Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Bottle. This poured a dark, yet apparently light-bodied ruddy brown, with a solid frothy head. That wonderful fireplace-residing Aecht smokiness wafts towards my nasal passages from the first instant. A fully smoky component is integral to this brew, but not in a way that makes you feel like you’re licking an ashtray ... it’s more subtley imbued into the drink. Like all of these Bamberger classics, this makes me yearn for a solid block of smooth cheese, or perhaps even a nice cigar. (#3327, 2/17/2008)

Great rauch. Aroma was near perfect. Strong smoke with not much else. Pour was a nice deep burnt amber with a thin off white ring for a head. Taste was delicious. Sweet malt with the smoke kicking in midway down the throat. After the smoke exits the nostrils there is a sweet malty aftertaste that just doesn’t belong. Average carbonation. Wish the smoke was more up front than just the aftertaste, but all in all a great smoked. Trying the urbock next!

Bottle. Dark brown with very little head. Aroma and flavor is somewhere between a long night around the campfire and a large helping of smoked salmon. Smooth, medium body with slight carbonation. Certainly an interesting beer, however not one I see myself coming back to.

500ml Stubby $3.69 Binny’s Orland When I’m in the mood for a Rauchbier I usually reach for Schlenkerla’s Marzen. Pours a beautiful chestnut brown with ribbons of mahogany when backlit. Tiny streams of carbonation rise to the surface as there’s tiny sediment suspended throughout. A one finger beige head formed on the pour and rather quickly fell to a solid cap. No lacing was left after the head fell but each sip did leave some decent lacing. The aroma is that of a good hardwood smoked bacon. There’s a strong presence of smoke once your nose is stuck in the glass but there is a solid caramel and fresh grain base that reminds you you’re smelling beer and not breakfast. While the smokiness is certainly there and in your face it’s tastefully done without being overwhelming. The initial flavor of smoked bacon is upfront but quickly levels out to include a caramel sweetness mid-palate and a a clean graininess toward the finish. It’s hard to believe but this beer, even with all the smoke, is fragile. All the flavors come together without one outdoing the other. I do really enjoy the mouthfeel of this beer. Seems to have a moderate body but the carbonation creates an incredibly smooth creamy finish. This beer just glides through my mouth effortlessly. This is a beer I find myself in the mood for every now and then but it’s best enjoyed with certain types of food. Smoked salmon is a great choice. That said one in a sitting is enough for me but that one bottle goes down pretty easy. Like I said earlier, if I’m in the mood for something a little off the beaten path this is what I pick up. One of the world class rauchbiers. 2/1/08

Bottle via slob. A wondrous aroma of smokehouse cheese and meat. Aslo of this summers wood splitting regimen. Pours an semi oily brown with a dense tight white head. Webby lacing. Some light gets tru the glass at edges and center. Body is light to medium and smoked malts prevail but do not overpower the roasted malt with satelites of hops. Thanks Bertly.

Aug. 2006 - This is one well crafted brew. It’s been sitting in my fridge for some time now, I could never get in the mood for it. Even tonight I popped the top and just thought, "Ugh, wet burnt wood." Pour was beautiful, nice head, nice lacing, dark reddish brown color. The first sip brought a tremendous surprise. Smooth creamy mouthfeel. This tasted liked some smokey bacon or sausage...not just smoke, but it actually tastes like other spices commonly found in smoked meat as well. Liquid pork product, smoked in a glass.

Pours out brownish red with a thin white head. Aroma is smoked dried sausage, smoked kielbasa, and your flannel shirt the night after being around the campfire. Taste is clean, smoky, caramel malt, with a little bitterness. Finishes dry and clean with some of the smokiness left behind. This is actually the first time I have been able to finish this beer because I really am not a fan of this style. The beer is very well made, but the smoke always seems to get to me. I paired this with a smoked Gouda to kind of balance the taste and it seems to work.

Poured a relatively pale, clear brown color with a compact off-white head that was fairly persistent and offered up spots of lacing. The smoke aroma is in charge, but no so much that it keeps the sweet caramel and sugar from creeping out along with some roasted meat. Looks weird to type that, but it works. The flavor is more of a battle between the smoke and the caramel sweetness. Some salty meat comes into play but it isn’t distracting. The body is on the thin side.