So I’m making beer brats for a potluck tomorrow night, and my secret for amazing beer brats, is rauchbier. I first discovered Aecht Schlenkerla probably 7-8 years ago, bought it on a whim and loved it. I try other breweries’ renditions when I see them, and this one looks promising, from a brewery that specializes in lagers.
Flashlight test shows a deep mahogany color, smells of dark malts and beechwood smoke, though not the full campfire aroma I’d expect of the style; hints of bacon as well. Tastes of an intriguing blend between a sweet chocolatey coffee malt flavor and a smoky, somewhat meaty flavor. A thick, almost sticky mouthfeel coats the tongue as the beer fades to a dry, smoky finish. Not as heavily smoky as the Bamberg original, but it still has everything I want in a rauchbier, and manages to balance it all together perfectly.