Blackstrap Ale
Switchback Brewing Company
- From:
- Switchback Brewing Company
- Vermont, United States
- Style:
- Rauchbier
Ranked #4 - ABV:
- 5.9%
- Score:
- 92
Ranked #5,688 - Avg:
- 4.33 | pDev: 8.78%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 2
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 17, 2026
- Added:
- Sep 30, 2017
- Wants:
- 7
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
92
Outstanding
92
Outstanding
This smoky dark ale is inspired by Switchback Founder Bill Cherry’s time in Kansas City. Blackstrap Ale harkens to KC’s iconic BBQ tradition with its combination of sweet and smoke, derived from an outrageous use of smoked, roasted, and caramelized malts with a hint of dark brown sugar. Drink up and dream of burnt ends with this explosion of bold and smoky flavors.
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Reviewed by BeerAndGasMasks from Virginia
4/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev -7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From the bottle, it pours a slightly hazy brown color with a modest, though long lasting, head. Lacing as you enjoy the beer. In the nose, smoke, which also follows in the mouth, with an ever so slightly sweet malt base. Nice!
Jan 11, 2019
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont
4.5/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.5/5 rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured into a glass mug, the appearance was a nice looking amber color with a sheet of eggshell white foamy head. This head dissipated fairly slow. Ended up leaving a bit of concave lace.
The aroma has a fantastic blend of molasses, smoked maple syrup, sweet wood, light bacon/ham, some burnt/ash/char dryness, moderate earthiness.
The flavor was moderately sweet with a fair smokiness about it. Light aftertaste of sweet bready malts, molasses and ash.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fine sessionability about it. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt appropriate. Semi-sticky yet smooth sweet finish.
Overall, I really think Switchback found their claim to Vermont fame in these smoked beers. All different in their own ways yet still showcasing fine smoky features in each. Hoping they put these back on the market this Autumn, I'll enjoy them more with some football games.
Jun 15, 2018The aroma has a fantastic blend of molasses, smoked maple syrup, sweet wood, light bacon/ham, some burnt/ash/char dryness, moderate earthiness.
The flavor was moderately sweet with a fair smokiness about it. Light aftertaste of sweet bready malts, molasses and ash.
The mouthfeel was about medium bodied with a fine sessionability about it. Carbonation felt fine. ABV felt appropriate. Semi-sticky yet smooth sweet finish.
Overall, I really think Switchback found their claim to Vermont fame in these smoked beers. All different in their own ways yet still showcasing fine smoky features in each. Hoping they put these back on the market this Autumn, I'll enjoy them more with some football games.
Rated by Rachel82 from Massachusetts
5/5 rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Great beer!
Oct 02, 2017
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