Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen - Brauerei Heller-Trum / Schlenkerla

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 12 oz bottle into a tulip glass. Pours a thin beige head, over a clear reddish brown black body. Aroma is primarily smoke, with a bit of grilled meat, and sweet malts. Taste initially is toffee, then balanced by smoke and then mild hop bitterness Mouthfeel is relatively light, carbonation low. Smoked beers are interestingly different from each other. This one is a campfire in a glass. Can't stay this is my style of beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2011 15:57:52 | More by CuriousMonk

realbama

Florida

3.13/5  rDev -22.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

I was really looking forward to this one after reading the reviews. In short, a must try. But, I couldn't drink more than one. It poured a beautiful dark amber with a 2 inch creamy head. It smelled of smoke. Like others have said, imagine the smell of a BBQ. The taste was OK. VERY unique. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't incredible either. The aftertaste is what turned me off. It really left a taste of smoke in my mouth that I couldn't help but associate with a tailgate. Hours later, I still tasted it. Overall, this is a "must try at least once" beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2009 20:54:12 | More by realbama

katan

Colorado

3.15/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500 ml of rauchbier. Into a pint.

A - Dark brown to black in the center, amber on the edges. A fairly dark roasted beer. Carbonation appears fairly strong, evidenced by the bubbling. Head formation is light and mocha colored.

S - Obviously one of the strongest attributes of the style. Very smoked, very burnt smell. Something akin to a hard charcoal. What my clothes smell like after hanging out around the campfire.

T - Starts with a fairly light flavor of bitter and spiced edginess. The smoky flavors are very muted right now. Mid-stream is fairly undefined. The smoke/burnt flavors don't come into play until the finish and the aftertaste. Interesting way that it plays out. Aftertaste is unusual, with a off sweetness combined with the liquid smoke flavors.

M - Not as crisp as I would have found for the style. Very watery and thin. Aftertaste is very coating however.

D - One at a time is all I can say. ABV is manageable, but the
beer feels more like an interesting change of pace than a session beer. The more I drink it, the more I'm not sure the smoky flavors are all that desirable in a beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 05:01:50 | More by katan

Madigan

Ireland

3.18/5  rDev -21.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This is an interesting one - it looks, smells, and tastes like a standard Dunkel, say König Ludwig, but it has a really powerful, and enjoyable, smokey aftertaste, for all the world like decent Hessian Ahle Wurst. I tried the bottled version but I'm sure the smoke-bomb is even stronger on tap (and Bamberg looks like a great spot for a beer holiday). I'm still not sure whether to view this as a novelty beer or a precious classic, but if you're a fan of cured meat and good beer and you'd like to see the two combined, then Schlenkerla Rauchbier is for you!

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2009 17:15:02 | More by Madigan

NearerMyBeerToMe

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3

Pours with a rich, creamy, off-white head that dissipates gradually; fair degree of stickiness before sliding back into the beer. Beer is a chestnut brown color with great clarity and a few swift streamers. Transparent and bright when held to light, with slightly orangish highlights. Aroma is of smoke--not tobacco, but food smoke. There's also a subtle salinity, suggesting smoked seafood (especially oysters) and further back, the heat of freshly sawn wood (cedar). Taste is more smoke but stunningly light upon the roof of the mouth, along with what I originally thought was cedar, until I read that the wood for the fire is beechwood--yes, beechwood is more accurate. Beef or venison jerky, liquid smoke, and very salty. I am new to the style, but I just don't see much diversity here and presently I got tired of the flavor. Mouthfeel is light and wet with a minerally finish and really not much aftertaste. As far as drinkability, I'm sure this goes great with smoked food, sharp cheese, etc. but on its own? I don't need another.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2004 22:50:22 | More by NearerMyBeerToMe

crwills

Ontario (Canada)

3.25/5  rDev -19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Got a couple of 500 mL bottles of this smokey brew at the LCBO a few weeks back. This is the first of two.

Poured a deep red or earthy brown colour into a pint glass, with a big frothy cappucino head. As the foam faded, left lots of sticky foam residue on the glass.

Smell is SMOKE and smoked meat -- bacon, pork -- along with some strong charcoal flavours. Hard to discern anything else out of it because of how powerful the smokey smells are.

Same with the taste -- charcoal, campfire, smoked meat. Very little carbonation. Actually, I found the flavour of this beer somewhat disappointing and simple. In addition, the beer looks thick, but in actuality is a little watery. And, surprisingly for such a powerfully strong beer, there's not much of an aftertaste (although what's there is just bacon, bacon, bacon).

I didn't drop the drinkability of this beer too much, since it's supposed to taste like it does, but I sure couldn't drink a lot of them (or even more than one, really). Definitely worth trying, but I don't think I'm a big fan, and I definitely prefer the lighter, more complex Bieropholie Calumet (reviewed earlier).

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2005 02:27:33 | More by crwills

Hammarby

Sweden

3.28/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: dark brown / copper with a light tan head.
S: smoke, bacon, malt.
T: Hickory smoke, bacon, bitterness. Bitterness lingers in the after taste, but not as much as one would suspect. Body not as full as I would hope for. Light bubbles of carboration.
A nice beer to drink in front of a fireplace or just to get in a "rustic" mood.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2006 22:23:19 | More by Hammarby

harrymel

Washington

3.28/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed 07/01/10
Poured from bottle to new belgium tulip.

A: Dark brown and deep ruby. No head. No visible bubbles. Excellent clarity.

S: Smells like a campfire. Very comforting and embodying of outdoors experience. I would argue, for the style, over smoked.

T: Super smokey. Great for pairing with sausage lunch. Would pair well with sauerkraut or other acidic foods. Mostly like liquid smoke.

M: When chilled, a bit awkward as the body is medium light with quite a dry finish. Much more enjoyable as the beer warms - the smoke is more appropriate as it warms.

D: Good beer for times when longing for the outdoors, childhood memories and for occassional novelty beer. Nice, nice beer. Not among the top of the smoke beers IMO. Although, having been to Geramany, the rauchbier's are much better there.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2010 06:41:11 | More by harrymel

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This brew poured out as a brown color, there was a decent head at first but went away quickly. The smell of the beer is a super smokey, It was like being near a fire or something. The taste brought the same smoked strength onto the tongue for a salty bacon-like experience. The mouthfeel was pretty smooth though and was drinkable enough to finish my glass. The beer overall isn't really my favorite style. I think sometimes the smoke is too much and it hinders the brew. I try to give each of these a fair chance.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2011 03:45:12 | More by Knapp85

longpondbeerman

Maine

3.3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Smoked salmon. Smoked kippers. Smoked sardines. Smoke any seafood, I would guess, and you've got the aroma of this deep chestnut brown ale that arrived from the tap with virtually no head at all. The taste matched the smell; it started off with a tart, vinegar-like initial blast, heavily salted, all of which fortunately mellowed as the schlenkurla malts rose up and insinuated themselves towards the finish, at which point I was able to appreciate the underlying complexity of this ale. There's some forest foundation, like an old campfire, but also some subtle sweetness (a sweet and sour seafood dish, heavy on the sour, and cooked outside over an open fire--that's the best I can do)

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2004 19:58:23 | More by longpondbeerman

number1bum

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I had this some time ago and am reviewing from very, very distinct memory.

Dark reddish brown color, smells of liquid smoke and more smoke. In the nose that's not so bad, but man the smokiness is just too much on the palate. Smells of liquid smoke = nice. Tastes like liquid smoke = not so nice. There is some caramel malt sweetness to it, too, but the smokiness was too much for me.

This is not a style I care to delve much more deeply into. Some beers are an acquired taste. This is not one I think I care to acqure.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2008 03:21:24 | More by number1bum

bucklemyshoe

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Notes from 09/15/2010:

500 mL bottle at 45 degrees into a 20 oz mug.

A: It pours a dark brown color with a half-finger of head that has great retention and lacing.

S: Strong smokiness, country ham, charcoal pit, and burnt bacon.

T: Some caramel and bread malt flavors, bacon, and campfire.

M: It has a medium body thickness and feels quite oily (like bacon grease). Gross.

D: I would like to do some food pairings with this but I don't really care for it by itself.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2011 15:45:21 | More by bucklemyshoe

HardTarget

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Aroma: Smoke is balanced by a sweet malt undertone. There is a smoked cheese note as well, almost a Gouda.

Appearance: Great clarity, deep brown glass, tan head falls to a collar but hangs for spots of lace.

Flavor: Less smoke than the nose offered, and less than the Urbock we tried earlier. The malt is light and pleasant being well balanced with any hops noted.

Mouthfeel: Medium to light body, surprising in such a big smelling beer.

Overall Impression: A less intense version of the Rauchbier family, which makes for easier drinking, but less enjoyment.

Hand carried back from Kansas City, MO.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2006 01:06:49 | More by HardTarget

aforbes10

Iowa

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours mahogany/red with a loose ring of a head on it. Jerky and smoke odor is weaker than expected. Taste is spicy, meaty beef and smoked gouda. A little bitter. Kind of like drinking water that several cigars have been extinguished in (if you can imagine that in a good way). Drinkable because its interesting enough to keep drinking it but not too weird to make you want to stop.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2007 16:12:04 | More by aforbes10

fightingwords

Kentucky

3.35/5  rDev -17.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

S--smells like a campfire or a burnt out oak tree. Really could not distinguish any of the bready malts that would be in a standard marzen. Smoke is just such a powerful profile to have much complexity.

A--deep walnut stained color. Tan head. Fluffy with okay retention.

T-- smoked salted ham. Some type of raw nuttiness was present.

M--smooth and dry not unlike a scotch, but not quite as intense.

D--it's a slower sipper for me.

To be honest I hate this style and didn't like this beer, but I did it because it's always good to be open. Based on the reviews and comments on other rauchbiers this is exactly what they taste like and is a good reproduction.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2009 02:40:43 | More by fightingwords

mickeymac

California

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

It starts out well, with a nice brownish-amber color and decent looking head. However, the smell and taste of smoke are just a bit overwhelming. After expecting the malt flavor to catch up with the smoke flavor, disappointment set in about 2/3 of the way through the bottle after realizing it wasn't going to happen. The mouthfeel is decent, but the smokiness detracted from the overall drinkability. Maybe it's an acquired taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2002 18:29:57 | More by mickeymac

Higravity

Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

As a smoker this beer was not that good. It looked like a dark beer, but lurking inside was smoked meat and sweet breads. Seriously, I had some smoked sweet breads down in Argentina and this beer reminded my of what they tasted like. It had a strong smoked smell of campfire clothes, odd but enticing. It had a bitter charcoal hit to it as well that was not pleasing and a little bracing. There is some underlying sweetness but you can only taste them after your buds are readjusted to the smoke. Not bad enjoyable at times but have some cheese or something to gnosh on to make it more enjoyable as I found out half way through the galss.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2005 18:07:16 | More by Higravity

revdrjbob

Australia

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this awesome Rauch with Teaser in Sydney at the Lowenbrau Keller. Actually went to the bar for Rauchenfelser, but they had this instead.

Poured a dark russet mahogany into the Lowenbrau 1/2Ltr glass, with a dense off white slighty brownish head, that dissipated quickly.

Aromas of smoke, bacon, dark malts, a slight roastyness, and a faint fruit character, coming back to that awesome smoked meat and campfire aroma... yummy.

The flavour was a little dissapointing compared to the smell. Sure, it was very smokey, with a rich malty almost caramel character to it, but just not what I was expecting. Had a nice lingering malt and smoke flavour, with the smoke dominating, very easy drinking. Sadly, not as good as Rauchenfelser. On the funny side, the bar manager came out to see if we were enjoying our meals, sees that Tease is drinking the Rauch, and says something like "Wow, you're brave, a very strong flavoured beer, I'm not too keen on it myself", but with more of a German accent.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2005 07:37:46 | More by revdrjbob

soulgrowl

United Kingdom (England)

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Dark, nearly opaque chocolate brown with soft ruby highlights. Lame, cratered, moondust-colored head.

Smell: Woah. This is different. The smoke smell is somewhat overpowering, and remniscent of - I kid you not - hickory-smoked salmon. Possibly a good breakfast beer, this one. Malts are kind of Doppelbock-ish but squashed under the smoke.

Taste: Here goes... hmm. Not bad. Smoky, for sure, with a game-like quality. Malts are full of dark fruit flavors. This one would be great to cook with. In fact, you could reduce this down and make it a sauce in itself, or a marinade. Burnt bitterness rounds out the finish.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly sparkly, this doesn't quite match the flavor but it isn't bad.

Drinkability: When I first took a sip of this, I thought, man... this is good, but I'm not sure I can finish it! But the more I drink, the more I like this. I wouldn't mind having another, and I really look forward to pairing this with meats.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2006 00:15:32 | More by soulgrowl

BradBLR

California

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is a very different beer. When I first poured it into my glass it was super dark and had a really think head. The smell was great, almost smelling like bacon. I'm thinking "Bacon Beer"?

The first taste was good, but it did not taste as smokey as it smelled. It had a nice malt flavor with little to no hops. It was thicker than normal, and had a fairly nice mouthfeel. The smell and the taste just seemed very different. Should give it a try if you have never had a smokey beer, it is very interesting.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2006 14:58:21 | More by BradBLR

Golden2wenty1

Wisconsin

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a single at Steve's on University. Bottle enjoyed in succession between the Aecht Urbock and New Glarus Smoked Rye Bock.

Pours a dark, rusty amber under several fingers of soapy khaki cream and some decent lacing.

Nose is very light with the faintest hints of smoke over fruit cocktail.

Just as light on the palate a very light smokiness over sweet, caramel Oktober-malt and a bit of fruit.

Mouthfeel is a little on the thin side, borderline watery.

Overall a fairly drinkable beer, quite drinkable for a rauch, and entirely inoffensive. Marzen, the Workingman's Rauchbier.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2006 00:26:08 | More by Golden2wenty1

ccrida

Oregon

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

500 ml bottle poured into my Meantime snifter, Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen is very dark amber with a khahki head that leaves very little lace and dissipates fairly quickly. Very dark for a Märzen.

Smell is very smokey, cured ham, woody with a touch solvents, almost like refinished hardwood.

Taste is also very smokey, and woody. This tastes a lot like a campfire, particularly with the lingering aftertaste. Think diced bacon on a cheddar wurst. Damn, that sounds like a good idea now that I mention it! The smoke is to sharp for me to pick up much of the base Märzen, this is basically a generic, dark smoked beer. Something about it in fact, so sharp and woody, it almost has a propane taste to it or something, and could be dialed back some.

Mouthfeel is pretty smooth and slick, medium-heavy bodied. Not to carbonated, but the bacon burps are awesome!

Drinkability is pretty good if you like smokey beers lacking subtlety. If you wanted a Märzen with a hint of smoke, you'll be disappointed. I like the fact that it's so robust and not that strong, only 5.1% ABV on my label. Still, not something I'd want to drink all night, one is enough for me. I wanted to like this more then I did, I've only had their Urbock previously, and preferred the darker malts with the smoke for a more balanced palate. Hey, at least we know there weren't any rats in the grain!

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 01:06:35 | More by ccrida

Stunner97

New Jersey

3.38/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance- Darker brown though still transparent enough to see through, thin quickly disappearing white head, light carbonation

Smell- Lots of smoke and faint smells of malts trying to kick through as best they can

Taste- Smoked campfire taste matching the smell, slight maltiness, as smoke fades you pick up bit of malts and even tad of hops on the finish, THIS IS A LONG FINISHING BEER,

Mouthfeel- Smooth lingering feeling

Drinkability- I imagine this could be a good sipping beer paired with the proper foods, not something personal I could see drinking often or alot but definitely and interesting try

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2009 04:49:22 | More by Stunner97

Shiloh

Ontario (Canada)

3.4/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Certainly an above average offering but does not suit my particular taste.
Very dark offering, almost black with dark red undertones.
Head was thick but short and tan in colour. Carbonation was light.
Aroma was lacking.
Taste was malt heavy, almost a coffee with indirect bitterness.
Non lingering and crisp....Impressive....Recomended

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2003 22:57:23 | More by Shiloh

grynder33

Wisconsin

3.4/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

What you hear is what you get.Nice big head, aroma reminds me of smoked summer sausage, nice smooth mouthfeel initialy an extreme smoked taste, but it does seem to recede. The only place I would think this beer apropriate would be if I were on on a camping trip, and the boys were resolved to have beer early in the morning, and they were frying a breakfast of eggs and whatever.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2003 21:34:17 | More by grynder33