Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

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

Sampled on tap at the brewery-pub
A very dark beer for a Marzen, a dark amber in color. This one is quite dry tasting, with a very pronounced smokiness to it. The dryness seems to accentuate and focus your tastebuds upon the smoke flavor. This beer has quite a good amount of Body, a certain fullness that comes through even though it is quite dry tasting. There is not much in the way of hop flavor, which is good, as it allows the subdued malt and smoke to come through.

500 ml bottle. Pours a dark ruby with a brilliant glow when held to the light. Small beige fizzy head with decent retention due to the fairly active carbonation. Aroma is everything that you could ask for from an unapologetic smoke beer. Campfire smoke, beef boullion, toasted malt, and bacon. Summed up in one word- mouthwatering! I could just smell this beer and be happy for an hour. Flavor has alot of toasted malt, fairly dry at first taste. Then the smoked meat bomb that is the beauty of this beer hits you like a train on the finish. Minimal amount of alcohol on the finish that lingers around forever. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with very active, yet soft, carbonation yielding a fairly creamy texture. This is the tops as far as Smoked beers go. Truely amazing, everything you could want from a Smoke beer.

500mL bottle. Pours a very dark, reddish cola-brown color; light tan head with solid fine-bubbled lacing. Fantastic smoky aroma: beef jerky, smoked meats, charred wood, and some spiciness; just an intense, spicy and pleasurable smoke character in the nose. Medium-to-full mouthfeel: relaxed carbonation; charred firewood, smoked meats, smoked gouda, and spiciness dominate the mouthfeel: chewy, full, intricate smokiness; just awesome stuff; the malty core suggests a lightness that adds a lot to drinkability: some sugar and breadiness, but barely perceptible underneath all the smoked malt; I’ve been craving to try this beer again for a while. Lengthy finish: spicy, smoked meats, charred wood, and nicely dry; no unnecessary sweetness.

Brown Coloring With Small Head. Very Smokey in Aroma and Taste. This One is Definitly Thicker or Heavier than the Weizen and Urbock But Not Bad.

Holy crap, this is one goooood friggin’ brew. A backyard bbq in a bottle. Liquid smoke in a glass. Oh, Lord, please deliver another to me! This is the second best beer I have ever had, hands down. I must have another! A perfect balance of smoke, hops, malt, smoke, hops, malt, and more smoke make this a MUST TRY!

First rating June 2002: As there is a phrase in Germany 'The little bit I do eat, I can also drink' this is the exact beer to act like this. Smoked ham aroma and tasting with malt intervalls. Long lasting aftertaste. Nice dark amber body, no head. I kind of liked it, but it is not a everyday beer. = 4.0/ Rated again: has also hoppy undertones. Pricks on the tongue - nice long lasting smokey bitter finish.

Bottle. Pours dark and reddish brown with a medium beige head. Now, I am a big fan of smokey single malts, but the cloying and sweet smokiness of this one, I could not stand at all. Two third of the bottle went right down the sink. My apologies to all rauchbier lovers.

This beer is for cookimg with only. You should not put this in your stein and be able to enjoy this as a session. Very dark for a Marzen. The smoke aroma overpowers any malt aroma. The smoke salami flavor overpowers any you try to eat or drink for the next few days!!! Very unique beverage.