Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

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

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!

A truly unique beer. Has a wonderful smokey aroma, texture and taste. It goes down bitter, but has a wonderful aftertaste.

Bottle and from barrel at brewery. I tend to prefer the Urbock but this is the classic benchmark rauchbier and I’ll wait to have several pints of Urbock from the wood to make a final decision which is my real favorite. Pours deep brown with a big, fluffy, lasting and aromatic head. Pure smoked malt aromas, flavors. The body is designed for quaffability. In-your-face smokiness yet balanced with a slight bit of sweet. Just lovely.

This one was an absolute pleasure to drink. So much so I was side-tracked on my first tasting a few weeks ago and ended up reading through the Schlenkerla website rather than focusing on the rating. I have since stock-piled my cellar with bottles of this in the fear it may not be available in Oz for too much longer. Poured into a chalice glass, a thin bubbly, dense pad of beige foam settled atop a clear, deep russet-brown body. Head lasted for the length and left a little legs. Unique and initially overwhelming aroma of cured pork and beef, pickled anchovies, smoky, roasted malt and ash, peppery spices and an unusual hint of dark dried and aged fruits. The aroma set the mood nicely and continued to waft from the glass as I sipped. Lighter than expected body, extremely flavoursome and well rounded, unbelievably smooth and as complex as the aroma. Quite smoky and woody, the light spritzy carbonation bounces the cured meats, roasted grain, bready yeast, zesty dried fruits and husky ash flavours across the palate and manages to invade every orifice of the mouth, before finishing off with a long, dry and mouth watering, burnt grain swallow. The beer seemed to alter its character as I went along, but remained and absolute treat for the senses. Refreshing, explosive, mellowing and unique, all at the same time. This became an instant favourite on my first sip and gets better with every bottle since. A love it or hate it beer, but for me its a winner. Lovely!!! (500mL, Int’l beer shop, W. Leederville)

I f you had told me two years ago that I would be raising my score for this beer to a near perfect score, I would have laughed in your face - but I’ve been drinking this beer at least once a week for months, and it just keeps getting better - if that isn’t reason enough for such a great score, I don’t know what is[man, the more I have of this beer, the more perfect I think it is - strong smoke, sure, but it has a balance that surpasses all other schlunkerla beers - this stuff is nearly perfect - I never get tired of it, not matter how often I drink it] I can’t believe I’ve never rated this stuff - oh well, better late than never - beautiful ruby hue, with minimal head, but lasting lace - powerful aroma of beechwood and hickory smoke (so natural you’d swear you were around a campfire), with background caramel and munich malt sweetness, and some subtle fruity notes - smooth, creamy mouthfeel, with medium carbonation - the smokiness in the flavor is exactly as the aroma makes you expect it will taste - very natural and earthy - mild hop bitterness through the middle - medium-bodied, with light fruitiness and a caramel sweetness that balances perfectly with the hops, smoked malt, and woody notes - with this many ratings, there’s nothing new that can be said - it’s just a wonderful beer.

Bam! Blackish with ruddy stains. Overpowering waft of smoke. This is a bastard of beer. Smells like buckling or kippers. A real barbeque beer; an Islay Scotch of beers. This beer has been chared. Dry finish. Other than the overpowering smokiness of this beer there is little merit, because you see how flat and carbonated it is after swallowing. Yet in the mouth it’s full, sugary, oily and worty. A musty beer. Liquid rawhide. Offbeat and peculiarly attractive.

Score is for overall impression over many bottles and out of the oakwood keg at the Brauhaus in Bamberg, where it was likely the best smoked beer I’ve ever had. Notes below are old and need revision.

The nose is almost entirely smoked salmon and smoked cheddar, very forthright and direct with the creamy, almost milky smoke scent. Smooth liquid and creamy texture, lightly biting with the smoked grains and salmon flavors, finishing with a touch of sweetness and a wallop of liquid smoke.

Best beer I’ve had in a long time. Pours brown with a small tan head. Aroma and taste are overwhelming of smoke. Truly a classic.