Traveling in Germany, I visited many cities in Franconia. Their characteristic feature is the abundance of private breweries. Each bar is ready to offer visitors a unique beer brewed using original technology. In the city of Bamberg, an unexpected surprise awaited me: my friends offered me to treat myself to real smoked beer.
What does smoked mean
Meeting with German brewers, I learned that quality beer requires soft water, selected malt and live yeast. Various varieties of dark and light foamy drink are prepared from these components. Each variety has an indescribable aftertaste and a special “character”.
But what I was offered in one of the oldest beer establishments turned out to be unlike anything. I was served a mug of a dark drink with a pronounced taste of smoked meats.
When I asked why I had never heard of such a thing before, the owner replied that Rauchbier is a unique beer drink that is produced only in this area.
The recipe is passed down from generation to generation. They say that the monks of one of the monasteries brewed beer and sold it to the owner of local lands.
Once there was a fire in the monastery, malt stocks were seriously damaged by fire. But enterprising monks put it into action and got an unexpected result. The ruler unexpectedly liked the foamy, giving off a pleasant smoky aftertaste. Since then, they began to release it purposefully.
The first mention of a smoked intoxicating drink from the Schlenkerla brewery is found in documents from 1516.
Apparently, the master paid a considerable amount to the monks for the recipe. Since then, brewers in smokehouses have treated the malt with smoke from beech shavings and then aged the liquid in wooden barrels. This technology gives Rauchbier a real smoky flavor.
Previously, the peasants used not only beech, but also the wood of apple trees, as well as any other trees that grew nearby. And each time they got a new taste shade. Nowadays, smoked beer is prepared from both fresh malt and roasted malt.
My impressions
Having learned that I was a beer connoisseur and well versed in it, the owner of the beer bar served me smoked beer. He told me that from one or two sips you will not feel the real taste. For a leisurely conversation, you need to use a couple of mugs, then only the whole essence will reach the mind and heart.
In a tall beer mug, they brought me a drink of a rich dark shade. It was perfectly transparent. Amber reflections shone in the brown depths.
Inhaling the aroma, I felt not only the smell of smoke, but also the aroma of smoked meats. The taste of malt and a slight peppery aftertaste were well distinguished. The strength from 4,8 to 6,5% allows you to sip Rauchbier without hurrying and without feeling any signs of sharp intoxication.
After spending a couple of hours in the pub, I realized that ordering several mugs at once was not worth it. The heated foam reveals its aroma too sharply and becomes somewhat cloying. Therefore, it is served chilled to 6-8 degrees.
I also noticed how the bartender pours smoked beer. He holds the glass at an angle. So that it slowly flows down the walls. With this technique, abundant foam is avoided.
It seemed surprising that the loud-voiced Germans sitting at the neighboring tables suddenly calmed down a bit, watching how the bartender was working. There was indeed something bewitching in the slow flow of the intoxicating drink along the walls of the tall mug.
The gastronomic superiority of Rauchbier was undeniable for me. I have long remembered this aroma of foliage, smoke and bitter chocolate.