Friday 7 January 2011

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

I was a little concerned about this, after reading peoples comments on the Ghostdrinker post about the smokiness and some able to only drink a half. Doesn't sound fun to be honest, and on ratebeer people talking of it tasting of meat, its beer for christ sake, i mean come on, meat???.

Its described as: 
"Bamberg’s speciality, a dark, bottom fermented smokebeer, brewed with Original Schlenkerla Smokemalt from the Schlenkerla maltings and tapped according to old tradition directly from the gravity-fed oakwood cask in the historical brewery tavern."

 The disinctive taste is made in the malting process thus:
In order to stop germination and to stabilize the involved biochemical processes, the green malt must be dried (kilned). That is where the secret of the Original Schlenkerla Smokebeer lies. A beechwood log fire underneath the kiln heats the air, and the smoke gives the malt its typical smoky flavor.

Okay, onto the beer, i thought of the two i bought i would start with the Marzen rather than the stronger Urbock.  And i dusted off my big big Krusovice glass for the pour.
Upon opening a sniff from the bottle gives me....bacon?!! A real smoked bacon aroma, woody ash too.
Its colour is a dark ruddy brown, with a small froth of a head.
Next another surprise, its not as smoked in the mouth as i was expecting, a good medium body with smoke yes, but a sweetish malty taste too. And before i knew it I'd drunk more than half of it, a dryness was forming in the mouth. The second didn't go down as quick but it was okay, i had some German ham from Aldi with it, and that worked too.
So in all an interesting experience, still a little apprehensive about the Urbock though!

5 comments:

  1. So did you enjoy it then? I worry about Leigh at the good stuff blog. He says he has a new years resolution about this beer, but won't let slip what it is? I hope he's not filling a bath with it. (or freezing it to slice up and put on sandwiches!!!)

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  2. Marinade his own ham in it?

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  3. Enjoy it, ummm, yeah i think so! I mean i wouldn't have had a second right after it, but i would have it again another night. Interesting style of beer.

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  4. A great beer, and the Urbock is fantastic.

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  5. Glad you enjoyed it. It is definitely an interesting beer. If you can find it, try getting the Eiche from Aecht Scherlenka (I hope I spelled that I just did that from memory). The Eiche is toned down a bit on the smoke but still with good flavor.

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