DeGroen's Rauchbock
Baltimore Brewing Company

This beer was served with a tan head atop a slightly hazy, copper body. The head displays very good retention. The aroma is predominantly smoke, almost smelling like smoked sausage. Some sweet malt can also be detected on the nose as well. The taste is a very smooth smokiness, with good caramel notes. A decent level of swetness is backed by very nice bittering on the finish. The lingering aftertatse is characteristically smoky as well. The mouthfeel is solid with mild carbonation, which I feel could have been just a touch stronger to enhance the drinkability a bit. As it is, the drinkability is pretty good. My first experience with a product from Baltimore Brewing, and it makes me wish I'd have purchased a few other DeGroens beers. Well, there's always next time. Coincidentally, this was the beer I enjoyed while waiting to meet the fabled VENOM at D's in Pittsburgh (I was early, being anxious as always to get to D's). A great way to start off a nice afternoon of discussing beers.

This beer came to me (at the bar) a cloudy rusty orange/brown color that appeared to be well carbonated (from what I could see holding it to the light). The head was faint that faded to none real fast. It started cream colored and ended as a rim on the glass, after a minute it looked as if I were drinking a glass of root beer. The aromas were of very smoked in nature, like if you were in a blind fold you would say SMOKE. I nosed leather, hickory smoke, beef jerky, woods, roasted malts, light fruit and suede. The tastes were somewhat different then the smells as in the smoke was not as big as one would think. I tasted roasted malts, leather, smoked hickory wood, and floral hops. The end flavors that were left on the tongue were of leather and slight smoke. Like I said this beer was not overly smoke flavored which would make it easy for someone to try if they had never tried it before. I enjoyed it, just wish it were creamier in the mouth to give it more body and depth in the flavor department.

Deep brick in color with a light tan lace. The aroma is light and buttery with an obvious run of smoked malt. Very boldly flavored with an aggressive smoke flavor supported by a smooth sweet butter caramel. The body is medium and quite smooth. Goes great with the crab cakes. The smoke flavor tends to wear a bit on me, so I docked teh drinkability based on that.