Herbstklagen
HammerHeart Brewing Company

From a pint can, pours a very clear copper-amber. Frothy off-white head of foam. This beer offers a really nice balance between the smoke and the Marzen. Delicious, outstanding.

Pours a clear, orange-copper color; dense, lively carbonation; thick, off-white head, tightly frothy and long-lasting. Excellent aroma; caramel malt; ripe Fall fruits and wet leaves; a minuscule trace of smoke. The taste slowly brings out a sublime smoke flavor, offsetting the base malt sweetness; very mild bitterness and phenol presence. Heavy body; viscous and slippery.

As a lover of smoked beers, from mild grodskies to the behemoth offerings from Bamburg, Germany, I was delighted to be offered a chance at this beer. I am not disappointed. The base beer strikes me as being a solid festbier with the addition of a mild and pleasing light smokiness. As the beer warms, more depth and complexity emerges, not so much in any new smell or taste developments, just a deepening of my original impressions.

ABV: 6.1%; pouring temperature: 38 °F; canning info: n/a
Source: @Victory_Sabre1973

16 oz can no date into a dimple mug.
L: SRM 24 pours a deep ruby red burnished amber color with a creamy 1/2" light khaki head that recedes to thin edge foam, low carbonation, light spotty lacing.
S: Woody, smoky caramelized malts, dark fruits notes, brown soda bread, dark earthy honey, overall malty.
T: Taste follows aroma plus plum, more wood smoke, grapefruit zest, pine resin, it has a very long bitter linger, brown bread dough, toasted cereal grains, a hint of grape, more bread notes emerge with warming.
F: Brisk then smooth and lightly creamy medium-bodied feel with a rich center and a long lightly drying finish. Becomes velvet smooth with warming.
O: Smoky, fruity, bitter yet gently sweet. Amazing. This beer nails the style effortlessly with flavorful flair and drinkability that is second to none. One of the best I've ever had. It is world-class.

 

How have I not rated it here? From a 16oz can with no date on it, but was delivered to work yesterday - October, 2nd 2024

Beautiful clear amber pouring beer. There's a fluffy, creamy looking, off white head that is 1 finger in size. The head retention is great. Some lacing on the glass.
The aroma is a light smoke aroma. There's an earthy aroma to this beer. Hints of caramel and cereal.
Taste - There's a hint of cereal up front. There's a bit of light smoke that hits in the middle. It's more of a sweet tasting smoke flavor. The back goes back to a cereal flavor with hints of caramel.
Very smooth body. Very grainy feeling. Full bodied.
Quite tasty, and glad to enjoy this in Ocotober 2024.

 

A smoked maezen from Hammerheart yes please. It pours a slight hazed iced tea color with a khaki head. Smell is smoked malts caramel and toffee. Taste is Smokey sweet malts with caramel toffee and molasses. A c smoked creamy mouth feel sweet and creamy.

 

Can. Cloudy orange autumn color.

Smoked flavor all around. Bacon vibes. Earthy and floral hops. Caramel, toffee, toasted malts. Smooth and easy drinking. Very flavorful. Very unique.

Dark deep Amber colour. Smells smokey, peaty, a little herbaceous, and sweet caramel malts. Tastes like it smells. Smoke lighter than expected, sweet caramel and bready malts, and smooth. Lingering light smoke and semidry palate finish.

 

Poured from 750ml bottle into glass. Bottled on '7.9.2018'.
Cloudy, deep gold colored body. Longer lasting white, bubbly head. Small lacing spots slide back down into body.
Aroma of smoked malt, with a hint of slightly sweet fruit. The smoked malt exudes toffee and molasses along with the meat tainted smoke.
Taste is malt driven, with some sweeter fruit aspects. A lot of the taste involves the smoked nature of the malts. Meat and slight char in the smoke, along with the lesser aspects of toffee and molasses. No bitterness.
Medium plus mouth feel. Good carbonation. The smoke lends itself to a dry finish, but it does not turn ashy.
Very interesting interpretation of an Oktoberfest beer, but peering through the smoke does reveal the essence of a malt driven (slightly sweet) fest beer. As it stands this is a very good Rauchbier.
Search for music by Waldgeflüster for the source of inspiration for the brewing of this beer.

 

 

 

HammerHeart Herbstklagen Rauchbier, 7% ABV. Pours medium viscosity, copper colored, with a one finger white head. Nose is sweet smoke, taste follows, with low bitterness. Decent mouthfeel and overall very good.

 

On tap at the Hammerheart taproom. 16 oz. serving in a tall pint glass.

Appearance: Color is a cloudy amber orange. Moderate amount of bubbles and a solid finger of off white head which settles into a thin creamy patch.

Smell: A smokey and sweet malt forward aroma with a scent of caramel malt and smoke. Malt scent of caramel, toffee, smoke, biscuit, toast, grains, and cracker with yeast. Subtle hints of apple and dark fruit. Also some light earthy hop hints. A very nice aroma.

Taste: Like it smells, a smokey and sweet malt driven taste with notes of caramel malt and smoke. Toasty malt notes of caramel, toffee, smoke, biscuit, grains, toast, and cracker along with some yeast. Light undertones of apple along with some dark fruit. Subtle earthy hop bitterness. A pretty good taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy and pretty smooth with a drying finish.


Overall: A very good take on a Rauchbier. Good mix of smoked malt and caramel flavor.

 

Appearance: Amber, thin head.

Smell: Sweet smoke.

Taste: Starts with a pleasant sweetness & fruitiness then transitions into a long smoky finish. Light feel.

Overall: From a 750mL minigrowler. Herbstklagen is described as a smoked kolsch, and I agree. Starts light and crisp sweetness/fruitiness often tasted in kolsch beers, then shifts gears to the Hammerheart smoke. Light feel despite the 7% abv.