Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

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

Reddish brown color with a very thin head. Rich and appetizing aroma of smoked malt, very close to smoked ham, so close that everytime I smell it I get more and more hungry ! The flavor gives a rich smoked malt character (again that damn smoked ham haunts me and I’m really hungry ! ) with toffee to balance the smoky with some sweetness. The smoked malt is so dominant that I still feel it in the finish. Very full body, soft carbonation and slightly oily texture. I would love to drink this beer with a Bowmore, which is a very smoky and full bodied scotch. They make me feel the same : happy !

Combining complexity and drinkability, this is the first beer I *ever* bought an entire crate of. Need I say more?

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Well, it goes awfully noce with smoked herring with egg yolk :-)

Pours a clear brownish ruby color, with about half an inch of light tan head. The foam dies back in about a minute to a thick ring and a thin top layer. Surprisingly effervesent. No lacing. Strong smoky scent even before I start to pour the contents into my glass. First sip is medium heavy on that liquid smoke, but after a couple sips, I notice the malty character beneath the smoke. The maltiness is mildly sweet and a little bready. Hops are in there too, though only a fleeting taste right at the end. The smokiness lingers for several minutes in the aftertaste. Light bodied and softly carbonated (nowhere near as effervesent as when first poured).

Dark brown color, with a frothy tan-colored head, leaving good laces on the glass. Quite smoky nose, smell like smoked mussels, hint of smoked bacon, burnt malt in the aroma follows through on a full-bodied smoky palate, with a smoked malt, oily texture, campfire logwood note, hint of ashness, roasted malt, caramelized malt, leading towards an amazing smoky finish. A very nice smoky beer, a must!

I love this liquid smoky link...and that’s coming from a vegetarian. Intense smoke/bacon/smoky link/roasted malt/wood barrel/caramel/and on and on. Pairs wonderfully with spicy foods like Cajun or BBQ or smoked cheeses. Brilliant effort.

I half-suspect that if you shat in a glass, these blokes could add smokemalt, ferment it and come back with something tasty. Damn, they’re good. This one doesn’t quite match the Urbock IMO, but it’s still a superb beer. Teak colour with a fat layer of foam that painted the glass beige on the way down. There’s a depth and intensity to their smokemalt that no other rauchbier (that I’ve sampled) matches. This has a rich aroma of hickory, oak cask, smoky bacon crisps and a meaty Christmas ham note. Doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the aroma. There was a hint of acetone and lemonade in the first sip before the smokemalt took over. Then it developed typical rauch burnt wood flavours, long and dry in the finish. For a rauch, this is ridiculously sessionable. Medium bodied and very rounded. Has anyone here done a tasting of all the Aecht Schlenkerla range side by side? If so, please beermail me - I’d be interested to read the results. (500ml bottle, IBS Perth, bb June 06)

500ml bottle. pours dark with white head. nose is very smoked meats. flavor is very charred wood with smoke in the background, other notes are meats. flavor isn’t as full as the urbock but still real nice and smoked meaty. a sort of rusty finish. very easy drinking smoked but i find most of them to be.

Holy Smokes! Smells of rich smokey meats, and the first sip was like a bite of smoked salmon. Putting back more then one glass might be to much, but the flavor and aroma of this are top notch. You better like a lot of smoke to enjoy this one.