Mac FannyBaw
Against the Grain Brewery in Louisville, Kentucky, United States 🇺🇸
Smoked / Rauchbier Regular Out of Production|
Score
6.82
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Truly a ground breaking beer, this Barrel aged Rauchbier was an attempt to replicate the flavors present in Islay Scotch Whiskey. We used Munich malt as a base and added copious amounts of Beechwood and Peat smoked malt, which provides the intense smoky and earthy peat flavors found in Scotch. Then the addition of Alderwood smoked salt lends a crisp brininess that is reminiscent of the sea air in the Islay region of Scotland. Aged in used Angel’s Envy Bourbon Barrels to give an intense caramel, vanilla and whiskey flavor.
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8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
22 ounce bottle into tulip glass, 2015 bottling. Pours slightly hazy orange/amber color with a 1-2 finger fairly dense off white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Aromas of big peat/wood smoke, sea salt, honey, light caramel, toasted bread, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, oak, light pepper, and herbal/smokey earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of smoked/bready malt, sea salt, and bourbon barrel notes; with good strength. Taste of big peat/wood smoke, sea salt, honey, light caramel, toasted bread, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, oak, light pepper, and herbal/smokey earthiness. Light-moderate bourbon/oak/smokey spiciness on the finish; with lingering notes of peat/wood smoke, sea salt, honey, light caramel, toasted bread, vanilla, toffee, bourbon, oak, light pepper, and herbal/smokey earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Damn nice complexity, robustness, and balance of smoked/bready malt, sea salt, and bourbon barrel flavors; with a great malt/spiciness balance and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very smooth and lightly crisp/saline mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a light warmth lingering after the finish. Overall this was a damn nice barrel aged rauchbier style. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of smoked/bready malt, sea salt, and bourbon barrel flavors; and very smooth and easy to sip on for the ABV. This was supposed to replicate Islay scotch as a beer, and they did a really good job at that; since it actually did remind me of some of the heavily peated scotches I have had in the past. The smoked salt was used with good restraint, as it wasn’t too overly briny in the mouthfeel; but provided a nice balanced flavor with the smoke and malt. A very enjoyable offering all around.
Tried
from Bottle
on 27 Aug 2015
at 22:18
5.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 5
Texture 4
Overall 5
Gushing - made all the worse thanks to the stupid muck on the crown - to a tower of yellowish dense foam on clear copper-orange beer. Smoked & sour, unripe fruit, phenols, orange and other citrus. Uneasy balance, already in the nose. Sour(ish) smoked, mineral, but with a sweetish-malty background. Faintly lemony. Phenols coming stronger and stronger warming up. As to Bourbon...? Bit astringent, phenols preventing any refreshing quality, better bodied if relieved by the fizziness. Sour and smoked - definitely a marriage with troubles.
Tried
on 01 Aug 2015
at 15:53
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle from kihsokh. Major gusher warning, this one gushed up about 20cl when opened, and it was not slowly. Be warned. Cloudy yellow, offwhite head. smoked, malty and fruity aroma, also notes of wood. aroma leads to scotch whiskey. Flavor is smoked, malts, wood bitterness, faint fruits. very complex, and almost tastes more like whiskey than like beer. I think it is the kind of beer that you get to like more and more as you drink more of it.
Tried
from Bottle
on 10 May 2015
at 18:28
6.9/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Tap @TheBottleShop Druid Street. Hazy orange, huge, fluffy white head. Tar, meaty, smokr aroma with barely noticable hops. Fruity, quite sweet and smoky flavour. Mouthfeel is creamy. Solid and tough.
Tried
from Draft
on 18 Apr 2015
at 08:39
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Tap. Pours hazy hazel, minimal head or lacing. Aroma is bourbon and vanilla forward, just a hint of smoke. Flavor is medium sweet, minimal bitterness, very light smoke, malty. Medium body, low carbonation, some heat.
Tried
from Draft
on 07 Apr 2015
at 17:59