Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

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

After the initial shock of the smoked ham (!) taste this beer becomes very moreish. Its one of my favourites and I recommend it to all open-minded beer drinkers. Update - finally had this on cask and it was incredible. Well worth my original 4.6.

Deep smoky aroma, like smoked sausage or bologna or other fatty smoked meats. Brown to darkish red in color with small off-white head. Medium carb with medium oily palate. Sweetish start (like a light maerzen) with medium hops character. Sweet smoky fatty finish and after. One of the best smoked beers I’ve tried (though I haven’t tried many yet).

Ok this is going to be a challenge,,this style seems to drivde beer drinkers. Comes in old fashioned brown pint bottle with parchment style label. Wow this is one beautiful looking beer ,dark brown with deep ruby accents, toppedby a massive frothy off white head..the head shrinks but persists wonderfully. MM lovelly smokey aroma like lightly smoked Scottish salmon..or venison..very appetizing. Wonderful taste..i like the dry smokiness it leaves on the back of my mouth..i can taste some nicely roasted malts beneath..but no hops to speak of, maybe the smokiness covers them..but this is good stuff. Very smooth for a start on the tongue then the great rough smokieness takes over..great. WEll I am happy to say I am in the ranks oif those that like Smoked beer..this was a great.will try more of this style.

Markable better than the more common Weizen Rauchbier. This one is just as intense in the smoke aroma and flavor departments, but perhaps more drinkable. This brew has a pure, sweet-malty backbone. Color is a clear, medium ruby amber. Enjoy!

from a 500 ml bottle and draft from the pub in Bamberg. Big smooth smoke aroma and flavor along with a beer that can hold its own with it. A great combination of beer and smoked malt. A classic.

Bottle. Chestnut brown with an enveloping aroma of beechwood smoke. Full and malty, with a pervasive smokiness and earthy dryness that lingers on the palate. Some people like this beer right away. It took me several bottles. Once you get acquainted with its unique character, though, you’ll say to yourself: “Damn this is a good beer.”

This was a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant find. I was highly let down by their Weizen and it took some faith in trying this. Boy was I impressed. It has all the elements of a fine smoked beer, great aroma, fantastic flavor, a deep ruby appearance. Unfortunately however most smoked beers (even the very good ones) can be very overpowering, creating a love-hate relationship with most drinkers. This however goes where no smoked beer (that I have tried) has gone before. It provides such exceptional drinkability and balance, it’s mind boggling to to think how this is possible with so much flavor in the mix. This then isn’t just a smoked beer for the fans of the style but a beer for everyone to enjoy and appreciate. A fantastic pairing with BBQ.

Bottle. Drank from German opaque ceramic mug so didnt get much on the appearance, but the mug made the smell even more enjoyable. I decided before I even drank this one that I had to grill out while I drank it, and I can honestly say that the smell of the charcoal grill was just about the same as the smell of the beer. Amazing. Anyway, the taste itself was of course caramelly and malty like any marzen style and the smoked flavors made for a nice, mellow, rounded finish. I had read many times about the initial shock of trying a smoked beer so I wasnt too shocked when i actually did, just pleasantly surprised. Some beers are really meant to be sipped on their own, and others are just meant to be drank with food. This one is PERFECT for food and couldnt imagine NOT drinking it with a nice smoked bratwurst.