Gratzer
Bellwether Brewing Co.

Draft at brewery. Pale straw color, mild haze, thin skin of head. Light smoked malt aroma, not super burnt. Taste opens with a bit of sweet wheat, then switches over to the lightly smoked malts. Really nice. Would make a great gateway beer for full on rauchbiers.

no category listing for gratzer here on BA, we should probably change that. this is a delicious smoked wheat beer, light in body but packed with flavor, another winner in an esoteric old world style from these guys, seems to be what they do best, always some fun stuff pouring when i swing in here, its nuts! golden and unassuming in the glass under a short white head. it smells like freshly extinguished campfire, wet and smoldering, with fresh earthy wheat at its core and just a little bready fermentation character, perhaps lightly german but definitely european to me. the smoke is bold but the beer is also balanced, and it almost seems like it should be a darker color, like the smoke heavies the grain up in a cool way, im getting baked warmth and even nutty elements, but i believe its just pale wheat, maybe a bit of pils malt too, way neat! the smoke doesnt linger, its not bitter or acrid, and there is something real organic about it. i appreciate the depth this has for being as simple as it is, and the high carbonation and finishing dryness make it real drinkable for a smoke beer. impressive quality here, not for everyone, definitely has the traditional hotdog water vibe in there somewhere, but i love this kind of thing and i love these guys for making a gratzer!