Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Good evening all. I decided to bust out some coursework earlier today, and although I haven't gotten through all of it yet, I still consider my efforts to be progress that deserves to be rewarded with something completely different. It may sound like I'm clawing for excuses to drink a beer when I don't really need one, but the need to have an introduction to this post means it's staying! As a result, tonight's beer is Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, a Rauchbier from Brauerei Heller in Bamberg, Germany. A rauchbier is a beer made from malt that has been dried over an open fire of beech wood, giving the drink a distinct smokiness akin to spiced meat. This represents my first foray into the rauchbier style, so I'm looking forward to this potentially unique experience quite a lot! Review after the pic....

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen (5.1% ABV) pours a dark red colour- verging on brown- with an off-white head that dissipates to a patchy covering over the surface of the beer. The aroma is pretty incredible, with smoked German meats coming through very heavily and, every so often, the awareness of bittering hops in the background. The malt aromas are also detectable through the smoke, along with some gentle citrus fruit notes. Certainly an unusual experience as you keep having to remind yourself that these aromas are coming from a liquid! The taste is pretty much identical, with smoked malt, German meats and some dry grape flavours from the hops that linger in the finish. The smoky flavours aren't too intense, which might be why this beer works so well as it's not bombarding the palette with acridity or bitterness. The finish itself is very light with a slight piquancy shortly after drinking, and the mouthfeel is airy with moderate carbonation, which compliments the smokiness from the malt. Overall, this is a very good beer that would work perfectly with continental smoked meats or even on its own when only something completely unique will do. It's incredibly smooth and drinkable, and has definitely increased my interest in rauchbiers to the point where I'll be actively seeking out more offerings in this style. Definitely recommended!

Until next time....