Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche - Brauerei Heller-Trum / Schlenkerla

Zimbo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.7/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From the moment the cap is sprung it drifts a light smoky meatiness which is deep and delicious but no where near as pungent as I expected.
Even half inch head tops a beautiful clear cyrstal copper colour which deflates despite leaving some complex Rorschach test type lacing.
To taste, whoa. Tastes as it smells despite some risidual fizziness which cuts through the mediumish body and is firm and reasonably dry. There is also a degree of softness knitted in there too. The restrained lucious roasted meaty quality is beautifully integrated producing a truly earth shattering finesse and balance. Just mouthwatering. Can barely believe it is 8%ABV.

Truly truly delicious. Just want to drink this outside before a roaring fire with a plate of quality Aufscnitt.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 11:29:55 | More by Zimbo

jaxon53

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

06-15-2013 22:59:53 | More by jaxon53

RichardMNixon

Delaware

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

06-11-2013 03:36:58 | More by RichardMNixon

fox227

California

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

06-10-2013 00:35:08 | More by fox227

MrHassellYaHurd

Louisiana

4.08/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a semi-cloudy orange/copper with a thin white head, quickly deteriorating into an even thinner ring around the edge of the pint glass.

The aroma is intensely smokey. Like a campfire just beginning to heat large sappy logs. There is also a sweet malty smell, though much less pronounced than the smokiness.

The taste is like toasted biscuits, sweet molasses, with a slight hop bitterness, as well as the mesquite-like flavor of the oak smoke. No detectable alcohol notes, except for a slight warming sensation. Medium-full texture, prickly carbon dioxide release on the tongue.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2013 03:07:22 | More by MrHassellYaHurd

Liquoric3

Germany

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

06-09-2013 00:49:08 | More by Liquoric3

HowlingTurkey

Louisiana

4/5  rDev -1.7%

06-08-2013 20:55:42 | More by HowlingTurkey

smartassboiler

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.7%

06-07-2013 03:50:46 | More by smartassboiler

GrindFatherBob

New York

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

06-06-2013 22:35:49 | More by GrindFatherBob

Woodman70

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -1.7%

06-01-2013 02:51:23 | More by Woodman70

Luiz0930

California

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-31-2013 07:40:06 | More by Luiz0930

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: slightly hazy golden amber. Wispy off white head.
Smell: the smoked malt is front and center but the most refined smoked nose I've sniffed. It's like the maker of Slim Jim gave away his crappy business and became a gourmet chef.
Taste: very interesting if not spectacularly satisfying, blend of smoke and dopple malt.
Overall: interesting beer. Glad I tried it. Unlikely to revisit.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 22:43:00 | More by cindyjeffsmith

Rekrule

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -26.3%

05-25-2013 23:47:15 | More by Rekrule

Neorebel

New Jersey

4.31/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours an auburn hue into my goblet. There's a very thin ring for a head, but the beer has a great gem-like clarity to it. Minimal to no lacing. Aroma like that of charred embers, oakiness, and a savory characteristic. Like their other selections, the flavor is pleasantly complex. Charred wood, molasses, brown bread, smoked cheese, and peppercorn notes can be detected within the mix. The finish is soft, with a faint bitterness. Medium bodied with a noticeable ABV. So far, this is my favorite of the three Schlenkerla Rauchbiers I have tasted...

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 22:51:42 | More by Neorebel

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.94/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle served in a pilsener glass. A slight gusher off the bottle pop. Pours a dull amber hue with a loose, fizzy, one-inch, cream-colored head the sizzles and pops as it dissipates into a broken slick. Nose expresses smoked, salt pork, some malty sweetness and a hint of toffee in the background. Taste is really quite interesting - the malt and toffee come out in the foreground, with the smoked, salt pork pleasantly integrated into the background - a juxtaposition of the nose. Mouthfeel is light-medium in body with a pleasant, even carbonation and some residual saltiness. Overall, an interesting beer - not my favorite from Schlenkerla, but a pretty unique example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 00:27:28 | More by Jwale73

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-12-2013 19:50:23 | More by BeerForMuscle

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -14%

05-12-2013 17:08:38 | More by mikeburd1128

tjsdomer2

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: Caramel syrup with fiery carbonation. Incredible lacing. Really one of the best I have ever seen.

Smell: Salt and pepper covering notes of peat and scotch. I would like a bit more punch.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Tastes like a cigar...there's that much smoke. Hints of bacon/pork fat...ok...more than hints...more like obvious overtones. The smoke really makes this worth it. Crisp/active feeling, but a tad flat in the finish, most likely due to the overwhelming heavy body.

Overall: I could possibly justify calling this my favorite beer ever.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2013 04:01:24 | More by tjsdomer2

abeaulieu

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -14%

05-06-2013 01:13:45 | More by abeaulieu

Gonzoillini

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +4.4%

05-02-2013 23:36:43 | More by Gonzoillini

DenverLogan

Colorado

4.11/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

From bottle into Maudite tulip glass.
Pours a gold - copper with modest head, significant bubbles on side of glass.
Aroma of liquid smoke, sour wheat, rye.
Moderate carbonation and mouthfeel.
Flavors of sweet malts and liquid smoke...slight notes of fennel, powdered sugar, Indian spices, floral and straw hops.
OK...so I'm an admitted fan of Schlenkerla even though the smoke is often off the charts (hint...age it 3 years and it'll smooth out, all their flavors mellow out wonderfully with age), and this one is as intriguing as the others, but different. As a doppelbock this is way smoky and flavor-wise bodacious, but also very drinkable to those that appreciate a good smoked brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 02:39:00 | More by DenverLogan

2GOOFY

California

4/5  rDev -1.7%

05-01-2013 02:22:58 | More by 2GOOFY

Lugenbeast

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%

04-29-2013 00:19:45 | More by Lugenbeast

AltBock

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

16.9 oz. bottle with the standard Schlenkerla label. This version is a dark forest green with a silver border. Inside the rectangular label is the name of the beer in German, but it was written in some white hard to read old school weird font lettering. Below the name of the beer is a wreath made of leaves and acorns. The back dark forest green label contains a lengthy description of the beer and all the mandatory US information. Missing from the labels is a best before date or a bottle code.

When poured into a Paulaner Salvator Pilsner glass, this smoky beer was a crystal clear amber with some faint tangerine orange highlights along the sides. The initial head of foam was about 3/4 of an inch in height and cotton white in color. This cotton white head of foam had pretty good retention that left behind a tiny skim of foam and a few small blots of lace around the glass. I'm pretty sure that I haven't had a crystal amber Doppelbock before.

The aroma was smoky as hell! It was as strong as their other smoked beers. The first smoky aroma that came pouring out was the hickory smoked bacon. Behind the bacon was some smoked ham, beech wood, a dab of smoked sausage, a pinch of black pepper, a touch of smoked malts, and a subtle whiff of green olives. It smelled like every smoky aroma had a sweet undertone to it. The aroma was unique for a Doppelbock, but not a Rauchbier.

The taste was smoky, but not as smoky as the aroma indicated the taste might be. The first taste that I got was the smoked malts. Waiting behinds the smoked malts was some hickory smoked bacon, a little smoked ham, a dash of black pepper, and a pinch of beech wood. While all the smoky aroma had a sweet undertone to them, the smoky tastes had a slightly bitter undertone to them. If the beer's tastes were as smoky as the beer's aroma, this beer would tasted like you were drinking a beer from a smoke stack or from a pit BBQ.

Even though this was a 8% ABV smoky beer, it was more a medium bodied beer than a full bodied beer. The aftertaste was smoky of course. Did you expect anything different? The aftertaste of smoked ham, bacon, and malts lingered on for a little bit. I had a hard time tasting and feeling the beer's somewhat high 8% ABV.

To me it tasted like the brewery combined the Rauchbier style with the Doppelbock style. A part of me wished that there were more smoky flavors in the taste and aftertaste. I think my taste buds were jealous with what my nose smelled. It was the aroma of this beer that made it for me. Would I drink this beer again? Probably not. If I want a smoky beer, I'll order a Rauchbier or a Smoked Porter. If I want a Doppelbock, I'll order a Doppelbock. I don't want to cut any corners and get another bottle of a Smoky Doppelbock.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 02:47:48 | More by AltBock

drgonzo2k2

California

4/5  rDev -1.7%

04-20-2013 14:28:43 | More by drgonzo2k2