Schlenkerla

Helles Schlenkerla Lagerbier - The helles from Schlenkerla.  It pours a clear straw gold with a decent head that quickly dissipates.  The aroma is subtle, giving no clue to the taste that will hit you.  Smoky flavor permeates every sip with just a hint of hops bitterness.  The finish is crisp and clean and leaves you wanting another drink.  The Rauchbiers (Smoke beers) are a little different taste but I like them and they would definitely go well with a smoked brisket or chicken.

Aecht Schlenkerla Weizen - The smoked weizen from Schlenkerla.  It pours a dark cloudy brown with hints of reddish amber.  A generous beige head slowly dissolves into a fine layer atop the beer.  This beer really looks like a dunkel weisse.  The aroma is pure smoked malts.  The taste is smoky with some hints of spices...a touch of cloves.  There is virtually no taste of citrus, bubblegum or banana that is typically found in a German Weizen, just the smoke and the hint of spices.  The smoke on this is almost overwhelming, it's tasty but it might be just a little too much for some folks.