#schlenkerla

Helles Schlenkerla Lagerbier.

Smoked Helles.

Smoke and Mirrors

I try to be open minded. I try to find something good in every beer style. I try really hard, but I can’t really get behind Rauchbier. Yet, at the bottle shop last week I found a bottle of Schlenkerla Marzen in my basket. I didn’t put it there, but I brought it home anyway.

The smokey lager is native to Bamberg, Germany, but examples are brewed as near as Burnside Brewing and Heater Allen. The key ingredient is malt that’s been dried over a roaring fire. The smoke seeps into the malt and gives the beer it’s distinct scent. Schlenkerla malts their own grain and dries it over beechwood fires.

It smells like ham.

I haven’t eaten meat in a decade, but I still know what bacon smells like, and that’s what the beer smells like. It’s weird and slightly off putting. It’s weirdly savory, and the malty sweetness doesn’t make it any better. It’s really hard to get into the flavor at first. The first sip is weird and fun. The third one is just weird. And yet. I drank the whole thing. I didn’t dump it out. Schlenkerla has been making their smoked beer for six generations, so they must be doing something right. After half a pint the balance comes into focus. I got used to the smoke, even if I never really started to enjoy it.

Season 4, Episode 1 – This week on the show, we’re sittin’ around the campfire and drinking smoked beers!

Welcome to 2017! In preparation for the possible fiery end of the United States of America as we know it (kidding…), we’re prepping by drinking some classic smoked and rauch beers, as well some beers from 4B listener, Andy Richter.

Rauchbier and smoked beers in general can be polarizing, especially in the case of the four hosts of this very podcast. Matt and Greg absolutely love the smokey and peat characteristics of the brew, while Jason and John tend to stay away from the style for the most part. It’s a style that represents what beer in the days of old tasted and smelled like.

We take a “smoke break” half-way through the episode and drink some funky and fruity beers from Perennial Artisan Ales sent to us by 4B listener Andy Richter.

Since we’re drinking smoked beer this week, check out John’s cellar review of The Bruery’s Bois Fumé.