Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

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

nice bacon aroma, reddish brown color, but very little flavor. This Marzen doesn’t compare well w/ their Urbock. I wasn’t too impressed.

Bottle; poured a dark, cola brown with a small off white head. Aroma of smoked malt, leather, meat, and bean and bacon soup. Definitely an acquired taste; would have never liked this a year ago. For the amount of smoky flavor, it is pretty easy drinking. Some sweetness and meat, but not the most complex version of the style. Slightly above average for the style, but could have used a little bit more complexity and balance.

What a nice beer, smokey, but like a ham, or something, it is very black, and would get you in the floor if you attempt to drink too much. I liked it, very quallity.

Sampled today (from bottle) at Mecklenburg Gardens in Cincinnati... This is a superb rauchbier. Color is dark brown (cola) and is surprisingly clear. Aroma and flavor are both an amazing smoke with a hint of meatiness behind it. The smokiness is rich and completely permiates this brew, but it’s a bit hard to describe. It isn’t like burned or charred wood, it isn’t artificial in taste or smell, and it isn’t overpowering. It is meatly, rich, and satisfying. The finish is dry, slight char, and some bittering hops come through. Medium body, but full on the tongue. Overall, this beer has a rich and complex malt base and deep smokiness to it. It is a wonderful sipping beer and would probably be well acoompanied by fine cigar and would also go great with many types of food. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer and look forward to trying it again, the other rauchbier offerings from this brewery (they also make a wheat and ur-bock version), and other smoked beers in gerneral. 500 mL bottle.

RERATE 10 july 03: Just returned from bamberg this beer is fantastic. Even better from oak casks. Low carbonation but still refreshing and smoked at the same time. Incrediblely intense and complex. The smoke is well balanced and not too overwhelming. Very nice. I tried this together with big onions filled with meat in a Rauchbier Marzen sauce. Incredible. It should be compulsory for any school class in Germany to wisit the unique brew pub.

0.5 l bottle. Mahagony color with creamy head. Strong smoky and tarry aroma. Malty, smoky, woody and tarry flavor. Strong smoke aroma and flavor, yet very balanced and tasty.

Bottle. The famous "salami" beer from years past. A dark tea brown color with a foamy light brown head. Strong smoked ham aroma with a malty meat flavored finish. I prefer the Urbock, as this one seems too one dimensional. Smoked to the end.

Dark, clear, coppery color, the perfect hue for a marzen, with abundant foam atop, creamy, and leaving lace. Beautiful looking glass of beer. Aroma: bacon. Big malt, sweetness, but mostly smoke, cured ham, smoked salmon, memories of meat. This continues into the taste, and joins the palate most pleasantly. Crowds the mouth with sensation. Juicy malt, a fine marzen lies underneath, and is treated well with the smoking. Much milder than other rauchbiers, the smoke playing gently, it’s at the fore, but never too much. Medium bodied, but fully flavored, with a mild, malty finish. Tasty. A remarkable experience, and unforgettable beer.