The Cavern
Fox Farm Brewery

 

 

 

Pours the color of birch beer, with plenty of medium density khaki colored head. Very good retention and excellent lacing. Good looking beer.

On the nose, this smells like the half burned logs you find the morning after a fire. The aroma doesn't burst out of the glass, but once you get close, it's all wonderful smoked malts creating that "campfire" smell.

Taste is very smoke forward, even for the style. Smoked malts, meat, and some really nice subtle sweetness to balance things out. Full bodied and surprisingly creamy. Long, smoky finish that evolves over time.

Overall, if you don't like smoke, you won't like this beer. Personally I love it, and I though this beer was excellent.

Pours a dark brown color. Appears to be somewhat cloudy when held up to the light. two finger, off-white head forms on the beer, mostly dissipates, except for a thin layer of velvety foam remains on the beer. Aroma gives away the style immediately - rich notes of smoked malts immediately punch the nostrils. Strong smoke, smoked meat, some light bready malts are all present on the nose.

Taste follows the nose with notes of smoked malts, smoked meat, campfire smoke with a distinct sweetness to this one. Moderately bitter hops come through on the back end providing a mild hop bite. Feel is medium bodied and smooth. A bit warming. Moderate carbonation.

Very nice smoked lager! Well worth trying if you are a fan of the style(s).

 

 

Appearance: Dark brown with ruby highlights, clear. Frothy off white head, great retention

Aroma: Smokey all the way. Smells like a fireplace or a campfire

Flavor: Sweet malt backbone. Smokey. Mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied. Low carbonation. Moderate length finish.

Overall: These are always hard for me to rate. I'm not a big fan of Rauchbier but they are so unique and interesting. Definitely reminds one of the Schlenkerla Urbock. The smoke flavor and aroma always seem to overwhelm the base beer. You'd never know you were drinking a doppelbock. Very good amongst the Rauchbier grouping. No flaws. I believe this one is misclassified and should be under Rauchbier not Doppelbock in the BA database.

Thanks to Roy_Hobbs for this one, as part of the bombings during NBS BIF #15. 16oz can (dated 3/2/22) poured into 14oz teku. Poured a lightly translucent dark cola color with about a half-inch of tan head that had moderate retention and light lacing.

A nicely strong smoke note had the front of the olfactory aspect, with solid grains providing a foundation. Maybe some very light hops hanging around.

Very similar on the tongue; smoke forward, but not totally dominant, allowing the earthy grains to also have a place.

The body was a bit lighter than typical for the style, smooth, even, and had a semi-sweet finish that dried out after a few moments.

Drinkability was very nice, I would knock back another of these right now, and would keep some in the fridge if it were local to me.

Overall, a very brew. An interesting take on the style, certainly worth a shot if you see it.

 

Smoked lagers forever

16oz. Can served in a Nordic Cooler. Pours a lovely translucent mahogany hue with a loose, cream-colored head that dissipates towards the shoulders. Nose reveals lovely smoked malt aromas, very much akin to a Schlenkerla beer. Taste follows nose with a hint of toffee sweetness in the background. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with a pleasant, even carbonation. Overall, a very nice take on the style.

Dark amber body; nice carbonation; very dense and creamy head, off-white in color, lasting and rocky. Outstanding smokey nose; hardwood char and bacon. Exquisite taste, much like the smell; rich, smokey sweetness; moderate caramel lurking beneath the smoke; nice phenolic bitterness. Heavy body; velvety smooth; beautiful residual sugar feel; heavy sweetness overall with some smokey and alcohol dryness counterpointing the sweetness.

I love this beer because it closely resembles the class Bamberg beechwood smoked beers from Brauerei Heller-Trum. Smoked beer doesn't need to be so forward, but nothing is worse than a beer being labeled 'smoked' and one can barely detect any smokiness. Fox Farm did a stand-up job with this beer.

Pouring temperature: 46.2 ℉; canning data: 03/02/22

Absolutely perfectly beautiful beer. Crystal clear and transparent, despite the dark reddish-brown hue. Light tan head, with excellent production, retention, and lacing.

The smoke is evident from a distance, and quite potent up close. Base malt notes of raisin and dark bread are mostly overwhelmed (pleasantly). Smoke leans heavily toward woody notes, not unlike a campfire or fireplace (instead of the hammy notes of some smoked beers). Quite reminiscent of Aecht-Schlenkerla. If you're looking for an aromatic Doppelbock, this isn't quite it; if you're looking for a potently aromatic smoked beer, this one is here for you!

Similar on the palate, although more of the base beer comes through - at least at first. The smoke is honestly a little heavy, almost medicinal, by mid-sip - and I love smoked beers. A bit meaty in profile, as well. I'm not sure I've ever had a smoked beer this potent in that expression.

Drinkable but moderate to full bodied, quite appropriate for the style and ABV. The smoke is more of a deterrent to the feel than any alcohol sting.

This might be just a bit too much on the smoke, although it's certainly worth trying. To me, the marriage of a Doppelbock - with it's rich, semi-sweet malt base - and smoked malts are wonderful when done right, but in this case, the former is simply overwhelmed by the latter. It's a fantastic smoked beer in its own right, but at the same time, a bit of a lost opportunity. I would almost prefer to try this amount of smoke flavor (and aroma) on a lighter malt base.

This one pours a golden dark brown color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells like bittersweet caramel, cedar, campfire smoke, brown sugar, and molasses.

This is extremely smoky, and it might put off some people. But, for me, someone who's always loved rauchbier, this really hits the spot. The smoke doesn't overwhelm for me, it adds a warm and enveloping feeling of being outside at a campfire on a warm summer night. There's some cedar and earthy tones, with a sweet caramel, brown sugar, and molasses drippy malt character. There's also lots of breadiness and maybe even some leather.

Fox Farm is one the only American breweries that even attempts to do smoked beers, let alone even do them competently. This is yet another notch in that old smoky belt of theirs.