Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

Brewed by Brauerei Heller
Style: Smoked
Bamberg, Bayern, Germany

Amazing beer interesting and delicious. My first rauchbier, even though I have had some smoked porters. The aroma was of beacon, and sweet malt. It poured a very dark brown almost black color with a tan head that laced really well. flavors were sweet malts, woody smoke, grill tastes. I can’t imgine what this would be like with a steak from the gril of a burger with some creamy cheese. excellent mouth feel. Addicting flavor. I need to find some more rauchbier.

Even better than the Märzen, which was already excellent. Lovely deep color, smells a bit like rye-bread. Tastes like bottled smoke with a hint of liquorice. Nice bitter in the finish. Not quite as warming as I expected. Re-rated from tap @ Mallaskukko; Dark like tar, minimal brown head. Very smoky aroma, roasted maltiness. Tastes like liquid tar and smoke, tons of liquorice. Semi-oily feel. A little ashy in finish. Warms you up more than the bottled version, still without the burn of alcohol.

I had the marzen a while ago. This one seems much more balanced in flavor. Smoke is incredible, but it still lets the flavor of the beer shine through just enough. This went perfect with a mesquite grilled steak.

My first experience with a smoked beer didn’t go well. A local brewpub made a smoked porter which I sent back. Undaunted I tried the O’Fallon smoked porter and thought it was great. Lately I’ve been in a lager-loving mood and this smoked bock from Schlenkerla is simply amazing. The most pronounced- REAL smoke flavor I’ve yet had. There is no "smoke essence" taste or anything that smacks of liquid smoke. Malt is sweet up front but dries out with the smoke in the middle. Aroma is all bacon and malt - like nice syrup soaked sausage or something. Delicious.

Re-Rate. Pours deep orangy/red-hued brown, with frothy tan head. Aromas of smoked ham, burning wood, distant barbeque, some peaty notes. Flavors that hint at smoked bacon (or ham...pork either way), an earthy/coffee like bitterness, a bit of syrupy sweetness, and caramel undertones throughout. Palate is medium, with a very rounded mouth-feel. Smoke and coffee bitterness/acidity hang on for a long finish. Interesting, very complex, and would probably be great with breakfast, or for breakfast.

Bottle from Keg & Bottle 2. Pours a deep dark brown color with some ruby outlines. Strong smokey bbq aroma. Some chocolate in there as well. Thick rich roasted maltiness. Bitter coffee and lots of smoke. Some sweetness as well. Finish is quite bitter.

Clear brown, with a thick tan head. The smoke is definite in the aroma, as is sweet malt. A definite smoke flavor, almost like liquid smoke in a smooth bock beer. While not displaying a lot of active carbonation in the glass, the beer comes alive in the mouth.

On draught at the brewery. Rich yellowish creamy foam on top of this very dark beer. Smoked aroma with some sweetness underneath. Mellow smoked flavours with a good nuttiness. Well-balanced, leaving the mouth nice and dry. Full-bodied. Solid craftmanship shines through.