Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Lagerbier

Brewed by Brauerei Heller
Style: Dortmunder/Helles
Bamberg, Bayern, Germany

Bottle purchased at Bottleworks in Seattle. An appropriate breakfast beer for an East-coast schmuck like myself who is still jet-lagged. Slight corn, malty aroma with some moderate smoked flavors, not unlike bacon. There appears to be a slight DMS component. An interesting aroma. Transparent dark straw color with a small whitish head and nice lacing present. Spritzy, peppery biscuit grainy malty start. Finishes with some milder, subdued smoked flavors than the rest of the Schlenkerla beers. This beer is very refreshing and balanced. For once, the smokiness doesn’t kill the other flavors of this beer. Well-done.

Pale gold, with fizzy white top. Woody, grainy, gentle forest wood smoke like. Sweet malts behind, with light berry notes. Medium bodied, with gentle smoky overtone. Regular decent lager but with smoky character. Nice balance here. Refreshing and very drinkable "smoke".

Well, this one poured as expected, golden color, thin head, good lacing on the way down. Lots of carbonation rising in the glass. The aroma wasn’t rauch-like at all, so I figured I just picked up a non-smoked straight helles product from the finest smoke brewer of the world. Some grass and honey in the aroma. Flavor, however was awesome, a nice helles / pilsner flavor with the low grassy hops also in the profile. However, the aftertaste had a firm hint of smoke in it, nothing like their other brews, very subtle in that sense, but man, just a very nicely done smoking for a "helles" or light lager beer. Mouthfeel was light, refreshing, and carbonated. Good stuff!!!

Ok so I hate pale lagers but I love smoked beer. This is one of the worst looking beers in the world. Looks like yellow water. The smell is fainlty smoked. The taste is very good cause its smoked. Well, I like the smoke but the rest of it sucks.

Its better on tap, still does not look appealing but the smoke level with the fresh lager beer works well.

God I love smoked beers. This one pours a pretty standard golden lager color with a thick and fluffy white head. Aroma of crisp apple with a significant dose of charred wood. What we have is a skillfully crafted Helles featuring a crisp hoppy flavor and a strong malt presence. What really sets this apart is the underlying smoky flavor that adds complexity to this outstanding brew without dominating everything with smoked meat flavors. A smoked session beer if there ever was one.

A great addition to the smoked beers. I love this Helles lager. Slightly smoked and refreshing as ever. Great for a summer bbq.

Wow, I didn’t expect this one to be smoked, just an ordinary helles. Actually it comes across more like a pilsner, with its distinct hop bitterness. Begins with a bright golden, crystal clear color with a creamy 2 fingered head. Aroma has a touch of charred wood. Flavor is more smoke, with some rounded clean bready malts, which melds evenly into a full hoppy finish, with a resiny almost grapefruity character. This is really outstanding and characterful for a low gravity lager.

Bottle. Clear pale golden with a pillowy white head. Amazing, still smells like smoke, though more subtle than the others from Schlenkerla. Initially crisp, tastes mildly sweet and very malty with less smoke than in the nose, not overdone; balanced and light, with a long dry aftertaste and a note of final bitterness. I have to wonder, was the smokiness intentional, or has every piece of equipment in the brewery been contaminated with that delicious Schlenkerla goodness? Thanks to pivnizub for this treat!