Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

It pours dark brown to black, but thin like a cola, not viscous like a heavier stout. The beer forms a small, light head that fades quickly (a bit to quickly), and I’m disappointed that mine doesn’t look like those in the Google image search. This beer smells for all the world like the bush a couple of days after it burns, there is no subtly in this beer, it is ALL about the smoke. Very strong smoky smells dominate but in behind it I can pick up some caramel/coffee from the malts. Surprisingly UN-smoky flavor, in the mouth the malts jump forward! Roasted malt flavors dominate, warm caramel and burnt coffee, mildly bitter with some late sweetness. A medium body beer with a mild carbonation and the higher alcohol content (6.5% - ish) provides a warming feel. Smoke tends to overpower as the drink progresses and the glass and content warms.

1 pint 0.9 fl oz bottle (first of this style i have had). For starters, there is no doubt that your about to drink a smoked beer after smelling this one for the first time. There is just a lot of smokiness to the aroma, and basically everything about this beer. If only sitting there drinking this one without really paying attention, the main qualities you would get out of it would be solely the smokiness, but if really appraised closely, there is much more to this beer. In the aroma though, notes initially of smoked pork and smoked Gouda cheese, but underneath there is some nuttiness and rich caramel to it. Good head on the pour of medium thickness tan cream, stays nicely, medium opacity in the body, rusty sangria in color. As far as the drinking experience goes, its much easier to describe the overall feel than the flavors. Medium bodied, a stimulating feel, and very smooth overall finish that to me shows off the quality of brewing that took place making this beer. The flavor notes on the other hand, I find harder to judge. Maybe just too inexperienced with this unique type of beer. The notes that I get are not as meaty and unbeer-like as the aroma, but smokiness obviously plays a large role, more of in a fire smoked grain sort of way. Some nutty notes, caramel, as well as chocolate, maybe even some minor dark berry sweetness, with an actual hint of leafy hop bitterness in the rather dry finish. Positive impressions of this beer definitely grew as i drank more, but uniqueness of this one didn’t quite grow on me in all that positive of a way. I definitely didn’t dislike it because there’s alotta good things going on here. I just feel that I will need to rerate after i trying more of the style.

One of my first really out there experiment beers. When I first started getting into beer, the Urbock 23 was one of my favorites. Saw this also said Urbock and thought ooohh, should be tasty. This was not tasty. This was an assault on my mouth from which I may never recover. Might as well drink a bottle of liquid smoke and call it a day.

Bottle from Sam’s. Had this a few years ago and it freaked me out. Blew my mind. Made me scared. For real, I had no idea what to think. Some parts of it intrigued me and got me excited, while others made me think too much of smoked gouda and ham. Moral of the story? This might not be the best smoked beer to start with. In the remaining years, I’ve trained myself on some lesser smoked beers (tough work, I tell ya) and worked my way into figuring out what these meaty bastards are all about. This one is damn fine. Dark brown pour into a Duvel glass with massive off-white head that quickly recedes but sticks around. Meaty, smoky nose with some lovely charred wood notes as well. Campfire smoke might be the clearest note in there. Some bacon and ham. Some roasty malt notes and a hint of chocolate, I think. I ate it with some salami and smoked gouda and both seemed weak in comparison. Fuck, this is good.

Deep red with a medium beige head. Aroma was intensed smoked with notes of smoked ham, bacon and roasted malt. Flavour was bamberg smoked with roasted malt and bacon. Finished very smoked.

1pt., 09fl oz. bottle. Pours a clear cola brown with a moderate tan head that dissipates to a thin whisp. Aroma is intense, with smoked meats, campfire smoke, charred wood, and background roasted malts. Flavor is more meaty and campfire smoke, charred wood and roasted malts. Very drinkable and a fine cold weather beer.

500 ml bottle. Pours a dark brown color with a medium off-white head. The aroma is awesome; sweet smokiness, smoked meat over a slow burning fire of oak and cedar. The flavor is awesome; smoky and barrel aged flavors, not overpowering but complementary. A medium toasted malt and light chocolates. It reminds me so much or tasting and smelling a campfire, drinking this around a campfire, now that would kick ass.

16.9oz bottle. Pours a dark brown with a nice foamy off white head. Aromas of fucking bacon bitch! Fantastic aroma, smoked meat, smoke, chocolate malt, bacon, and some toffee. Flavors are sweet malts up front, light coffee and you the smokey meat flavors don’t show up until the finish. Fantastic stuff, not sure why it took me so long to drink this, but rest assured I will be buying more.