Victory Scarlet Fire Rauchbier

On tap at George Keeley. Amber with a small head but this bartender can’t pour beer for shit, so... Anyway, nice smokey aroma with a mellow hoppiness. The flavor isn’t punch you in the mouth smoke but it’s in there fo’ sure. Sweet without being sticky with a nice caramel flavor.

Draft @ Frisco’s. Pours a bright, clear orange-amber color; thin off-white head with patchy lacing. Light amounts of smoke and sugar in the aroma; toasted wood, char, smoked ham (maple?); not intensely smoky, just pleasant. Medium mouthfeel: shows much more smoke and oily charred malts than the aroma suggests; sugar, roasted meats, and pleasant, almost fruit smoke character; if anything, a touch too sweet. Medium finish, showing sugar, smoke, and a bit of char.

Growler. At Victory Brewing. Pours golden yellow. Thick white bubbly head, that was present in my glass until the very end. Aroma was smoky. Reminded me of bacon. Flavor is smoky up front, mellows out to sweet caramel notes with hints of smoked malts. Mouthfeel was soft. Body medium. Flavor was nicely balanced. Not much for smokey stuff, but this was a treat.

Draft->juice glass (tasting@brewery): Pours a large, rocky, off-white head atop of a yellow body. Not much aroma other’n smoke. The body is light, the texture is thin, and the finish is astringent with a soft bit of carbonation. The flavor’s duration is short, being moderately sweet, and lightly bitter. The bartender popped this on us one night and I must say that I was quite pleased; I’m not quite sure why this beer is (presently) in the 46th percentile.

On tap at the brewery. Pours golden with thick white head. Aroma is big time smoke. Long lingering smoke taste too. All smoke but surprisingly drinkable.