Original Schlenkerla Smokebeer (Beer) By @SpectreUK

This Schlenkerla Smokebeer or Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier was imported by Doncaster Brewery. Its brewery is situated in Bamberg in Bavaria, in Germany. Reading the label I found that this Smokebeer was first brewed in 1405 and then had to meet the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, which I suspect made the beer so it didn’t kill you if you drank more then three.

This Smokebeer follows the ancient brewing technique of first malting barley and then it is kilned over a fire of beechwood logs. Pushing thoughts of smoked kippers out of my head I read on to find out that once the malted barley has been sufficiently smoked, the finest Bavarian hops are added and pure water used as the only ingredients to produce this dark, bottom fermented smoky beer.

On opening I found this beer had a bizarrely strong woody smoky smell to it. It just didn’t smell like beer at all, rather like someone had set fire to a sauna full of malted barley and hops. In fact I may go on to say that I’ve never smelt a beer so smoky before. The smoked kippers had popped back into my head on pouring this dark brown 5.1% volume beer. On first taste I can easily say I’ve never tasted a beer that tastes like this before either. It’s a revelation. You have to try it. It does kind of taste like someone set fire to a sauna full of malted barley and hops and put it out with a few buckets of water. This is what drained out, and it tastes really good! It’s strong, it’s smoky, it’s malty, it’s smoky, there’s bitterness from the hops, and it’s smoky. The smoke gets up your nose like someone set fire to your house and you’re drinking off the deluge from the fire guy’s hose (that didn’t sound right). It’s smoky. Did I mention it’s smoky? Wow! You have to try this. It shouldn’t be, but it’s really good. Those Germans know how to make beer… Prost!