E266: Smoked Beer and More with Switchback Brewing's Bill Cherry

Switchback Brewing is going to smoke all the beers

Switchback Brewing founder Bill Cherry has a passion for smoked beers.  He approaches smoke from a culinary standpoint, not to overwhelm the beer with smoky notes but to add depth and character to the beer while showing smoke as a legitimate flavor component.

Through their Flynn of Fire Smoked Beer Initiative Switchback shows off the world of smoked malts.  Their "Smoke-ometer" shows you what percentage of smoked malt is in each beer and you may be surprised at the subtleties of a beer with 25% of the malt bill smoked.  However, Switchback's top-selling beer is smoke-free.  Switchback Ale is not only the brewery's top seller but also the #1 selling beer in Vermont.  The beer was developed as a "flavor concept" and doesn't necessarily adhere to any specific style.  It's a drinkable amber-ish beer that blurs the lines between complexity and simplicity.

We also discuss Switchback's upcoming 20th anniversary and the decision to make the brewery 100% employee owned.

Although I went into the show a smoke hater I left with a greater appreciation for smoky beers and what can be down with smoked malt.  I'm still not on board for in in-your-face Rauchbier, but I'm down with what Switchback is doing.

The Beer List

• Switchback Ale (American Amber)
• Barrel-Aged Blackstrap Ale (Flynn on Fire Series)
• Bisounnay Chardonnay Barrel-Aged Saison (Flynn on Fire Series)
• Unkel Dunkel (Flynn on Fire Series)

Craft Beer News

• Stone Has Agreed to Pay In Excess of $1.8 Million To the TTB
• Sierra Nevada Set a Guinness Record With a Keg and a Trebuchet
• A Hack Forced Molson Coors To Stop Making Beer

More from Vermont breweries

• 14th Star Brewing with co-founder Steve Gagner | Ep. 193

Thanks for listening to Beer Guys Radio! Your hosts are Tim Dennis and Brian Hewitt with producer Nate "Mo' Mic Nate" Ellingson and occasional appearances from Becky Smalls.

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