American Fist

Location of Origin: Contracted Through 108 Cabot Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040, USA (Headquartered in Boston)
Date Established: July 2011
Category: Local, Craft, Contract Micro Brewery with Beer Produced under Contract by Paper City Brewing, With Locally Focused Distribution.

Backlash Beer is a contract brewery made up of a small group of beer lovers and (seemingly) fun people. Well, we met a couple of them at the recent American Craft Beer Festival, and they seemed like good people. And despite the fact that the brewery's staff all have fun pictures and short witty bios of themselves on their website (there's even a dog who works there - appropriately named stout), you wouldn't think they're all that nice based on how they brand themselves. Seriously, their logo has a brass knuckle on it. Banned in many countries around the world including Canada, Germany, Norway, and Belgium among others, Brass Knuckles are a hand combat weapon used to concentrate the force of a punch into a smaller surface area, inflicting more potential harm on the target. Fun times. In France, they're legal to sell and own, but if you're caught carrying them around in public, expect legal trouble. Over there, brass knuckles are snootily called "poing americain" which means "American Fist". The French being charming, as always. Enough about them though. Backlash's brews are crafted via the Holyoke based Paper City Brewing Company, who also brews for other breweries including Brewmaster Jack. They currently have 9 beers listed of which three are annual offerings, five are limited brews, and one, a stout, has apparently been discontinued, but is making an return late this year. They currently only offer their beer in bombers as well as on tap within the confines of the Commonwealth. Since starting up in the summer of 2011 with co-founders Helder and Maggie, the brewery has been gaining statewide recognition for their products, selling out limited brews quickly, expanding their distribution, and participating in area beer festivals.

Reviewed Beer from Backlash Beer Company


None Yet.

All rated Beer from Backlash Beer Company

5-20-15 - Convergence - 3.05, American Saison/Farmhouse Ale, 7.50%
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5-31-14 - Death Imperial Stout - 3.64, Russian Imperial Stout, 9.00%
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6-01-13 - Salute - 3.42, American Double/Imperial IPA, 8.50%
This is Backlash's strongest beer and with an IBU of 85, expect a hoppy experience. Overall though, there's nothing terribly overwhelming or overpowering here. This is a relatively mellow beer with a good mix of trailing bitterness fronted with an array of sweeter fruity notes (mostly slightly citrusy notes, with some piney hops kicking in). And despite a moderately high ABV, this beer's aroma and flavor are not distracted with an elevated alcoholic taste. This is a medium bodied beer with an average amount of carbonation and a matching viscosity. This beer has a strong aromatic experience which reflects this beer's fruity and hoppy, but refined character. The somewhat lingering aftertaste is expectedly and confidently bitter with a dry closing.