Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

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

A lot of smoke. Deep red body, very cloudy, with a huge thick head that sticks around. Nose is all smoke. Taste is mostly campfire smoke, and that’s not a bad thing. A twang of sweetness like you get from chewing on a juicy strip of venison. This could be drunk in lieu of dinner.

Bottled. Poured a deep reddish-amber with a freakin’ huge pillowy beige head. The nose picked up bushels of cured ham, well-smoked bacon, and charred wood.. rich and engaging.. glass fulla smoky meat (wife says that it’s disgusting). The flavor holds par.. fuller-bodied and rich, with the toasted, smoked wood blending very well with the meaty notes... ample doses of brown sugar and molasses pair with toasted leafy hoppage for the bock component.. finish was somewhat ashy, which detracted slightly. Fuller-bodied with nice flow until the very end. Great beer!

If Jesus were a ham or piece of bacon he’d want to be as far away as possible from this brew. Pours a delectable deep brown with very little head and what is there laces slightly. Smells of liquid smoke, bacon, black pepper, and cured meats. This beers nose can really take you aghast if your first time trying. Taste is quite smokey in the mouth although less than the nose, but very smooth and drinkable. A liquid burnt bacon per sey. Actually quite satisfying with complex flavors of cured meat, grilled fruits and vegetables, caramelized molasses, and did I mention smoke. Probably could not drink more than one of these in a night but what a great ingredient for many dishes. I’ve used this in chili with huge success and made a homeade barbecue sauce tonight with this that was fabulous. All of these Rauchbier’s by Schlenkerla are worth trying, yes similar in taste in style but very pecuilar in their own right.

500ml bottle in Schlenkerla glass. Pours beautiful rich reddish brown with off-white/tan head, lasting ring and some lace. Aroma of smoked salmon and bready yeast. Flavors of smoked meat, rich maltiness, and slight bitterness in finish. Medium body and medium carbonation. An absolute wonder and a personal favorite. Still, I might like the marzen better for its quaffability.

Bottle. [Tasting session with BierKönig, thanks for a great evening Jeppe] Average fizzy off-white head that mostly diminished. Clear flat looking body with a mahogany color. Good display of lacework. Aroma of smoke and bacon, good caramel and liquorish sweetness. Medium bodied with a soft carbonation. Light to medium sweet flavor blended with light salt and bitter flavor. Sweet bacon lingering finish. Not as smoked as the aroma would let you to believe at first.

Strong aroma of smoke; resembles the aroma of some smoked cheeses. Clear dark brown color with a very substantial beize head. Very firm bodied, creamy, and lightly carbonated considering the head. It’s all smoke, and a bitter smoke. There is some offsetting malty sweetness, but the finish is arguably dry, smoke and a bit bitter.

Rated at the Pewaukee Tasting II 5/5/07. Appearance - Super-clear reddish-brown, big head. Aroma – Smells like a malty beef jerky, enjoyed simultaneously with a lightly refrigerator-dehydrated landjaeger (hung smoked meat). Flavor – Gawd, even better than the aroma. Smoked beef jerky and malt, rich, with a solid hang time. Palate – medium-bodied, but seems so much larger This one was a real hit with the group!

Rated 9/15/06: Smokey treat indeed! Wow I’m constantly amazed at how diverse beer can be and this one is amazingly out there. Aroma is heavily smoked malty and meaty, how could this not deserve a 10. Pour is dark and opaque creating a fluffy off white head leaving generous amounts of lacing. Mouthfeel is creamy and surprisingly delicate. Flavor is in step with the aroma. Smokey and rich and so good. Next time I’m picking up some meats and cheeses and having one hell of a go at it. Incredible.