Les Trois Mousquetaires S.S. Rauchbier

750 ml corked and caged bottle poured a clear dark reddish brown with a lasting tan head. Aromas of smoke, cocoa andcarmel. Palate was medium bodied and crisp with a smooth finish. Flavors of smoke, roastiness, dark chocolate and a hint of carmel with a smooth lingering smokey finish.

75cl bottle. Another nice surprise at K&L. Thanks to Alex for tipping us off to this one. Dark brown with a medium-sized beige head. The aroma is a nice mix between smoke and bread crust, with lighter caramel and a roasty chocolate note gliding over it all. The flavor integrated the smoke very well into everything. It doesn’t really assert itself independently, but acts to enhance the chocolate, bread crust, and burn sugar elements. There is lots of complexly rich malt character, while remaining dry and very clean on the tongue, with a medium body and almost creamy carbonation. The flavors and aromas are reminiscent of crushed malt over a campfire and gooey s’mores. Cool stuff.

Poured from 750ml. Dark brown with medium light tan head. Nose was smoky, a bit spicy and sweet with a hint of malt. Taste was smoky, malty, a bit sweet with a dryness, but not too dry. Good while homebrewing.....

Bottle: Dark pour with a deep amber hue in the light and a well retained tan film. Smoky/woody earthy character in the aroma- some evident chocolate malt- quite chocolaty actually- richly malty and clean. Fluffy body with a crisp/sharp carbonation. Both roasty and smoky in the flavor- earthy peat notes at the fore leads to a smooth dark chocolate/roasted barley middle. The later flavors become earthy again with a soody smoke note and a cleanblack malt char way on the back in the retro-nasal action. Quite roasty overall, but clean, making it more like smoky Schwartzbier. Pretty solid.

750ml from State Line. Dusky dark brown surprised me just a tad, as I was expecting the hazy amber I’ve encountered with most other smoked brews. Nice fluffy medium head, and a nose dominated as much by chocolate malts as by smoke. Interesting, it comes across like a moderate smoked porter, almost like Stone’s in a sense. Full bodied and easy drinking for sure. And if it lacks much complexity, it’s still enjoyable when in the mood.

Bottle from Julios. Nice blackish pour with a fair head. Mild liquid smoke, faintly metallic, caramel aroma. Very full bodied with a bit of a muddy, confused flavor. Feels vaguely stout-like, or perhaps a full-bodied brown, with a kind of oddly smoked finish. A bit fishy. Warming and balanced, easy drinking. A good autumn beer.

Bottle. Head is initially average sized, frothy, brown, mostly diminishing. Body is dark brown. Aroma is moderately malty (roasted grain, dark chocolate, husks), with light notes of smoke and charred wood. Flavor is moderately to heavily sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Finish is lightly to moderately sweet, lightly to moderately acidic, moderately to heavily bitter, slightly unclean. Medium to full body, velvety/syrupy texture, lively/soft carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Rather dull, with some rough edges (poor malt character, unpleasant twang and aftertaste).

This dark brown beer poured with a generous tan head and a smoky aroma. There is a very smoky malt flavor with a dry slightly bitter, slightly sour finish. It tastes like a good German rauchbier, but the smoke is a bit more restrained.