Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Sunday, January 13, 2019 - Best before 06/2019. 6,5% alcohol.

Somewhat translucent, dark chocolatey mahogany brown color with a rather big and moderately persistent grayish head. The nose feels very smoky and quite dry, but unlike so many Rauchbieren, it's not just about smoke-cured ham; there are aromas of sourdough rye bread, some nuttiness, a little bit of roasted malty character and a hint of burnt sugar. However, the smoke-cured ham aromas of Italian speck do dominate the nose. The beer is moderately full-bodied, creamy and quite dry on the palate, although there is a hint of sweetness at the tip of the tongue. There are flavors of dry, spicy smoke and Italian speck, some roasted chestnuts, a little bit of something metallic, light roasted malty notes and a hint of syrupy sweetness. The carbonation feels quite high and it brings more freshness than the quite modest hop bitterness. The finish is dry and smoky with intense flavors of smoke-cured ham, toasted rye bread, some herbal hops character, a little bit of burnt sugar bitterness and a hint of earthy spice.

A bit richer and maltier version of the typical Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, which is all for the better. Most of the smoked beers aren't really my cup of tea, since they seem to be just one-trick ponies: they smell and taste of smoke-cured ham and that's it. This manages to offer something else besides the speck notes, making it much more interesting and enjoyable. Overall a rather drinkable effort - even the half-liter bottle doesn't seem to be too big. Solid value at 3,99€ for a half-liter bottle.

Post a Comment / View forceberry's profile
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue (742 views)