Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier

[steveh]

I honor of the BLOG boys n' girls, especially Stan, I give you Bamberg Goodness.

Pours a deep and clear walnut color with a firm, persistent, light tan head.

Smoky, quaint-old-home-with-a-fireplace aroma. Not bacon or ham, but a wood-fire aroma that is quite inviting. Vague DMS when the head is agitated.

Same smokiness in the flavor with some mild malt or bready sweetness in the middle, finishing quite dry and slightly (dare I say) roasty. The woody smokiness lingers in the aftertaste with some slight dark fruit characters back.

Soft and smooth mouth-feel with a light-medium body.

I can tell you that, when fresh, Rauchbier is highly drinkable through an evening of stube-hopping around Bamberg. I've never tried more than one bottle in a sitting here in the States, but I just might soon.

S.

http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/2009/04/session-26-smoke-em-if-you-got-em.html

http://appellationbeer.com/blog/session-26-schlenkerla-rauchbier-weizen/

[steveh]

By the way, this was the Märzen -- sorry I wasn't specific, but it's their flagship. (though I like the Bock a whole lot!)

S.

[BrewDog]

Definitely one of my all time favorites!

Try it with some Brats some time.

[steveh]

Try it with some Brats some time.

I think I simmered brats in it once before. Very nice.

Check out the brewery web site for the "Bamberger Onion," very, very nice!

S.

[beerking]

I found that brats boiled in Smoke Out was FANTASTIC!

[barleyburps]

I love that beer also.

It got me to using some rauch malt in most of my lighter beers, though I've never used enough to come close to the experience of schlenkerla

[steveh]

I found that brats boiled...

Not s'posed to boil, just simmer. You been out of the midwest too long! ;)

S.

[East Coaster]

I had the chance of getting to try this whilst in Ontario on a yaking trip, a very fine brew indeed.

Haven't gona as far as replicating my own but it is in the books.

Prosit,

[steveh]

Is "yaking" abbreviation for kayaking? 'Cause here in the States, "yaking" has a different, uglier, connotation.

S.

[chazwicke]

I too love Schlenkerla brews. Especially in Bamberg. (I'm trying to decide between an early September trip to Belgium and Germany with a buddy of mine who is a beer writer or back to London in early August to the GBBF. Man, decisions, decisions.

Hear about the two Eskimos who were out in their kayak on a very frigid morning? They decided to build a fire to keep warm. Of course the boat sank.
Just goes to show: You can't have your kayak and heat it too.