Aecht Schenkerla Rauchbier

Shenkerla Smokebeer is like no other beer I have ever tried.  To call it smokey is more than an understatement.  Drinking this brew is like sucking woodsmoke from a chimney...in an oddly pleasant way.


Sold in 500mL bottles and measuring 5.1% alcohol, Schenkerla hails from Bamburg, Germany.  It is brewed by Brauerai Heller.  It pours a sultry dark brown colour.  It's slightly cloudy and topped by a creamy head.  Schenkerla as a strong (STRONG!) aroma of woodsmoke.  It smells like a campfire.  It has an intense smokey flavour that dwarfs any other tastes that might be present.  According to the label, the smokey flavour comes from kilning "over a fire of beechwood logs".  The aftertaste continues to be considerably smokey, but is also fairly bitter.

This is a really interesting brew.  There isn't much to talk about beyond the smokiness, but it is so unlike any other beer that it is definitely worth trying.  In my humble opinion, this beer is almost certainly best enjoyed in cold weather.  I suspect that it would not be nearly as palatable on a patio on a hot day, though I might be mistaken.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.