Rauch Helles
Occidental Brewing Co.

16oz can from Brewers Haven. Lightly cloudy golden and a small creamy head. Aroma is wood smoke. Taste is more smoked malts, light sweetness. Pretty simple but executed perfectly.

i adore this style and this brewery and expected magic here, but its one of their more lackluster offerings in my experience. super subtle on the smoke which is fine, but the base beer seems flat to me from the can, and relatively bland even, just lacking the life and the flavor pop i have gotten used to in their lagers. no head at all, super pale straw colored, not even really any bubbles visible. smells nice, dry german pils malt and minerals, wet soil, light campfire smoke, a hint of almond, iodine, light oxidation, lager yeast. flavor sags a little, not as much smoke as i smell, a hotdog bun thing, really simple and kind of weak grain build, familiar lager yeast drying it out and making it european, but its thin and without carbonation it feels watery, drab, dead. a shame because there is a lot to like about it, a more drinkable example of the style and a bunch of potential, but this beer, at least this can anyway, is not executed to their usual high level. good with spicy pork tacos, no aftertaste as all, crazy for a smoke beer. not bad, but i wanted and expected a lot more from this one...