Smoked Beer or 'Rauchbier', was on everyone's radar at the Great American Beer Festival a few years ago. Bloggers suggested that this would be the next 'big thing' in America. And then it didn’t really happen. While there have been some amazing modern smoked beers made in America, it never became a trend. However, when this style is brewed well, especially in the traditional sense as is this, it is an amazing beer! Aecht Sclenkeia Fastenbier refers to the 40 day period of Lent, when monks would fast. They brewed this beer to keep them going (liquids did not break the fast). The smoke aroma comes from drying the malted barley over a fire of cured beechwood, then cold-storing (lagering) the brew. This is often rated the World’s #1 rated rauchbier, and a beer that you will never forget! Serve chilled to 6 C, but you're okay to put away for a few months before consuming.
A dark, golden-copperish brown. There is a generous head that is tan hued and some yeast cloudiness.
There are no ‘notes’ here, but a whole symphony of campfire, leather, salami, dark bread and smoked pork. Using one of the most acclaimed Noble hops Hallertau, we get the amazing addition of a spicy and floral bouquet. The aroma alone on this brew is something to linger with and enjoy.
The big aromas give way to a refreshing lager with a medium body. The smoke sits easy on the palate, while the carbonation extracts some wonderfully subtle and refreshing sweetness from the malt. Compared to the Braurei Heller-Trum's famous Marzen, this is lighter in body, yet maintains that wonderful smokey-meaty profile throughout. Still abiding to German purity laws of only using four ingredients of malt, hops, water and yeast, this beer is the perfect example of how far we can take brewing.
#1 for food pairings! Using bacon in your dish will create a euphoric partnership. Try bacon wrapped pork tenderloin or bacon-apple-brie sandwich. Even double up the smoke with a smoked trout.