Big Smoky
Avery Brewing Company

 

 

The name doesn't lie. The smoke is incredible. I quit smoking a couple years ago and this made me not want to start ever again. The smokeyness was baffling. Over the top, I couldn't get much else. The smell was nice and the appearance beautiful, but I just couldn't get over the feeling of choking almost.

The big smoky pours a fiery amber color with a tan head.

Smells of smoke, and meats.

Tastes of sweet ham, apple juice, and hickory smoke, without a doubt a fantastic manly flavor. I have friends who've barley touched a micro or craft and this is their favorite beer ever. Smoked meat man, smoked meat.

Medium Body and carbonation, smooth.

You have to try this if you get to the brew pub, I would put it in my top three there.

On tap at the Avery brewery. Caesar head, smokey brown that is very sweet and smokey. Mouth puckering, but on thin side. The aroma is smokey. So-so ruchbier and talking to staff that's what they volunteered. It was the Fumator that improved on it, with scotch barreling.

This one is almost an "I dare you!" beer but only in the sense that most people would shy away at the idea of a beer that is 90% smoked malt as the guys at Avery claim. It is a good looking beer with a dark amber/brownish appearance with good carbonation and head. The nose is very smoky but doesn't smell like a campfire. More like the whif you get from properly smoked BBQ. The taste is far more balanced than you would suspect with plenty of malt. But the main characteristic is the huge smoke flavor and resulting "ham" flavors. It sounds strange but it's actually quite tasty. No a session beer but quite enjoyable and would as you suspect go great with BBQ.

Had this one on tap tonight at the Avery Quinquepartite release. Listed on the beer menu as a rauchbier, but the abv seems a little high for the style (not that I'm complaining). Pours a medium amber color, with a somewhat fluffy white head. Huge smoky (bacon?) aromas here, dominate the nose. On the palate, however, this one is actually quite balanced, as the smoke blends nicely with the sweet caramel malt and a late hoppy finish. A very enjoyable beer, but I probably wouldn't want this one all that often.