TN: Aecht Schlenkerla Oak Smoke

Beer and Spirits
1

Draft only release, had Valentine’s Day eve with smoked trout at a local restaurant called Horse and Hound (no affiliation, but a great combo of very good/great food and smallish but top shelf draft selection if you come through Charlottesville, VA)

If you’ve had the regular Schlenkerla beers, you know how they are THE standard for smoke beers the world over, and their Ur-Bock is almost unrelenting in its beechwood smoke intensity. In this beer, oak chips are used to fire the malt, and the abv is a decent bit higher than the Ur-bock (8.0% vs 6.6% respectively) essentially making this a Rauch-Dopplebock.

It’s hard to properly get my tongue around how to describe this. Think bacon wrapped butter, or dipping slices of prosciutto in the rendered fat from a Flannery’s prime rib. So lush and richly textured, almost viscous malt, and plenty smokey, but in such a smooth and well integrated way that it never shocked the palate. Hid the alcohol very well also. The 9oz servings disappeared way too quickly. If you’ve enjoyed Schlenkerla and you can find someone that’s got some of this special release on draft near you, it’s absolutely worth the effort.

Importer info link:
http://bunitedint.com/portfolios/producers/schlenkerla/oak_smoke/overview.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2

had the opportunity to have a pint of this at the Stone Brewery on New Year’s. It’s the real deal. Your TN captures this beer very well, Matt. [drinks.gif]

3

Good news, though probably just to Brian and myself…

Fall/winter release of the Oak smoke Schlenkerla will feature … wait for it… BOTTLES!!! [winner.gif] [thankyou.gif]

4

oh heeyllll yes!!! [winner.gif] [worship.gif] flirtysmile [winner.gif]

5

Anyone else? Bueler? Bueler? Nobody else wants bacon beer to drink in the comfort of your own home?

Just you and me on this frequency, Brian. Another piece of beer knowledge that needs to be dropped at a Berserkerfest…

6

You guys got me to a point where I want to try it.

7

We have a convert! [dance-clap.gif] [dance-clap.gif] [dance-clap.gif]
Important question, though. Have you tasted any of the regular Schlenkerla beers before? If not, test yourself on the Marzen first, then the Ur-Bock to be sure you’re a fan of the style. If you like these, you’ll love the Oak Smoke. If not, the Oak Smoke won’t bring you any more joy.

8

+1

ya’ beat me to it, Matt. [welldone.gif]

9

Slow day today. Nothing better to do other than dispense pearls of wisdom at a moment’s notice.

10

Matt, I have not had the Aecht yet but I am going to pick one up probably this weekend. I keep an open mind when I am trying something new.

11

Be sure to try it with food, definitely meat and something off the grill if possible.

12

yes … like a juicy cheeseburger with applewood smoked bacon on top … oh lawdy!

13

I finally got a bottle of the marzen. I like it but I am a little surprised by it. It actually reminded me of the smoky/peet/medicinal quality of Laphroaig 10 year. Have you guys tried a decent amount of rauchbier?

14

Considering how hard it is for one to get their hands on the stuff in the U.S., I would say “yes,” guessing that I’ve tried maybe 10 -15 different rauchbiers. Schlenkerla’s are by far the best of the bunch, and I have a strong preference for the Urbock over the Marzen (the Urbock is basically the Marzen, turned-up to 11). If the Marzen is the Laphroigh 10, then the Urbock is the Lagavulin 16. (full disclosure: Lagavulin 16 is my fav. single malt; I do like Laphroigh 15, but won’t drink their 10 as I find it too rough).

Try the Urbock. For me, the “marzen-ness” of the marzen detracts from an otherwise perfect rauchbier; the urbock does not have that problem, and therefore is, imo, a 100 pt. rauchbier.

15

Just saw this thread - one of my all time favorite breweries - I have been on sojourns to Bamberg and visited the breweries - I think there are six breweries there producing smoked beers - Bamberg is really worth the visit - it reminds me of Bruges in Belgium with it’s medieval prominence -

I remember one brewery smoking their wheat and barley right in the same bay with their hams and sausages in an old brick oven -

I haven’t seen the Oak Smoke in the Midwest - will have to ask the local wholesaler - I love their Maerzen probably best of the lineup -

16

Bottles should be released for the first time somewhere around the end of the year. Draft came out last winter and should be gone by now. Limited production stuff, but worth waiting for.

17

Aecht Schlenkerla - “Eiche” Double Bock Rauchbier (aka: “Oak Smoke”)
– popped and poured –
– tasted non-blind from a straight-sided Saison Dupont taster glass –

NOSE: Mrs. Butterworth meets lightly-smoked bacon; smells sweeter than their darker brews (Urbock, Weizen, Marzen);

BODY: amber-orange color; clear; thin head dissipates quickly; medium to medium-full bodied;

TASTE: ample amount of smoke, but it hits after a huge wave of malty sweetness does; alc. is warming in the belly (8%). Glad I only bought one of these, because it’s probably my 4th favorite in the Schlenkerla lineup, beating only the Weizen. Still a damn good beer, though.

18

LOVE that stuff. We used to make pilgrimages up to Bamburg just to drink that stuff with the local sausages when I was stationed in Ansbach in the 70s…

19

Interesting, but not a convert. At least not to the Urbock.

Love the Helles though - just a barely perceptible hint of smoke. This one works for me.

Have the Weizen to try too, & will try the others.

Rauchbier Cheers!

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