Fastenbier

I just posted the beiow in the New Beer Sunday thread:


First time in bottles: Schlenkerla Fastenbier

The Schlenkerla Brewery (or if you prefer: Brauerei Heller-Trum) is world renowned for their smoked beers. They also make a very nice Helles beer which is technically not a smoked beer since no smoked malts were used to brew that beer but even the Helles has a smoky quality to it imparted by the Schlenkerla brewhouse.

I recognize that smoked beers are very polarizing. Some people love them and some people viscerally hate them. I am a ‘tweener’; I like/love some smoked beers and I dislike others. While all smoked beers share the common feature of being brewed with smoked malts, not all types of smoked malts impart the same smoky flavors and how the smoked malt is used in the brewing process will have impacts as well.

I have had the pleasure of drinking Schlenkerla Fastenbier on draft in the past but this is my first time drinking this wonderful elixir from the bottle; this is the first time that bottled Schlenkerla Fastenbier has been available in the US.

Enough of my jibber jabber, on to the beer!

Poured into my 0.5 liter Willi Becher glass.

Appearance:

The beer is a deep reddish brown color, with a big fluffy off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

Smell:

A combination of smoke and sweet caramel malt aroma. There's also a prominent floral aroma from the hops. Really big nose on this beer!

Taste:

Lightly sweet malt up front mixed with some chicory flavors; a nice combination of bready caramel malt and smoke. I notice some spicy notes in the mid-palate. It has a smooth finish of brown sugary malt, spicy hops, and creamy smoke.

Mouthfeel:

A creamy, medium body, medium carbonation, and a dry finish.

Overall:

In my opinion all of the flavors and qualities of this beer work so well together in this beer. In music terms this is a masterful symphony!!

I would recommend this beer to others to try who may have been ambivalent about drinking smoked beers. This beer seems to prove out that smoked beers can be enjoyable through a masterful and balanced approach to using smoked malt in brewing beers, For my palate this beer is very drinkable through its extraordinary blend of overall flavors.

Cheers to Schlenkerla for their beautiful crafting of Fasternbier!

 

@AlcahueteJ where'd you snag your bottles? I think I'll probably go out on Wednesday afternoon and try snagging some.

 

Ball Square Fine Wine and Liquors. I don't think they had much, but if they are out you can try Downtown Liquors in Davis. They must have had about 20 of them.

 

Continued research led to me trying this beer with food last night. It was the first of my bottles that I had with a meal (a homemade cheeseburger, nothing fancy), and I have to say it was pretty fantastic. Poured into my Steinkrug.

 

I'm starting to think none of my local stores are going to get any. Anybody feel like a small trade for 3-5 bottles?

 

I know that feeling.

 

Some fine folks have reached out to me and my issues should be remedied. No clue why Denver hasn't (or likely won't) have any at all, though. Schlenkerla should have put "rare" or listed the bottle number on the label.

 

@Domingo Never give up hope, when it rains it pours! I found out that one spot (half-an-hour away) has the Fastenbier and I drove down to get some -- only to get home and see an e-mail from a smaller shop not too far away who got some too! Now I'm swimming.

Won't get to try it until later, probably no reports until next week.

 

@JackHorzempa and @steveh now that I know you've both consumed this fine beverage....thoughts/comparison to the other Schlenkerla brews?

Consuming my second as I type....and like the Maerzen, the second is better than the first.

 

I'll give it a full review next week, but I'll say that I enjoyed it. The Märzen is probably still my favorite, but the Fastenbier is worth everyone's attention.

 

Every individual has their own unique palate and their own unique preference in what they expect in a given beer style.

OK, with that caveat out of the way Fastenbier is my favorite beer from Schlenkerla. I have already posted this opinion based upon the draft Schlenkerla that I have had on multiple occasions in the past. This bottle experience is consistent with all of those draft beer experiences. For me, Fastenbier is my preferred Schlenkerla beer.

Cheers!

 

@AlcahueteJ a big thank you for posting where you found this beer. I have been searching for this beer all over the south east shore of Massachusetts. When I saw your post I drove up to Davis and was able to score some bottles. Cannot wait until they are chilled.

 

Glad I could help! If you have the chance to swing by the Harpoon Beer Hall they have pilot batches of their Rachbier and Helles. I'm curious how those taste. The Rauch is on tap at Redbones too.

About to head down to the CBC sour festival too, hope it's not a mob scene. If you ever have any questions about beers heading to MA and where let me know. I usually find out about releases ahead of time, and then ask my beer guy when he's getting it in. Always happy to help another German beer lover.

 

Do these count as Fastenbiers? Is Latzenbier the same thing? Because these are mine in 10 days!

 

My new review of the Schlenkerla Fastenbier. I found it quite good, but I like the rich maltiness of the Märzen better. As some have pointed out the hop character of the Fastenbier is more prominent than the Märzen or Ur Bock, and I think the balance to the lighter maltiness on top of the phenolic smokiness doesn't suit may palate as well as the other 2 beers from Heller-Trum.

 

I'm very much looking forward to getting some in the mail later this week
I'm still one of those people who usually prefers Spezial, so I'm curious if it will win me over. Their milder Krausen definitely did. That's one of the single best beers I've ever had...and I wasn't expecting it at all.

 

Chris,

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on Fastenbier.

Cheers!

Jack

 

Indulging in two bottles this evening. These are the first that have not been refrigerated, about 55 degrees. Still delicious but definitely notice more initial hop bite at that temp. Seems to round out towards the end of the first bottle though.

 

Ok, cool. I'm not crazy!

 

so, i'd not seen any bottles of fastenbier anywhere near me and i kept reading this thread and salivating but thinking i'd never get to try it, then lo and behold i went in a bar in leeds this weekend not expecting much only to be given the menu and see fastenbier on it! what a lovely pint, smoother and maybe a bit hoppier than the maerzen, it was that good we went back later in the eveing and ended up having the last pint from their keg