Terrapin Side Project Roggenrauchbier

Big thanks to markwise. Aroma spicy, licorice with a whiff of bacon. Flavor is a clean spicy base, a bit of residual yeastiness to it. Initial bacon flavors fade quickly, leaves the remainder of the glass clean, spicy, not particularly complicated. Medium bodied, smooth drinking.

Pours a dark chestnut brown color with golden orange/amber edges when held to a light source and a thin 1 finger yellowish beige head. Great retention, slowly fading into a lasting cap that lasts throughout, leaving sporadic chunks of lacing behind. Smokey roasted malts dominate the aroma with hints of smoke, charcoal, butane, barbecued bacon and more smoked chocolate malts. Wow! Sweet rye flavor balances out the smokey barbecue charcoal bacony maltiness. There are some subtle hops but they are overshadowed by the burnt/smokey flavor. With all of the smokiness it is still somewhat balanced by the hops and sweetness up front. Not a complete rauch bomb by any means. This is an excellent beer and a very successful experiment that I wish they would turn into a year round offering. Highly recommended for fans of smoked/rauch beers but you should expect it to be a bit different.

Strange and interesting. The aroma is smokey (think campfire as opposed to stove fire) with hints of malt, rye, and even a slight dishsoap aroma. The flavor is lightly tart and malty with a definite almost salty bacon smokey taste that is subtle but you can’t ignore (like smoked cheese). High carbonation, you can tell tell when you pour; not from the head, but from the crazy eruption of bubbles.

Bottle courtesy of ericandersnavy. Pours a hazy burgundy with a small white head. The nose is of a nice, sweet, smoky, light malt; beautiful. Light-bodied and softly effervescent with a lingering, moderately smoky finish. Sweet, lightly spicy smoked malt with a mildly sweet and drying finish. This is a very nice beer and my second favorite smoked lager behind Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier (and that is saying something).

Medium brown with tints of red and gold. Aromas of cherries, fruit, must, smoke, bacon, and rye. Upon tasting its difficult to get past the overwhelming flavors of f’ing smoke. Still in the background you can pick up hints of bacon and malt. Flavors are overly subtle to the point of being weak thanks to the overbearing smoke. Mehhhh

Beer is a smoky brown color with a non existent head. Smells of malt smoked wood and rye. The taste is slightly smoky with a hint of caramel and other malt. Decent.

12/19/2008: Terrapin Side Project [Volume 2] RoggenRauchBier... Appearance: Frothy off-white head; hazy golden amber brown color; generous carbonation. Aroma: Sweet meaty smokiness; hints of caramel and fruity rye; applewood smoke; even more smoke would be good! Flavor: A good bittersweet,spicy, fruity blend; rye in mid-palate, tangy spice and dryness; dry, slightly bitter and char/ash aftertaste; sticks in the back of the throat; smoke is somewhat ashy and only on the surface; needs mor deep, meaty-like smokiness. Palate: Medium-light to medium body; mostly smooth. Overall: Very similar to Iron Hill Rauchbier but with obvious rye qualities and therefore not as sweet or caramelly; more dry and spicy from the rye. Other Thoughts: No obviously beechwood-smoked malt; the rye and smoke malts work well together; coffee-ish and creamy yeast undertones toward the backend; Good attempt that has promise, but needs refinement...

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle from illinismitty via trade. Thanks Sean! Rating #140 for this beer.

Pours a lacing beige head and a copper-amber body. Smells of smoke, some caramel sweetness, Same flavor. Easy drinking.