Sierra Nevada Rauch Beer

Very good. The smoke is definitly noticeable in the flavor. It has a chesnut flavor that rests on the palate outstanding.

Tap @ Blind Tiger. One of my favorite styles and this stuff didn’t dissapoint. Kind of a light copper color with a thin veil of a head. Burnt white ash aroma and light smoky taste. Mellow light apricot flavor. Lightly sweet and balanced really well. I’d really love to see this stuff again.

On tap at O’Briens. Beautiful copper hue with a faint head retention. A beer like this incorporates the smell and taste simultaneously. Alcohol is low but the warming factor is high. The essence of being around a campfire without the smoke in your face. Tastes of hickory and a well seasoned char. The finish is not going to fade for a while, so enjoy.

(Draft: Sierra Nevada 2005 Beer Festival at Lucky Baldwins in Pasadena, CA) This will be my final beer of this festival, and I’ve saved what I’m hoping will be the best for last. As with the others, it looks beautiful in my small Chimay glass, boasting that tall, creamy, tan head with the excellent retention and supreme curtain-like lacing. Dark amber in color, and again, it’s crystal clear. Things really get interesting with the nose. As expected, it’s very smoky, like sitting around a camp fire, but there’s also a good bit of spiciness I tend to associate with Belgian ales. Oddly enough, with as smoky as the beer smells, the initial flavor is pretty light on the smoke. But as we near the finish, the smokiness starts to build on the palate and then hangs on. Still, it’s not a beat you over the head kind of smokiness, but more subtle. Moderate maltiness also doesn’t become apparent on the front end either. Rather, the beer starts a bit nutty and gently hoppy like an English Bitter, but as I’ve noted, that is short lived. Medium bodied, nicely carbonated, smooth on the palate, and that smoky finish is just wonderful. I made the right decision by finishing with the Rauch Beer. This is really nice, and for those that don’t like smack you up smokiness, this shows how this style can be executed without being overbearing.

On tap at Blind Tiger. Amber in color with a little head. Malty smokey hoppy aroma. Caramel notes. Smokey hoppy caramel flavors. Finish is smokey. Smooth. Medium bodied. Decent beer.

Tap at dba NY. Deep reddish color with a decent head. Nice smoky aroma with notes of caramel, smoke, and hops. Nice balanced brew!

On tap at Barcade. Light brown color with a small tan head. Finally a rauch that I like! Smoky aroma was very mild (probably why I liked it), with toasted malts and some caramel. Flavor was again mild smoke, followed by a rich malty backbone. The smoke wasn’t "meaty" like many rauchbiers, but nice and mellow.

Draught at Blind Tiger, NY - lighter in flavor than some other rauchs I’ve had, but that made for a much more subtle smoke flavor, which is good for me (a lot of rauchs taste a bit baconesque to me) - not overhopped as I expected from this brewery - quite malty (caramel malt mostly) - actually much better than I was expecting.