Smoke In The Valley
Cambridge Brewing Company

 

Big foamy tan head fades slowly tons of lacing, semi hazy auburn reddish color.

Nose big smoke, cherry wood fruity apple, bitter toasted smoke, sweet caramel candy malt.

Taste brings plenty of smoke, big toasted oak smoke, cherry wood, caramel fluffy nougat like candy bar, a little sticky, light bitterness. Finish some smoke, more grassy hop bitterness, sticky caramel.

Mouth is med bod, decent carb, little syrupy sticky.

Overall not bad, about what I expected, but nothing to write home about.

Drank from a 750 ml/1 pint + 9oz coked and caged bottle
Served in a pint glass
Thanks to my friends Dave, Cassandra and Ashley for this thoughtful gift.

Attractive appearance. The mahogany colored liquid was topped by an immensely tight, creamy, bubbly, two finger tall, tan colored crown. The head slowly fell to a substantial film. Some patchy lacing trickled down the glass.

The nose was uber smoky. Although the label described this as a "cherrywood smoked ale," I probably would have guessed it to be beechwood smoked. Really fragrant and intense. There was a dry yeastiness as well. As the beer sat, some sweetness came forth.

Though perhaps not as exciting, the flavor profile had more going on than the aroma. Caramel malts came through on the front end. Slightly sweet. Bit of generic fruitiness. The smoked malts soon took over. Like the nose, the smokiness was intense. Again, I would have likely guessed beechwood or perhaps even hickory. Some dry, earthy hops appeared on the back end and in the finish. Just a touch bitter. At 7.3% ABV, the alcohol was nowhere to be found.

The mouthfeel was the only thing subtle about this beer. It was medium bodied and contained a bubbly, spritzy effervescence that frothed up nicely on the palate. Creamy and smooth.

Cambridge Brewing makes a number of respectable, tried and true offerings as well as a growing number amazingly creative and thoughtful beers. Smoke In The Valley definitely fits into the latter camp. If you are a fan of intensely smoky beers and want something that still drinks rather easily, then you should definitely give this a try.

 

 

 

Poured in a 20oz Nonic tumbler from a corked 750ml bottle.
It pours an amber hued tan leather color with an ample fluffy beige head on top.
A pleasant whiff of cherrywood smoke rises instantly, well before the first ounce touches the glass.
Smells of fresh brown bread, rye and burnt caramel are balanced nicely with a light whiff of pears and peppery spices.
Tastes of slightly burnt brown bread, molasses, rye crackers and light rum mingle with edgy woody and hint of pine flavors. A very mild rummy taste edges forward throughout.
This not a chimney-licking, singed nostril Rauch by any stretch, but instead it's a very well balanced, gulpable Amber Ale with a nice smoky character.

 

 

 

 

 

Poured from a 750ml bottle into the modified tulip glass.
A - Mahogany color, fabulous mocha froth loose knit cap, steady carbonation feed a wonderful lacing.
S - Beech, malts in the best way. an American Rauch? Notes of cherry, rye and winter wheat with some warmth
light brown sugar, caramel and hints of shade tobacco.
T - Expressive malts on fine display. A bit of molasses, light brown sugar, toffee, smoked elements are everywhere.
M - Delicate and delightful, a soft delivery and solid finish.
O - This offering delivers a wonderful experience, smoke elements are displayed well, with a balance malt
profile and muted hop bite. well executed and displayed.
Cheers

 

Poured a light brown color with a 1F head in a Moa snifter.

I could smell the cherry wood roasted malt from the bottle just after easily popping the cork.
In the glass, the cherry wood roasted malt permeates the aroma- quite intense and remains so
for most of the tasting.

The smoked cherry wood is the main flavor in the taste and is finished nicely with intense bitterness.

Warming mellows the bitterness and broadens the cherry wood aroma/taste.

Overall- an excellent, intense, smoky roasted malt beer. I am a fan of this style. Cambridge Brewing is a MA favorite, and I especially like the collaboration with Valley Malt, a Western MA malter.