tkelley

Duff27

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

04-27-2013 19:13:58 | More by Duff27

egrace84

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

04-27-2013 05:34:17 | More by egrace84

BeerIsland

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -14%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

The CS poured frothily from the .5 liter bottle, piling the tan head way over the top of my pilsner glass. Color is a deep rich brown and the aroma is primarily dark malts. with a hint of hops. This is an extrememly tasty beer, just fine for a cool spring day. Although the significant hopping does not intrude on the overall balance, this beer could use a little more "middle". This is obviously amped up from the traditional style but still in the family. I wonder what the draft version is like?? This one was kindly laid on me by Jamie Magee during a visit to Iron Hill Lancaster.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 16:09:13 | More by BeerIsland

splendidsplinter

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

04-23-2013 00:28:27 | More by splendidsplinter

EatonHops

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -1.7%

04-19-2013 23:27:42 | More by EatonHops

liquorpig

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

04-17-2013 00:58:49 | More by liquorpig

ackbarleywine

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +22.9%

04-16-2013 22:53:38 | More by ackbarleywine

iL0VEbeer

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

04-16-2013 15:22:48 | More by iL0VEbeer

jbuddle

New York

3.5/5  rDev -14%

04-16-2013 14:25:25 | More by jbuddle

davey101

Connecticut

4.14/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

March 2013 batch, 500 ml bottle into a HF wine glass.

A - Pours a jet black body that exposes some light around the edges. A few fingers worth of khaki foam sticks around for a while. Ungodly amounts of dirty, sticky lacing just coats the sides of the glass.

S - Bright grapefruit, pine and charred malts and chocolate. It does that have uniquely Jack's Abby lager aroma to it.

T - Not overly bitter or malty. Just pleasant piney hops meeting ever so lightly roasty chocolate malts. A touch of smoke on the end. Very clean and easy drinking. Mouth feel is medium bodied and silky.

O - A pleasantly hoppy schwarzbier, this was damn tasty and JA continues to amaze me with their innovative lagers.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2013 05:39:13 | More by davey101

JohnQVD

New York

4/5  rDev -1.7%

04-15-2013 22:20:50 | More by JohnQVD