Aecht Schlenkerla Helles Lagerbier - Brauerei Heller-Trum / Schlenkerla

ultralarry2006

Illinois

1.18/5  rDev -70.3%
look: 1.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1

Poured from a bottle. Left a pure white head that quickly receded to surface skim, no lacing. Body was a crystal clear gold with crazy carbonation.

Smell - some pale malts, spicy yeast, and some weird smoky smell.

Taste - doughy malt with a spicy yeast that was unexpected for the style, but that was alright until I got this crazy smoke flavor. Yuck. And I mean smoke like the way a burned down building smells, not like hickory or bbq. Smoke that seems toxic and scary, not a good smoke as related to food. It quite frankly concrened me to be drinking it. Bad, toxic, acrid.

Mouthfeel - full, smooth, highly carbonated.

Drinkabilty - I forced myself to try to finish this bottle, it did not happen.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2006 20:51:32 | More by ultralarry2006

PorterLambic

Florida

2.18/5  rDev -45.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a foggy, darkish yellow with a white head atop. Retention is pretty good holding at a thick film for quite a long time.
Smell is a faint smoked meat note overridden by a musty hop and malt mix. Not what I was expecting or hoping for. I really like the rauchbiers and hope the flavor is better than the nose.
Taste is malt, hops and a light mustiness, all in decent balance. None of the smokiness sadly.
Almost medium bodied with a tart, sharp carbonation up front. Dry, clean finish. Sadly, I've got nothing to recommend in this beer. That's disappointing considering how much I've liked the other four Schlenkerla brews I've had prior.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 02:40:10 | More by PorterLambic

nasty15108

New York

2.6/5  rDev -34.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Poured from a 1pt .9oz bottle into a pilsener glass.

A - Hazy yellow color with a head of white foam. Decent carbonation and lacing.

S - Smokey and slightly herbal.

T - Tasted like drinking a pilsener with a piece of applewood smoked bacon in the glass.

MF&D - Needless to say this was not my cup of tea, or beer in this case. I guess its a good representation of the Schlenkerla style, but being a Hells lager I didn't expect such a smokey smell/taste.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2008 19:33:09 | More by nasty15108

treyrab

Pennsylvania

2.68/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Was in the mood for a Helles so I grabbed this last night. Ugh. I regret it. Poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a cloudy, hazy yellow with a solid one finger head. This beer does not look bad, but I am used to Helles being crystal clear. This was opaque.

S: Very, very light smell. Some honey malts came through in the scent followed by some pale cereal grains. No Saaz or Hallertau or Tettnang whatsoever.

T: Bland. Tastes like a mild honey tea. Very weak with some light cereal graininess and no hops that I love in my helles. Very unfortunate.

Overall, I do not recommend this one. I would try it again from the bottle, but I am not looking forward to it.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2009 00:04:20 | More by treyrab

avalon07

South Carolina

2.83/5  rDev -28.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Poured from a bottle to a pilsener glass. Had a pale yellow color and a clear consistency. There was an inch of creamy, fairly long-lasting head. Good lacing.

S: An almost undetectable aroma of malt, hops and not much else.

T: Tasted of mild hops, some malt, and a little bit of the smoky quality you get with Aecht beers. Mainly, this is a thin, watery flavor. Even the smokiness wasn't really noticeable.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a dry finish. Light-bodied.

O: On the whole, this is an average and forgettable beer. Not very interesting.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 13:08:10 | More by avalon07

brdc

Wisconsin

2.9/5  rDev -27%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Typical appearance of the style, golden yellow with a white, foamy head that dissipates in just about one minute.
Smells like alcohol with some hints of citric fruits and fresh hops.
Taste is clean, dry, hoppy but not really complex.
Mouthfeel is light, would be easy to drink multiple if not for its overall unimpressive taste.
Perhaps it is just because it is not my style, but I found this one to be very unimpressive, and the only Aecht Schlenkerla I will not buy a second one...

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2006 02:19:45 | More by brdc

AltBock

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -27%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle with a dirt simple blue and white label with the name of the beer and some German in blue old fashioned letters. The back label only contains the mandatory US information. The cap is the most interesting thing on the bottle. It shows a wobbling man with a mug of beer in one hand and a cane in the other. He could be wobbly over the leg injury or it's because he had too much to drink.

I poured this German beer into a Sly Fox Imperial pint glass. What came out of the bottle was a beer that was clear, bubbly, slightly hazy, and almost straw yellow in color.I did a slow pour on this beer and all I got was a tiny skim of white foam. This tiny skim of foam quickly dissipated into a handful of white rings and no lace whatsoever.

The aroma of this beer was lightly smoky and sweet with yeast, a splash of lemon peel, a faint whiff of toasted malts, and then this aroma ends with a mixture of butter and caramel popcorn. I like popcorn as much as the next person, but not when it's coming off of my beer.

The taste was lightly crispy and smoky with toasted malts, a splash of lemon peel, a hint of sweet yeast, and then finishes up on a light bitter note with a pinch of crispy citrus hops. I enjoyed how the taste was crispy and smoky at the same time and that it didn't contain any popcorn in it.

This was a light bodied beer with crispy carbonation and with a slight toasted aftertaste of malts, citrus fruits, and a hint of citrus hops.

Not the best light beer I've had and not my favorite beer from Schlenkerla. It you like crispy pale Lagers with a touch of smoke added to it, then I could see this as some kind of session beer. For me, one of these was good enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2008 17:27:46 | More by AltBock

ksimons

New York

2.93/5  rDev -26.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A-clear golden with about an inch of white head that disappears quickly and leaves some lacing around the top

S-slightly sweet and malty, subtle smoke,

T-picking up more hops than anything, lightly malted, spicy finish, picking up a little smoke towards the end but not much. Tastes more like a pilsner than anything else

M-light to medium body, very light and refreshing, moderate carbonation

A nice light beer, but I was expecting more, more taste, more smoke, something to make the taste different from a pilsner.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2011 20:42:40 | More by ksimons

coachdonovan

Rhode Island

3/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

this is a nice yellow gold, but it is definitely not crystal clear, as others have experienced. it's not at all the haze you might find in a double IPA, but there are some fine particulates suspended throughout. i'm not entirely sure that they're supposed to be there, but let's keep moving.

there is a hint of smoke in the nose, but obviously much less than the rest Schlenkerla's offerings. otherwise it's all malt and no hops - cereal grains mostly. taste is equally malty. the style description for Helles Lager talks about more subdued spicy hop notes than Pils, and in this case i would say "absent" rather than "subdued" when it comes to spicy hop notes.

lately i've been all about lagers, but this one just doesn't do it for me. there's nothing wrong with it, but at the same time, i can't pick out anything about it that i love.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2010 19:45:59 | More by coachdonovan

zaphodchak

Virginia

3/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Golden clear body, single finger white head. Minimal lacing.

Honey on the nose, not much else.

Dryish honey lager... trace of smoke. (Schlenkerla, go figure)

Standard mouthfeel, not over-carbed.

Decent lager, but pales in comparison to the rauchs.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2011 01:49:54 | More by zaphodchak

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.08/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

50cl bottle poured into my Spaten Krug

BBE Aug 2012

A- Medium gold body with excellent clarity. Very poor head retention and lacing, reducing very quickly to leave nothing whatsoever after a few minutes.

S- Lots of sweet malt, no smokiness imparted at all as suggested there might be.

T- Lots of sweet malt character, no hop balance really coming through at all. Finish is clean and refreshing

M - Medium body and carbonation.

D- Didnt look appetizing at all after a few minutes. Aroma and taste left little to be desired. No smoke character as hoped for. Just a standard helles on the sweeter side of the malt spectrum, even for Franconia. Disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 20:45:01 | More by seanyfo

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -21.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clean pale yellow color with a white head. In the aroma, lemon citrus and a small smoke presence. In the taste, a light lager with notes of lemon citrus and a nice smoke. A small smoke bite and a lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a semi dry smoke in the aftertaste. A bit thin and the smokiness is a bit faint.

Serving type: on-tap

02-06-2012 18:49:55 | More by OWSLEY069

BeerBelcher

Ohio

3.13/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 1.5

I would suggest that, contrary to what I've read about this beer, that this beer has more than a hint of smoke, although this is definitely not the smokiest beer I've had (that would be the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen). To my palate, this beer tastes meaty, which is not entirely a bad thing but does make the beer a bit less drinkable than some other styles. This beer tasted a bit like summer sausage, in contrast to the Rauchbier Marzen by this same brewer which tasted very bacon-y. Definitely worth a try, but not something you're going to drink more than one of! Also, if there was ever a thread on this site for "worst lawnmower beer," this might be in contention.

Oddly (at least to me) is that this beer really does look lager-like. it is golden with nice amounts of head. Aroma is very smokey. Mouthfeel is actually fairly pleasant. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2007 14:33:23 | More by BeerBelcher

1fastz28

Illinois

3.13/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

pours a light golden color with hardly any foam at all, it looks pretty boring really. smell is ok, some light hops and sweet malt flavor are pretty prevalent. taste is pretty similar, has a nice sweet malt flavor as its base, with a light hop flavor to it, mouthfeel and drinkability are decent, its a nice helles, but i really think there are betters out

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2010 23:51:20 | More by 1fastz28

Jayli

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This beer pours a clear bright golden yellow with a thin but substantial white head that leave wispy lacing behind. The nose is dominated by smoke but not quite like a Marzen, slightly more muted but still HIGHLY present, pale malts can be detected in the nose as well. Taste is a surprise as the smokey flavoring is more of an after thought. Taste is heavier on biscuity malts - too biscuity. Smokiness is in the finish. This was a lighter bodied beer, decent carbonation, not filling at all. The taste lessens the drinkability on this beer. I was really disappointed with the overbiscuity, smoked flavor. It wasn't well balanced for me.

Serving type: on-tap

05-26-2009 00:45:03 | More by Jayli

froghop

Washington

3.18/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

pours a semi-hazy pale yellow with a thin white head, and not much lacing.

smell is faint, malt, grain, a touch of smoke, and a little corn.

taste is of corn, malt, a little sweet in back, a little smoke, and well hidden hops, ends dry and a little bitter.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2010 00:38:32 | More by froghop

gfreed

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

As helles lagers go, this was was so-so. The lager character was there, with noticeable honey and lemon somewhat mellowed by a light smoke flavor. But really, the smoke was so distant as to be difficult to detect. So in the end the smokiness was not a factor in either aroma or taste. That leaves the helles part, and I'd say that was pretty distant, too, when compared to something like a Weihenstephan helles. The Schlenkerla was dull yellow in color, with a thin body, light carbonation and a bite that was rather toothless. I love Schlenkerla's rauchbiers, but this particular beer could be a pass.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2008 22:29:06 | More by gfreed

Naugled

New York

3.23/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into an imperial pint glass
A - Light straw color with an unimpressive 1/2 inch white head that falls away quickly to a partial skim coating.
S - Lager sweetness in background with a light scent of smokiness.
T - An overdose of an unpleasant smokey taste right up front followed by a sweet lager flavor followed by even more smokey bitterness at the end.
MF - A pleasant mouthfeel. Smooth and rather full.
D - I did not desire a second. This is a 'specialty' beer to me. Not a drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2009 20:47:41 | More by Naugled

Shango42

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Serving type-bottle poured into pilsner glass.

A-Golden body, white foamy head with decent retention, very good lacing.

S-Sweet and grainy malt, bready with some hops, grassy, strong lager yeasts.

T-Sweet and grainy malt just like in the nose, bready. Then the hops hits hard and crisp. There is a woodsy smokiness here in the middle but the finish is a backed-off hops with a good, balanced malt. Smoke lingers for a while and becomes an aftertaste that isn't altogether pleasant.

M-Light and clean, crisp, yet still quite smooth. Low carbonation on the palate.

D-One or two of these would be all I'd need mainly because the smoke becomes the dominating flavor after a while. It would seem like a good, easy beer on a hot summer day.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2009 02:05:07 | More by Shango42

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a slightly hazy pale yellow. There was a very slight head that quickly dissipated and no lace. There's nothing on the label except the name that indicates the smokey quality of the beer. And I'd forgotten that about the name. Not bad though. Balanced considering the smoke. Of course a smokey finish. Slight smoke in the nose. Be fun to cook with.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2008 01:07:24 | More by drpimento

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bottle acquired in trade with The_Beer_God.

Nice aromas of strong smoked meat, pepperoni, pork, beef jerky and had a refried bean aroma. The tastes were thin and almost non-existent with tastes of light smoke and a generic light sweetness. The tastes did not live up to the aromas.

Notes from 9/2/06

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2008 16:13:50 | More by hopdog

drabmuh

Maryland

3.28/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Saw this beer on draft at a local beer bar and couldn't resist. I am not a rauchbier fan and I have tried the other beers from this brewery. I was excited that they made a non-Rauch beer but in hindsight, what exactly was I expecting?

Beer is yellowish and has a slight haze to it. White head and good lacing on the glass.

The aroma of this beer put me off of it almost immediately. It smelled acidic and terrible. Like spoilage. I swirled the beer and smelled it again and this time it was greatly improved. Could pick up on some sweetness and the malt. I'm still penalizing it for the first whiff.

This beer has (SURPRISE!) a slight aftertaste of smoke. Seriously, what did I expect? The brewery responsible for making 5 beers, 4 of them are the world's best Rauchbiers and this one, they couldn't escape it. I wonder if the smoke flavor is intentional or just ingrained in everything they produce. Like they will never be able to make a beer without a slight bit of smoke in it, just because their equipment is coated with it.

Overall the beer was smooth and kind fo bland. The smokey aftertaste was unnecessary and abbreviated my pleasure of this beer. Sorry Schlenkerla. Not interested.

Serving type: on-tap

11-27-2009 21:14:53 | More by drabmuh

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.3/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle purchased from Plonk in Canberra.

Pours a very clear golden yellow colour, with a mildly forming head of white film. Some veiny lace forms when tilted. Lots of fine carbonation. Stylistically, it's pretty much spot on.

Nose is grainy and slightly thin, with a faint hint of banana skin and a touch of smoke, but less than I expected, even though they state it's not brewed with the classic rauchmalz. It's more like a slightly tweaked Helles Lager than a beer from Schlenkerla.

Taste is extremely light, with some grainy pilsner malt through the centre leaving a hay-like vegetative or rustic note. It mingles again with a very faint suggestion of smoke, but this leaves a medicinal aspect when mingled with the slightly earthy hop bite on the finish. Feel is light and crisp; quite suitable.

Overall, I found this a little disappointing, even though it's a decent beer overall. It's a reasonable example of a classic style, but there are slight fractures to it which don't really move it off-kilter enough to be interesting.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2012 06:23:32 | More by lacqueredmouse

CH3CH2OH

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bought a bottle and had no idea what it was before I cracked the cap.

Poured like a pils, with a thin layer of foam. Clear, light yellow. The first aroma that hit me was the smell I get when I start my charcoal grill. This would be an awesome beer to drink in the winter to remind me of warmer times.

Definite smoky aroma, but much less than a rauchbier. Taste is like an adulterated pils. The smoke flavor is more prominent in the beginning and fades to a manageable level.

Mouthfeel and drinkability is what you'd expect; a bit thin and refreshing.

A nice gateway beer to rauchbiers or when you might want a bit of a complement to smokey foods without being overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2006 04:22:59 | More by CH3CH2OH

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.33/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Schlenkerla- Helles

A- Light clear golden yellow with a good thick white head. No lacing but heavy carbonation.
S- Buttery sweet corn, liquid smoke, and a doughy bready malt.
T Sweet corn, butter, and smokey doughy biscuity bread. Slight peppery spiciness with light grainy malt and an even lighter dry straw/ hay hop finish.
M- Sweet and buttery with a dry smoke and earthy grassy feel.

Overall- Wasn't too impressed with the corn smell but drank easy with a crisp smokiness.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 21:07:57 | More by NJpadreFan