Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier

Brewed by Brauerei Heller
Style: Smoked
Bamberg, Bayern, Germany

on tap at the maproom. wow surprised i saw this here. pours hazy ruby with creamy off white head. nose of smoked jerky. flavor is extremely dry, smoked wood. very enjoyable to drink and actually quite refreshing. i think urbock is better though but this was solid.3.8.

3/5/08, so i needed another sample of this so i headed right back for 2 more full pours. wow. i love this beer. easily the best smoked lager i’ve ever had. wonderful nose, salty smokey jerky and the flavor has nice bitterness and the same salty smoked jerky that makes this extremely thirst quenching. i’m in love.4.2. 3/29/09, on tap at maproom, wow awesome bacon nose, flavor is a tad sweet this time around and not bacon smokey enough. but a great brew nonetheless.4.2.

If ever I should "find religion," this will be my beer of choice for the season. From the tap it poured a hazy brownish amber and was capped by a pillowy, pale tan head. Lots of lace. The aroma is that of fresh bread topped with grilled sausages, bacon, and ham. Thick and creamy in the mouth, the malt had a caramel taste seriously flavored with smoked meats and sausage. A woody, grilled kind of bitterness appears at the midpoint and lingers throughout the finish. This is my idea of fasting.

<font size=-4><a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Map Room, Chicago, IL<font size=-1>

On tap at Map Room, Chicago. I liked this one even more than the Urbock. The bready yeast flavor is a surprisingly nice balance to the smoke. Nice mouth feel-- probably helped by not filtering.

Tap at Wildeman, Amsterdam. Attractive brown, amber in direct light, with a one-finger very dense tan-tinged foam. Aroma is predominantly campfire smoke and smoked meats, with a faint and pleasing caramel malt sweetness. The scent here is much more subdued than other Aecht offerings I’ve sampled - a little more rounded and balanced, a little less smoke-forward. Taste hints at smoke upfront and that smoke characteristic just pleasingly lingers through the whole experience, never thrusting itself onto center stage but always accentuating the main players, which in this case are grassy, mildly bitter hops and a distinctive chewy malt presence. An excellent mix of sweet and savory (really savory!) here, and a testament to the amazing balance a solid rauchbier can achieve: they don’t all have to be smoke bombs that slap you across the face with links of sausage.

Draught at The Gate. Enjoyed on a spring day in the outdoor garden, as it should be. Poured into a Grimbergen chalice a cloudy dark copper-brown with a frothy tan head. Sweet and smoky nose. Interesting flavors--smoky bacon on top of slightly sweet malts, with dark bread, caramel, wood, earth and even some cherry and red apple peel. Mild smokiness left on the tongue, which is actually mild and savory as opposed to harsh and cured. Smooth bodied but actually rich and filling-- probably the most "wholesome" tasting beer I’ve had. Would be perfect for breakfast. Glad to have had the opportunity to snag a glass of this one.

On tap at Town Hall Brewery, $5 for 10 oz....never even seen it in bottles, so I had to try it out! Clear, reddish/amber-y hue, firm cushion of cottony, off-white head holds court above. Aroma: sausage, pepporoni, ham sammiches...smo-KEY! Boisterous smoked malt aroma, meaty, beaty, big, & bouncy, with light noble hops accompanying. Taste: smooth & malty, but fully flavorful, juicy malt entertains the tastebuds, fruity flavors bump in for a bit, hops are light, body is medium, and the finish is long and malty. Smokey feel persists, but remains mellow in the mouth. Long lasting, malt has a marzen feel to it...not sure what style "fastenbier" is supposed to be...a Lenten fasting beer? It would suit me, if were ever inclined towards self-discipline. I thought a bock, which they already do, would cover that category for those who aren’t so severe in their austerity.

Finally got a chance to try this, on tap @ Blind Tiger. Poured into standard bar tulip glass with a strong frothy head. Color is deep brown with translucent edges but very low clarity. Amply smoked aroma, just what I was hoping for. Some lagered fruitiness mixed in their as well, which I did not enjoy. Taste is again full of lots of smoke flavor and a woody bitterness. Some oatmeal flavor. Aftertaste finishes with just a bit of malt flavor and light bitterness.

Tap at Blind Tiger - beautiful amber body with a frothy, dense head - strong, but not overpowering aroma of hickory and beechwood smoke, with subtle hints of munich malt - very soft carbonation and a creamy body/mouthfeel (wonderful texture) - mild bock-ish sweetness, with touches of bready/doughy flavors and some caramel - slight touches of vanilla and fruit esters (cherry, mostly) - the wood and smoke flavors are integrated extremely well, and the wood notes in particular combine really well with the sweetness, and add a hint of spice - a tiny bit of phenolics in the background, but they work well with the smoke - this beer is pretty much flawless - if I were fasting, I would drink this all day long - hell, I’d drink it all day long regardless.