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

Send us Fan Mail 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 Lawson’s Finest Liquids with Sean Lawson | Ep. 190 von Trapp Brewing | Ep. 127 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.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.Subscribe to Beer Guys Radio on your favorite app: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher  | RSSFollow Beer Guys Radio: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube If you enjoy the show we'd appreciate your support on Patreon.  Patrons get cool perks like early, commercial-free episodes, swag, access to our exclusive Discord server, and more!