Rauch And Roggen
The Farmers' Cabinet

Draft at The Boilermaker in Philadelphia, PA.

Pours a hazy golden orange color with apricot hues and a one finger off-white head that quickly settles into a lasting ring. Sporadic spots of lace left behind.

Smokey roasted malt aroma with a touch of sweetness lingering underneath.  Nice smoked beer aroma with hints of campfire, charcoal and wood but not over the top with some caramel, hazelnut and toffee balancing things out. Possibly some faint light fruit notes as well.

Medium bodied with a really nice balance of smoke, spicy rye and sweet malt.  Nice and smokey/roasty with rauch beer of elements that aren't too strong or overpowering.  Hints of charcoal, butane and smoked bacon nicely countered by spicy rye as well as some sweet caramel, toffee and hazelnut.  Complex, well balanced and very drinkable.

On tap at the Farmers' cabinet. This was Terry's offering for the Iron Homebrewer comp featuring cherry smoked rye malt. This brew pours a hazed brown with a finger of creamy tan head that maintains well. Thick patches of lace hang all over the glassware.

The smell of this brew is meaty and smoked. Lots of smokiness to this brew on different levels and quality that is at times reminiscent of pete moss at times. A light fruity twinge is noted across the back with some clove character.

The taste is smoked and grainy with a bit of grassy to herbal bitterness to balance it out. Very pleasant pete smoked character is meaty and not at all overdone. Some meatiness gives way to bready grain. The hops are done well enough to kept an herbal bitterness in there to keep the smoked flavor in check.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest level of carbonation. A fine example of another sort of hybrid style that is a mix of roggenbier meets smoked beer. Very interesting twist and very enjoyable. I don't necessarily get thirsty for smoked beers all that often but I could have easily taken down several pints of this.