Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier

tap at beer engine. Pours brown with an offwhite head. Notes of smoked beef jerky, campfire, more smoke! flavor is earth, smokey clothes, rotten fruit. interesting beer. if you’re into smoked, don’t pass this up.

On tap, not sure why this is on now, but I’ll take it. Poured a clear deep brown with a thick slightly off white head. Nice smoke aroma, pungent but not overpowering. Smoky flavor with some wonderful background sweetness. very smooth flavor. Really tastes like a brown sugar glazed smoked ham, and that is awesome. Creamy mouthfeel and a delicious smokey finish. Really nice beer.

On tap. Clear, warm orangey brown with a dense and handsome off-white head leaving laces. Intense, fat and baconish smoke aroma with a whiff of butter. Full-bodied with a solid malt base with some caramel. Lightly bitter finish. 080409

On draft at the brickstore in GA. Pours a murky light brown with amber highlights and ample off white head that leaves a nice sparkliing lace. Nose is a near perfect blend of virginia ham, fatty bacon drippings, and toasty croutons. Flavor is just a small step down with a ham soup, with a slightly sweet astringent note. Medium chewy body with moderate carbonation is enjoyable. Another stellar beer from these guys! But I still think the marzen is the best.

7/07/2008: Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier has a very inviting aroma that is like a campfire. It has a great smoky quality that is not the typical smoked Beechwood malt. The smokiness is almost soft since it doesn’t really overpower or overwhelm. The beer itself is a transparent, dull light brown color. It has a small but dense and long-lasting off-white head that leaves thick lacing on the glass. The flavor includes a nice fruity maltiness and floral/noble hoppiness with a great layer of campfire smoke sitting on top. I really like the charred wood character that also has hints of smoky beef jerky. It is dry with a slight bitterness that lingers. This beer is medium-bodied and soft and smooth on the palate. It has a great balance of malt, hops, and smoke. Overall this beer is both excellent and delicious. Why don’t they bottle this fantastic beer?!

Draught (5.5% ABV) at the Buckeye Beer Engine in Lakewood, Ohio. Rating #125 for this beer.

Draft @ Ølbaren, Copenhagen. Pours a clear dark amber color with a longlasting off-white head. Has a smoky malty aroma with hints of caramel. Sweetish malty carmel flavor with nice smoke hints. Has a sweetish smooth malty finish with long smoky aftertaste.

Growler, via GodOfThunder. Pours a slightly hazy dark amber body with a frothy one inch off-white head that left lots of delicate lacing. The nose is only a beer Schlenkerla could pull off. Amazing campfire smokiness with a slightly sweet maltiness, just damn near perfect. Makes me want a side order of bacon with this. Up front and aggressive meaty smokiness dominates the flavor from front to back. There’s a good bit of malt, but not caramel or toffee, just a little toasty and a little sweet. There may be a bit of a hop influence on the finish, but I just can’t get my mind off the smoke to appreciate it. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, fairly soft and creamy in texture with perfect soft pinpoint carbonation. Lingering smoked jerky like finish. This was great, it’s been too long since I had a beer from Schlenkerla.

Growler generously shared by theisti. Pours a pretty, bright reddish iced-tea color with a thin wispy white head. The nose is of subtle smoked malt and smoked pork. An exercise in restraint, when compared to most of the smoked brews that I’ve sampled, the aroma on this beer is very, very nice. Light-bodied and lightly effervescent with a pleasant mineral quality at the finish. Soft, sweet, smoky malt with a balancing mineral and lightly bitter finish. This is a very nice beer: easily the best light-bodied smoked beer that I’ve tried. Thanks a ton for sharing this treat with us, Tim.