Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

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

Lovely smokey aroma and poured deep reddish brown with a nice creamy head that pretty much disappeared immediately. Yummy smokey and meaty flavor with a lingering aftertaste like you just ate a chunk of smoked gouda cheese, May not sound too appealing but it is indeed a very very good and enjoyable brew. It would probably be great with grilled meat..

My first thought when I tried this beer was of smoked cheese.Love lts dark appearance and the lingering smokey taste that hits your mouth like an exploding cannon ball.Very dark for a Marzen and a beer that you either love or hate athough I personally think its really weird to hate it! Give it a 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.

Eating prosciutto while walking in a damp, smoked filled tunnel...Wooden torchlight in hand, you finally reach the end of the corridor and find a creamy apple pie waiting for you...Quite an illuminating, heavy fog...

The tap version at the Schlenkerla Ausschank in Bamberg is even a little smokier if you can imagine that, but also very drinkable. The lingering, coating smoke is beautifully blended with quaffability, and the finishing drying effect just makes you want to have more. As good as the bottle, though more quenching.

2003 bottle. Good ruddy, red-brown pour with some lighter oranges as well. Big creamy light-mocha colored head that sticks on top for most of the beer. Lots of lacing. Smells of sweet malt, slight smoked woodiness. No sediment of any sort and mostly clear, or I would have given it a 5 for appearance. Taste starts out with a semi-sweet, ultra balanced marzen flavor; light honey, good nutty hops, caramel malt. The smokiness comes on in the middle and slowly builds into a wonderful finish of smoke, smoke and more smoke. Like smoking a nice cuban while eating a bacon, and smoked gouda sandwich on brown bread (ok no one actually does that, but you get the point). Smoke is not subtle, but I did enjoy the fact that the flavors were layered and the marzen flavor was there at the start. Medium body, didnt get any thinning. Light carbonation, good stuff.

Got this one bottled at the Binny’s Oktoberfest in St. Charles, Illinois. What can I say, this is one of the most interesting beers I’ve ever tried. Smells like sticking your head into a barbeque, looks as black as coal, and tastes like grilling. This would be great to spice up some baked beans or as a nice marinade, but it’s a bit much to drink a lot of them, actually.

I have got to try this with eggs. Huge bacon character over one of the best Maerzens I’ve tasted. Excellent.

Clear ruby amber with a moderate head. What an aroma. Visions of a toasty fire and beef jerkey dance through my head! Delightful smoky flavor with tasty malts and a faint bitterness. Medium mouthfeel with some wateriness and a dry finish. Excellent!