Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen - Brauerei Heller-Trum / Schlenkerla

aasher

Indiana

3.48/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I split this beer with zep9865. The beer poured a dark, dark raisin brown in color with a two finger beige colored head. It is incredibly murky and really doesn't let any light pass through it. There is also a moderate amount of sediment on the bottom. It certainly wasn't what I expected. The aroma is really only of smoked malt but it isn't nearly as smoky as their other beers. And when smoke is the main aroma, you can't really pick up anything else. The flavor, interestingly enough is of both mild yeast and lightly smoked malt. It's interesting because you get a slight, watered down ham flavor paired with the flavor of bread after it's been dipped in pea soup. It's interesting to say the least. And the more I think about it, the more I get that pea soup flavor. It drinks alright but it's nothing overly appealing. It's just kind of an odd pairing. I just can't like this one as much as their others but it's an interesting try.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2011 04:25:55 | More by aasher

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into the Sam Adams glass.

A - Pours a dark honey colored almost brownish with a off white head that is about 2 fingers. A lot of carbonation rising up from the bottom.

S - WOW smells liked salami! Its true. Some faint sweet maltiness comes out. Spicy.

T - Very interesting smoked meat taste. Some beef jerky and a bit of pepperoni as well. Im not joking. Some mild bitterness at the end with a bit of dryness. Aftertaste completely smoked! Wheat isn't really coming through some hints of clove but not so preset.

M - Light to medium bodied not too complex but very interesting.

D - Not my favorite style of beer. Definitely interesting and not bad but not my favorite.

Edit: As it warms some of the wheat character is a lot more present with some spicyness and clove character more noticeable.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2009 23:59:56 | More by JoEBoBpr

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I picked up an Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche tulip this past weekend, and given that bottles haven't showed up yet, the only thing I could think of to inaugurate it was a bottle of the Weizen, a beer I've had on tap and out of bottles in the past, but never reviewed.

A beautiful, clear deep ruby red with a dense, light brown head with good retention, there's plenty of carbonation present. Lacing is minimal.

The nose is classic Schlenkerla. Not as meaty as their other beers, this is still intensely smoky with a more woody, leafy smoke, almost peat like. Behind the smoke, I do get just a little bit of banana, something I haven't noticed the previous times I've had this beer. Sweetness is low, but the smokiness and the mild fruitiness work well together.

The palate opens surprisingly mild, given how noticeable the smoke is on the nose. Almost a little watery and lacking, there's a blend of smoke, burning leaves and a mild fruit character. The mid-palate is lacking, there's no real flavor there. The light body of a weizen doesn't take on the smoky intensity particularly well, especially the drying, mildly fruity, mildly spicy finish. No hops are present. Carbonation is high and scrubbing, lending a mild seltzer-like acidity to the finish. Probably my least favorite Aecht beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2010 04:15:02 | More by DefenCorps

Ego

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

instead of being a total beer hack and reviewing a xmas beer this evening I did the ole blind grab a bottle from the rack selection, and here is what I rolled...

eyes...
the head proofs quicker than bread on crack, it settles pretty quickly collapsing from the outside in leaving a meniscus of tighter foam in the middle as the sides slowly gurgle lower towards the brew itself, ruby brown hue, decent lacing, active carbonation keeps the head right on the surface the entire time, nice.

nose...
woodsy smoke with some dry grass, not as intense as some of this brewer's other varieties, this does ring of smokehouse almonds at times though... man rauchbiers are really appetizing, at least to this guy (points to thumbs at self), beyond the smoke there is a light fruit component, somewhere in the peach/banana land area. the smoke dominates but that is ok in my book.

taste etc...
smooth as silk body wise, the flavor is... um? looking for it. This is a pretty bland player. The smoke finally starts to assert itself about halfway through. This one drinks well enough but without the smoke it would be almost a total bomb. With the smoke though this pairs with salted food so damn well. Maybe that is this beer's place, simply and accouterments to a meal adding in a dimension. -

verdict?
a tame rauch but a rauch none the less. Probably interesting to cook with... I'll have to try that.

this paired well with the cowboys losing to arizona...

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2010 04:15:50 | More by Ego

beerme626

Kentucky

3.53/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Bottle from Liquor Barn in Lexington, poured into a weizen glass
A: Kind of plain, brown, one finger head that disappears quickly, with no lacing or anything.
S: Bacon, a little, much more mild than the marzen.
T: Bacon a little, but a good bit of wheat and the banana/cloves of weizens
M: Kind of sticky, not terribly carbonated, but still pleasantly
O: Good, but go for the Marzen for your bacon beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 02:02:42 | More by beerme626

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: The body is a cloudy unfiltered amber brown with jets of carbonation running up from the bottom, forming a large creamy textured tan head beautiful as for lacing is perfect thick and spaced evenly. Aroma: It's just about brunch here and I figured why not sample a beer that taste liked smoked bacon, this is liquified Canadian bacon as weird as that sounds its kind of smells good underneath the layers of smoke are mild clove and fruit esters, and a sharp scent of malted wheat. Taste: Sharp sweetness of a wheat the fizzy high carbonation and the neverending barrage of smokiness, that shouldn't even be drinkable but somehow you get used to it after your second sip. Mouthfeel: Spritzy medium bodied smoked wheat wow, this beer is different. Drinkability: Just can't imagine drinking multiple offerings of this in one sitting that would be a bit much.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2003 16:14:43 | More by WVbeergeek

plaid75

New York

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a dark copper hue with a four finger white foamy head. There was very good retention and excellent lacing.

The smell was dominated by a rich smokey aroma.

The taste had a kielbasa smokiness, backed up by biscuity wheat character.

The mouthfeel was full and wheaty, yet dry. Good carbonation.

A very unique beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2006 02:07:59 | More by plaid75

Goliath

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a dark brown color, with a thin light tan head. Fairly poor retention and no lacing.

The aroma is ok. Smoke dominates without a doubt. Behind the smoke though you get a bit of grain.

The taste is ok. Smoke dominates the palate, leaving the impression of smoked meat. A bit of grain in there, but not much else.

Mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with ample carbonation.

Drinkability is fairly low. The beers is fine, and appropriate for the style, but the intensity of the smoke is bound to limit this beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2008 23:20:00 | More by Goliath

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear, ruddy dark brown body with a full, fine, bone white head.

Smell: Some smoked salmon, some thick-cut bacon, and a bag of your finest beef jerky, please.

Taste: Oh, the delicious smoked meatiness of it all. Dark malted wheat, hint of tanginess, and a bit of sour lemon serve as muted reminders that this is a beer and not, in fact, a meat product. Minuscule bits of vanilla and phenols present. Finishes with a lingering, residual smoke component.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation.

Drinkability: Unique, interesting, it's definitely smokey and certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2008 01:25:36 | More by ChainGangGuy

CrazyDavros

Australia

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark copper with a large, fading head.
Nose shows smoky bacon, campfire and very faint doughy wheat.
The weizen characters are more apparent in the flavours, with nice doughy wheat and light caramel. The smoke is definitely the dominant aspect though with big ham notes.
Carbonation is much too high.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 00:26:29 | More by CrazyDavros

TheRealBigC

Nevada

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a murky brown. Smoke is big on the nose and the taste. The wheat properties peer through, but in a lot of regards it's hard to distinguish from its Marzen brother. I can tell that this one isn't as thick, but the smoke character, which is a major part of the beer, is almost identical. I'm overstating this a bit, I know. Overall I do like the Marzen better and this one doesn't seem to be a necessary try for all, but it's still an exemplary rauchbier.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 17:58:21 | More by TheRealBigC

barnzy78

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

16oz bottle shared with my father-in-law who loves all things Germany.
Poured with swirled yeast sediment, it's a cloudy brown colored ale topped with a tan head. Smoky aroma, faint wheat and hefeweizen with banana & clove coming out as it warms. Tastes are fruity, tart, smoky, actually refreshing with some banana notes as it warms. Lighter body with moderate carbonation. Overall, pretty good. Classic Rauchbier here, but I preferred their Märzen or Doppelbock over this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 01:19:48 | More by barnzy78

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A unique beer, with a mediumbrown look, with a bit of head. Smoke and wheat aroma, and very smokey initial taste with a sour finish. After several hot spices, it was complementary to the meal. Light mouthfeel, a notch above a watery lager. In a word, smoke.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2005 00:00:23 | More by northyorksammy

haz77

United Kingdom (England)

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a clear chestnut brown with a towering off-white head. This fades after a minute to a rocky finger-thick cap. Small bubbles of medium carbonation keep this nicely in place.

S - Imposing nose of bonfire smoke, with other elements such as chocolate, dried fig, peat and hay creeping in round the sides.

T - Light honey notes at first, then dark fruits and a little chocolate. Smoke moves in just after the middle and build towards a fairly tart finish. The smoke flavour lingers into a long aftertaste.

M - Light, quite watery mouthfeel. Carbonation is almost non-existent.

D - Pretty good, although I prefer other beers from this brewery. Good drinkablility for the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2008 12:01:11 | More by haz77

MTNboy

Missouri

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- I really love the color to this beer. It is almost a perfect bronze he carbonation bubbles balance out the color nicely as well. It also so has a wonderful head and lace.

Smell- It smells like an old smokehouse. There are some other aromas but they are shadowed by a rich smoky smell. The smell is distinct on each style of beer made by Schlenkerla.

Taste- Great taste. All the beers made by these guys are good but to me the flavor in this beer is more balanced. There is a grassy, clove banana taste sitting in the background of this beer making it work.

Mouthfeel - Full and well carbonated.

Drinkability- Great.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2008 10:37:38 | More by MTNboy

Beejay

Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: A hazy medium brown. With plenty of of white frothy head.

S: A very nice ashy smokiness to it at first whiff. Beautifully smokey. There is a touch of sweet bread behind the campfire smell, just fantastic. Plenty of smoked meat scent in there.

T: Smokey ashy goodness. There is a light bready thing going on in the background. Very interesting. You do get used to the smoke pretty quickly, and start to notice the rest of the beer.. as I keep drinking there is almost a medicinal flavor that comes out, something I am used to from peaty scotch, but not from a beer.

M: Light in body, the carbonation is very strong.

D: Nice overall. The smokiness tends to fade a bit as you drink, but still nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2011 06:25:03 | More by Beejay

PailOfAle

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pour: Cloudy auburn hue with a decent head. The head stays for most of the drink and leaves some slight lacing.


Smell: A sweet smokey smell, like mesquite chips.


Taste: At first I felt like I was drinking a smoked sausage, but then again, I've never had a smoked beer. As it warmed, the sausage taste went away and it began to have a nice smokey flavor along with the wheat notes. It reminded me smoked salmon spread on whole wheat bread...except without the fishy taste. It's very unique and after I got over the initial sweet smoky flavor that admitedly is like sausage, I enjoyed it very much.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2007 02:52:00 | More by PailOfAle

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a clear dark brown color weizen with a nice foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma is dominated by the smell of smoked bacon. Taste is dominated as well by some smoked bacon with some malt. Medium body with some great carbonation. Interesting but I couldn’t really detect the wheat from the smoke and I would say that the Urbock is my favourite form this brewer.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2008 18:21:21 | More by Phyl21ca

Pleepleus

New York

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Thanks to Hyland 24 for sharing this one with me. Poured from bomber to pilsner glass a dark brown with a half inch of tan head that reduced to nothing. Swirling in the yeast produced an almost Lava lamp appearnce that was more dramatic than usual. I think I smell, yep that's BACON, unmistakable delicious bacon aroma. Tasted like liquid bacon with a smokey flavor and some light carbonation. Any other flavor in this beer is lost on me due to my love for Bacon. As much as I enjoyed this I could not see myself having more than one of these. However I will have this beer again to share this unique taste with a friend or with some food pairings.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2008 01:26:55 | More by Pleepleus

DoppleJock

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

01/09/2010
1 pt. 09 FL. OZ. bottle poured into a weizen glass.

First crack at a rauchbier...

A: Filled the glass with a dark, slightly hazy amber. Good head retention through quite a few sips.

S: No lie about this being a smokebeer. My nose wasn't even close to the glass when I felt that I had stuck my head into a smokehouse filled with cured meats. Spicy with what I thought were hints of hickory.

T: Its smokey bark is worse than it's bite. Strong smell gave way to smoother taste, although I still felt like I was pouring dry-brushed pork ribs into my glass.

M: The smokiness not only stayed on my tongue but I thought it also entered my nostrils when I sipped the beer. Slight burn on my tongue as well.

D: Overwhelmed at first by how smokey this beer is. Definitely not trying this again until the summer, but I can't wait to bring it to the first BBQ of the season.

Verdict: Drinking this without food is doing yourself a disservice.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2010 22:52:06 | More by DoppleJock

Globetrotter

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Standard brown half-liter bottle with a plain label of nothing but lettering and one prize medal. Purity law, of course. Best before 2/04, I opened it on 11/5/03.

Beautiful cloudy brown tone under a thick, creamy tan head that sticks around a long time. Surprisingly little lace, however. The nose is more smokey than wheat, but it's quite pleasant. The mouth is prickly, with a sour tone to it. The flavor is a nice combination of smokiness and the yeastiness typical of a wheat. Perhaps the smoke is stronger than the wheat, but the brew is pleasant on the tastebuds. There's a certain sourness to this one that troubles a bit, and no discernible hops at all. Still, an enjoyable wheat for someone who doesn't really like wheats much.

My spouse, who does like wheats, was less impressed, saying that it made her crave smoked fish - which Russians like to eat with beer anyway. She's right, though - this would go very well with some smoked trout.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2003 18:56:26 | More by Globetrotter

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served from a bottle, fridge chilled, into a tulip glass, it pours a dark and hazy oak wood color w/ 1 cm of white, dense, and foamy head that creates a decent surface layer.

Beechwood aroma along with soem slight maltiness. Pale hops aroma maybe, but nothing spectacular.

Taste reminds me of sour grapes up front with a mild beechwood smoke flavor and lots of smokey aftertaste. A bit of sweetness also looms in at the end reminding me of Granny Smith apples.

Feel is medium body and the carbonation is nice along with a smooth body. Smoke gives it character, but this one is just easy to drink. This isn't my favorite style, and I gotta thank my fiance for pouring these down my throat (she loves 'em), but this was okay on a scale of bad to incredible.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2005 22:32:26 | More by Fish113d

AaronHomoya

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an amber color with a nice, tan-orange head. Smell is noticeably smoky, with a little malt. Seemed less smoky smelling to me than the marzen version. Taste is a nice mix of light malt and wheat and the smoky, bacon-like flavor of rauchbiers. Mouthfeel was medium bodied and the drinkability was good, but it's still intense and rich to the point I don't want more than one. It makes me feel a bit like I am drinking bacon, which is tasty but only to a point.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2006 00:22:28 | More by AaronHomoya

MrHurmateeowish

New Hampshire

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Several inches of off-white head that dissipates over a couple minutes leaving a fair bit of lacing tops a slightly murky orange-red body. Smells VERY smokey - reminds me of the scent of Lebanon Balogna. Tastes smokey over all, which dominates the other flavors. Wheat also is quite present. Despite the smoke, it is not overpwering as it could be. Mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium-bodied, but goes down rather smooth. Carbonation doesn't come through so much on this one, seems a little flat despite all the carbonation. My first real rauchbier, and I'm not sure what to think. While I couldn't drink this all the time, I could see myself craving this one, especially to pair with foods like ham or buffalo.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2007 02:37:24 | More by MrHurmateeowish

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A wheat Rauchbier, should be interesting.

Nearly brown in color, properly cloudy with a frothy initial head. Surprisingly little lace.

True to expectations the smell is quite smoky. It seems to be a dry beer with very little of the traditional wheat aromas.

The smoke is more mild than some, but it is still notable. Here, I can detect the wheat which is also mild. Overall this is a dry beer with a bit of an astringent pucker in the aftertaste. The body is like Marzen Lager--towards the lighter side.

I didn't think this combination would be very good together, but the subtlety wins me over. Could this be the first light extreme beer? I like the unique flavor of wheat and smoke, but there is nothing overwhelming about it.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2008 01:52:29 | More by smcolw