Rauchbier
Dovetail Brewery

Hard to read date code; drank 6/2/26 @ Yarchives.

Opaque dark brown appearance.

A rough pour yielded a big tan head; a thick curtain of tree-rung lace remained.

Bacon, smoked ham & mild caramel notes in the nose.

Creamy medium thick mouthfeel.

Smoked bacon & citrus flavors up front, mild caramel with an odd metallic note on the finish.

A bit off; I'd like to try it on draft maybe.

 

A dark Rauchbier with a nice, barely off-white head that is an interesting contrast. There are a few spots of lacing. The edges of the dark brown liquid let light through to indicate a decent level of clarity. The smoke comes through nicely on the nose, but it seems to be carrying the weight, the malt that carried the smoke struggles a bit to come through. But there is a mildly nutty note behind the late night campfire smoke.

The taste has a bit of a fruity note that pairs with the smoke. It throws me off for a second, but I start to get into it later in the pour. The detraction comes in the mix of smoke and perhaps hops that yield a bit of a acrid, maybe even slightly metallic feel in the back of the beer. Moderately light in reality, the dry smoky note does produce a bit of a drag on the beer, feel-wise.

 

 

Varnished cherrywood brown with a fairly tall, creamy tan head settling wavy with crested arms clinging to the glass.

Smell is full on smoked and maple glazed ham, to eleven! It's actually kind of startling how intense that is.

Taste adds a woody roastiness to that, making it a bit more substantial than some rauchs. It's also got a bit of a bitter molasses thing going on.

The medium body is really soft, in contrast to its potent expression.

A two inch head lasts a few minutes before collapsing to a thick blanket. A dense coating of lace is left on a bulky mug, while the dark copper beer is clear underneath. The contrast between the dark copper and light taupe head is appealing.

The aroma has a mild smoke, similar to brisket. Malt undertones lead to light bacon as it warms.

The flavor has a very mild smokiness against the malt. The base beer tastes like a very well done Marzen. Everything is just a bit stronger than subtle and really works well together. A long finish draws out the flavors, while adding a light astringent bite.

Smooth carbonation fills the mouth with each sip. The beer itself has the texture of Jersey cotton and a full body. The alcohol is as expected and the finish has a mild dryness.

I found this to be an excellent drinking beer. Unlike many Rauchbiers the smoke is only one component that interacts with the base beer flavors rather than dominating over them. One could easily enjoy a few of these with friends while sitting around outside or in a dark pub. I paired this with an aged Havarti and an assortment of prosciutto to provide an exquisite experience.

 

Can. Dark brown with lasting small head and lace. Very smoky aroma with a hint of chocolate. Surprisingly light sweetness, a touch watery, with more herbal bitterness than required. Light body. Chuggable. Nice and smoky, no holding back.

Pours relatively clear dark brown with a persistent 1/2” light grayish cap. Very good lacing. Nose is subtle smoke, cocoa, roasted barley. Taste leads more sweet than smoky, like a slightly bitter BBQ sauce. There’s a metallic twang to it as well, which does help balance its sweetness. Feel is rather slick, even greasy like a mineral water, and while the carbonation is small, this comes across more heavy than full. Overall, this wasn’t bad, but had a couple aspects (sweetness, feel) that detracted from the overall.

Dovetail Rauchbier takes on the classic Bamberg style and makes it very close to the real deal and very drinkable. I bought this can in Chicagoland, but if it makes its way Wisconsin, I’m buying a 4pack.

Leather brown colored and topped with a billowy rocky head above. A good rauchbier should smells like smoked meats, and here it takes on the aroma when you open a pack of mild beef jerky with a touch of helles lager in the back. You taste it, and you get a balance between an easy drinking lager and a unique tasting smoked beer. A little lighter than the more famous Aecht Schlenkerla Märzen, but also more drinkable and nearly as delicious.

 

Final pour on my tour of Dovetail’s handles. This was all about smokey campfires and bacony goodness atop a lightly malty beer. Not for the faint of heart.

 

Half liter pour at the brewery after their Grod and Smoked Helles. This is a proper Rauchbier, one that you could easily find in Bamberg based on its quality. This must be one of the best in the US, no doubt. Deep amber brown, meaty smoked malt aromas, and a rich malty profile layered with char, earth, dark chocolate, all the good stuff. Super smooth and wayyyy too drinkable. Just an outstanding example of the craft and a testament to the excellence of this brewery. Unfortunately, though, it’s a pricey pint.

 

 

 

Poured from a 16 oz can into an imperial pint lager glass. Can was dated 12/21/20, enjoyed 10/25/21.
Color was a deep brown with tints of red, sporting a short 1" dense beige head.
The aroma was definitely the first clue of smokiness, but it wasn't overwhelming the other, sweeter aspects of caramel and biscuits.
The taste: first sip was all smoke, like Liquid Smoke in beer form. Whoa. So I set it down a few minutes to let it warm a bit. This seemed to help. Smoke is definitely present but not overwhelming. There is an almost barbequed aspect to this and it supports rather than oppressing the base lager. Excellent for a cool, rainy day.
The feel is ideal for the style, with the one quip of going down too easy. Once it's gone you are disappointed. At least I was.
OA, a really tasty smoked beer from a brewery that seems to be firing on all cylinders right now.

Pours a beautiful mahogany brown color with a a dense, sudsy tan head. Beautiful beer. The nose has a subtle roasty, smoky aroma that accompanies the caramel notes - it’s like candied bacon in your grandpa’s smokehouse in his backyard.

The taste has the subtle smoke and an appreciable caramel flavor that work really well together, especially with the crisp mouthfeel.

This is packed with flavor at 5.6% ABV, and is a PERFECT fall beer, IMHO.