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Smoked Märzen (Flynn on Fire Smoked Beer Initiative)
Switchback Brewing Company
- From:
- Switchback Brewing Company
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- Smoked Beer
- ABV:
- 5.4%
- Score:
- 92
- Avg:
- 4.23 | pDev: 8.04%
- Reviews:
- 10
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Aug 09, 2020
- Added:
- Apr 07, 2016
- Wants:
- 3
- Gots:
- 7
A strong dose of old world smokiness adds a whole new dimension to the Märzen experience. Our Smoked Märzen carries an intense smoke flavor that elevates this style to new heights of complexity and satisfaction. Take a few sips and be transported to the cobblestone streets and biergartens of Bamberg, Germany where Rauchbiers are a way of life.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by NeroFiddled:
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania
4.4/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.4/5 rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Switchback Brewing Co. "Smoked Märzen"
22 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "Bottled: 2-23-26" and sampled on 8-18-16
Appearance: In the glass it's a slightly hazy deep mahogany brown beneath a creamy head of khaki that holds well but leaves less than its share of lacing behind.
Aroma: What a beautiful beer for lovers of smoked beers, or more specifically, Beechwood smoked beers! The smoke comes through clearly in the nose displaying wood and ham or bacon over a gently medium-caramelish malt base. It's just the right amount as less wouldn't quite be bright enough, and more might be too much.
Flavor: Not unlike the aroma, the amount of smoke in the flavor is just right. It still allows the grainy, toasty and caramelish malt to come through; and it's not over-done to the point that it becomes harsh, or builds on the palate. There's a little bit of spiciness to it as well, which I assume is coming from the hops as it's only 5.4% ABV. It's smoky, sweetish, caramelish, spicy, and dry in that order, followed by lingering spice, toast, caramel, leaves, dull smoke, and an edge of roastiness. Ocassionally there are flickers of soft fruitiness as well. It's soft and elegant with a relaxed complexity beneath the veil of the Beechwood smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a gently-crisp-then-smooth mouthfeel. The carbonation seems restrained, probably to give it more softness so that it doesn't amp-up the phenolic character of the smokiness with carbonic acidity and "bristle". Very fine bubbled and velvety once warmed.
Overall: Impressive. The more it warms the more complex it becomes, although the Beechwood smoke steals the show from start to finish. It's not the kind of beer you plow through, although you certainly could if you wanted to! Lovely, and better than many of the rauchbier-Märzen I've had from Franconia in both base-beer and smoke component.
Aug 18, 201622 fl. oz. brown glass bottle, "Bottled: 2-23-26" and sampled on 8-18-16
Appearance: In the glass it's a slightly hazy deep mahogany brown beneath a creamy head of khaki that holds well but leaves less than its share of lacing behind.
Aroma: What a beautiful beer for lovers of smoked beers, or more specifically, Beechwood smoked beers! The smoke comes through clearly in the nose displaying wood and ham or bacon over a gently medium-caramelish malt base. It's just the right amount as less wouldn't quite be bright enough, and more might be too much.
Flavor: Not unlike the aroma, the amount of smoke in the flavor is just right. It still allows the grainy, toasty and caramelish malt to come through; and it's not over-done to the point that it becomes harsh, or builds on the palate. There's a little bit of spiciness to it as well, which I assume is coming from the hops as it's only 5.4% ABV. It's smoky, sweetish, caramelish, spicy, and dry in that order, followed by lingering spice, toast, caramel, leaves, dull smoke, and an edge of roastiness. Ocassionally there are flickers of soft fruitiness as well. It's soft and elegant with a relaxed complexity beneath the veil of the Beechwood smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a gently-crisp-then-smooth mouthfeel. The carbonation seems restrained, probably to give it more softness so that it doesn't amp-up the phenolic character of the smokiness with carbonic acidity and "bristle". Very fine bubbled and velvety once warmed.
Overall: Impressive. The more it warms the more complex it becomes, although the Beechwood smoke steals the show from start to finish. It's not the kind of beer you plow through, although you certainly could if you wanted to! Lovely, and better than many of the rauchbier-Märzen I've had from Franconia in both base-beer and smoke component.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio
3.93/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I tried this beer at the brewery. It poured a clear amber with white head that did not leave much lace. The scent had smoke highlights. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with sweet malt start and smoke finish. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall its a good beer.
Oct 01, 2019Rated by BEERMILER12 from Maine
4.21/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
On tap at the brewery
Sep 03, 2019Reviewed by puboflyons from New Hampshire
4.04/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev -4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
From the 650 ml. bottle with a stamp of 18156. That could mean June 5, 2018. Sampled on July 11, 2019.
Handsome looking mahogany-brown pour with a tan head and a little bit of lacing.
Nice aroma of caramel malts, roasted malts, possibly raisins, and of course the smoke. Floral hops are mellow.
Smooth, medium body.
It definitely has a sweet roasted malt presence in the flavor as well as a mellower, low profile smoke. B ut that could be due to the age of the bottle. Still, I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Jul 11, 2019Handsome looking mahogany-brown pour with a tan head and a little bit of lacing.
Nice aroma of caramel malts, roasted malts, possibly raisins, and of course the smoke. Floral hops are mellow.
Smooth, medium body.
It definitely has a sweet roasted malt presence in the flavor as well as a mellower, low profile smoke. B ut that could be due to the age of the bottle. Still, I enjoyed it quite a lot.
Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia
3.93/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the bottle, it pours a reddish dark amber with a nice off-white head that slowly diminishes to a thin layer and leaves lots of lacing. Much smoke in the nose - Bamberg style. Taste follows nose, with a sweetish malt base. Nice!
Jan 14, 2019Rated by orcrist_cleaver from New York
4.45/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.45/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
This beer brings hearkens back to Bamberg. Sweet plum, burnt oranges, grainy, caramel, toast, and spicy-sweetness.
Sep 21, 2018Reviewed by tigerinatrance from New York
4.61/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.61/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Tasty, tasty stuff. The pour makes it looks like it will have a denser mouth feel, but it moves around the mouth easily and is not as thick as it looks. As soon as the bottle was opened, I could smell hints of smoked wood, bacon, and subtle vanilla. Tantalizing. The pour yielded a head that kept going and going and going, not dissipating through little sip after little sip. It was a chilly day in Vermont and as soon as this brew touched my lips, I knew... fall is coming. And I’ll be drinking a lot of this during this fall. The smokiness is no joke... it’s intense, but well blended. Forget any ideas of liquid smoke flavor being there, it’s very natural tasting and balanced. As the head creeps down the glass it leaves inconsistent lacing, but it is there. Man, I expected this to be syrupy but it’s not... frothy, maybe, definitely not syrupy. Probably my favorite Switchback brew since good ol’ blue labeled Switchback Ale. Can’t wait to make it back to the brewery and stock up on this heavenly brew!
Sep 11, 2018Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts
4.19/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.19/5 rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle dated 3/5/18 into the test glass.
A - Deep Mahogany color, excellent clarity displays determined carbonation moving top side. A thin cap of white froth leaves french lacing during the experience
S - Gently smoke forward, roast malts and an earthy hop presence
T - Caramel, earthy hops, sweet smoked bacon, rye toast. Excellent
M - Medium body is carried well with the carbonation acting a shepherd towards a semi sweet finish
O - What a nice treat this one is, Smoked malts deftly applied to a grain bill that matches well. Lagering tames the edges.
Excellent on nearly every front
Jul 04, 2018A - Deep Mahogany color, excellent clarity displays determined carbonation moving top side. A thin cap of white froth leaves french lacing during the experience
S - Gently smoke forward, roast malts and an earthy hop presence
T - Caramel, earthy hops, sweet smoked bacon, rye toast. Excellent
M - Medium body is carried well with the carbonation acting a shepherd towards a semi sweet finish
O - What a nice treat this one is, Smoked malts deftly applied to a grain bill that matches well. Lagering tames the edges.
Excellent on nearly every front
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
4.57/5 rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.57/5 rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
22 oz bottle poured into a glass mug.
The appearance was a semi-dark mahogany color with a good sturdy finger's worth of eggshell white foamy head. That head must have lasted a good two minutes before any kind of dissipation was seen. Lace was a bit messy, choppy.
The aroma had a magical arrangement of sweet succulent ham to bacon, the practically perfect contour of smoke with nice levels of earthy hay to grassy hop features.
The flavor yields to the sweet smokiness initially then develops a sly earthy quality for balancing exceptionally. Slight sticky meaty aftertaste with a light earthiness.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sessionability about it. Modest carbonation yields some stickiness but not burdensome. ABV felt appropriate.
Overall, an extremely fabulous smoked beer that I would love to have again preferably in the Autumn.
Jun 15, 2018The appearance was a semi-dark mahogany color with a good sturdy finger's worth of eggshell white foamy head. That head must have lasted a good two minutes before any kind of dissipation was seen. Lace was a bit messy, choppy.
The aroma had a magical arrangement of sweet succulent ham to bacon, the practically perfect contour of smoke with nice levels of earthy hay to grassy hop features.
The flavor yields to the sweet smokiness initially then develops a sly earthy quality for balancing exceptionally. Slight sticky meaty aftertaste with a light earthiness.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fair sessionability about it. Modest carbonation yields some stickiness but not burdensome. ABV felt appropriate.
Overall, an extremely fabulous smoked beer that I would love to have again preferably in the Autumn.
Reviewed by kool-aid from Vermont
4.9/5 rDev +15.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.9/5 rDev +15.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Currently available on tap at the brewery and in 22 oz. bombers to go. This may be my favorite Switchback creation- it's incredibly well made with Schlenkerla levels of smoke without the sweet syrup-y finish. It's the best smoke beer in town for sure.
Apr 18, 2017
Smoked Märzen (Flynn on Fire Smoked Beer Initiative) from Switchback Brewing Company
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
26 ratings
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