Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Lagerbier

Straw gold with then head. Subtle smoke aroma. Taste is of smoke, but is much lighter than the Marzen etc....Sharp bitterness to finish. This is right up my alley....just about the perfect mixture of a lager and smoke flavor.

from crackedkettle.com - translucid golden colour, little foam; subtle smokey nose; smoked bacon and ashes; subtle carbonation; some sweetness, medium-bodied, long gentle smokey finish, slightly peppery - a good session beer

Bottle. Small rocky white head that mostly diminished. Clear sparkling body with a golden color. Fair display of lacework. Aroma of grain, hay, cookie and light underlying notes of smoke. Over the palate the smoked notes becomes more evident. As does some grassy notes as well giving it somewhat of a light dry texture. Medium bodied with an average carbonation. Well balanced light bitter flavor and light sweet notes. Light dry and bitter smoky finish. Quit nice and very drinkable. This is a good beginner’s smoked beer I recon. I thought this was a well crafted beer without being spectacular in any way.

Pale gold in colour with medium carbonation. Light malt aroma with notes of honey, a bit of smoke, and a bit of fresh cut grass. The flavor starts out very Helles like with very minimal smoke: more light rounded malt notes backed up by some mild grassy/earthy hops. On the back end, the smoke re-asserts itself, and integrates with a light mineral bitterness. A touch watery, but I think the smoke residue really adds some nice character to a style that is often at risk of being a little uninteresting.

Clear gold with a lasting white head. Nose of wheat and malt with a taste much the same. Some subtle smokey hints in there that add some character. Has quite a decent creamy mouthfeel. Not at all bad for a style of beer I don’t generally like.

Clear golden pour with a thin but lasting white head. Lightly malty, smokey aroma. Nice grainy hops up front, dough and a bit of that smoke throughout. Not overpowering and it adds a nice element to what would be a pretty decent pilsner.

Pours a crystal clear gold with a small, bubbly white head. Smells a little grainy, some mild malts, and very subtle hops. Nothing special there. The flavor was a little more complex. You get some of that Schlenkerla smoke in there, but it is pretty controlled. It is mixed in with some mild maltiness and crisp hops in the finish. Slight bitterness in the aftertaste mixed in with the smoke. Easy to drink and refreshing brew. Went great with my pizza slice.

Tap, Town Hall Brewpub. Pale shiny copper, nice dense cap of fine white foam. Deep clean malt, a nice leathery touch, but not particularly full-on smokey aroma. But in the flavor, the gentle bright malt flavor blends seamlessly with a big leafy layer of smoke. Some underlying pear notes. Delicate palate. Interesting, well-crafted beer. Less intense than I expected, but I suppose that makes it a lager for an evening session, rather than just one glass. As a side note, it’s cool when a brewpub like Town Hall not only makes great beer, but also gets in really top-notch examples of beer from around the world.