Fischer Rauchbier
Brauerei Norbert Fischer

 

 

 

On cask at The Memphis Taproom, Philadelphia, PA

Hazy, reddish-dark copper with orange highlights. Very good head retention, average lacing.

The aroma offers smoke, bacon, a bit of band-aid-like phenols, and some fruit (berry, apple). It's interesting and inviting.

The flavor follows suit, and the smokiness is nicely balanced (it's not nearly as strong as some examples). It does not seem like Beechwood though... ? It's medium-light bodied and smooth in the mouth with just a delicate bristle of carbonation (it is a cask), and notes of dark caramel and toasty malts emerge as it warms. A firm bitterness, in combination with the smokiness, leads it to a dry finish.

Really nicely done, and superbly balanced. One of the most drinkable rauchbiers I've ever tasted!

Stopped into Cafe Abseits in Bamberg on 27SEP09 for a round before heading off to Memmelsdorf. This one caught my eye, at 0.5l for 2.50EU.

Despite being served in a krug, I was able to note the clear, deep copper color; almost brown actually. Had a creamy, lasting beige head w/good lacework. Light smoke is present in the nose, though nothing overpowering, with malty notes hanging on for the ride. Body is almost medium, and the bier adds a bit of a prickle to the tongue.

I tasted a light touch of toasty malt right off, with solid floral hops bringing up the rear. The rauch character is there start to end, in a positively restrained manner, with even a hint of roastiness. Solid all around. Prosit!!

3.95
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4

1173

On cask at the Avenue in NOLA. Pours dark mahogany with a full beige head that lasts. Smells lightly smoky with plenty of dark, slightly roasty malt. Faint fruity notes. Tastes more strongly of smoke, again with dark caramel malt. Somewhat metallic, in a pleasant way. Very slightly sour; shouldn't be like this, but that's just one of those things, like sulfur and diacetyl, that is part of the luck of the draw with small-batch Franconian beer. Not going to penalize it for an off cask. Medium-full body; almost creamy. This is what a rauchbier should be; if only the cask had been perfect...hard to ask for that though, seeing as they're even inconsistent in the Fatherland.

This rauchbier poured a clear, brown color with light brown, sudsy foam that settled. The smell was strongly malty with some notes of caramel and molasses, but not much smoke. The taste was lightly sweet with a touch of caramel and molasses from the malt. There was also a touch of fruity banana flavor, and a very low smoke flavor beneath. The mouthfeel was smooth as silk with medium body and low carbonation feel. It was malty throughout but not overly sweet. This was a very nice beer but very low on the smoke for a rauchbier. Unusual but good.

Poured a dense pale-cocoa colored head that held strong, but left just a spec of lace. Dark brown colored beer has an amber hue around the edges. Dark roasted malt and mild smoked meat in the aroma. There are equal portions of wood fire smoke and smoked meat in the flavor along with astringent heavily roasted malts. The flavor comes off quite light for such a viscous looking brew. The smoked attributes are solid, but not overpowering, and the base seems to be a dry stout/schwarzbier. A solid beer, which would make a good introduction to the smoked style.