Bamberg Rauchbier
Saugatuck Brewing Company

 

A: Bamberg Rauchbier is copper in color, sports a beautiful off-white froth, and is ever so slightly hazy.

S: caramel, bread, and bacon combine to deliver a delightful nose.

T: the base is malty sweet, but not cloying, complemented by notes of caramel, biscuit, and smoke. I would put the smoke at 6, with Schlenkerla Urbock being the 10 on my scale.

M: medium body, but clean, leaving no thick residue on the mouth. Carbonation is moderate, but appropriately so.

D: I'm happy to see such a small brewery putting out such a delightfully to-style adaptation of the Rauchbier. I picked this up for $3 at The Hop Cat, and couldn't be more pleased with my decision.

I am writing this review from notes that were taken sometime back. I will try to do this one justice. It is a shame that nobody else has reviewed this one.

Appearance - Dark brown with a tan-ish head. Good appearance, but nothing remarkable.

Smell - Smoked meats, specifically bacon. Amazing! It smelled like a glass of liquid bacon! I wish I could describe what hops were involved, but the smokey meats overwhelmed me.

Taste - Deep smokey and malty. It might be my imagination, but it may have had a bit of maple or brown sugar sweetness. Again...liquid bacon. The flavor stays with you for quite awhile. Make sure you have this as later beer or have a palate cleanser after.

Mouthfeel - Low carbonation. Coated the mouth and lingering. I don't have anything but my memory to go on here.

Drinkability - This was a delicious beer and I hope to enjoy it again someday. Sadly, I don't see myself having more than one or two in a sitting. It would be far to rich for this. Overall, if you are in the area this little unassuming brewpub is well worth the stop.