Rauchbier

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/style/7/

Personal favorite, look for Schlenkerla's styles that are out there.

 

The most popular are the various strength beers (Marzen, Urbock, Doppelbock) labeled under the name "Aecht Schlenkerla" .
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/263/
https://www.schlenkerla.de/indexe.html
https://www.schlenkerla.de/rauchbier/sorten/sortene.html

 

If you lived in SEPA I would recommend Sly Fox Rauchbier to you:

Rauch Bier

Rauch bier

13.56 OG27 IBUs5.2% ABV



Brewed with imported beechwood smoked malt from Bamberg, Germany, this classic style offers an opportunity to enjoy beer the way it used to taste. Our Rauch Bier is a throwback to the days when all malts were kilned with wood; it is medium bodied and smoky on the palate.

AWARDS:

Gold Medal GABF 2008

DRAFT AVAILABILITY:

Occasional

CURRENTLY ON TAP @:

• Pottstown
• Phoenixville

http://slyfoxbeer.com/beer/rauch-bier

Rauchbiers like most beers are best enjoyed fresh.

Cheers!

 

Are you in Chicago?

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/263/54731/

I like this one

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/741/320205/
This beer is getting a little old freshness wise but you might find it on the shelves yet. It's a odd beer.

 

I had a very nice one at Urban Chestnut in St. Louis towards the end of March. So good I had two.

 

Yeah, it's pretty common by me so I'm sure you'll be able to land some.

I did have the Roog a few years ago, and it's a gently smoked weizenbier. For Schlenkerla the similar beers will be the Weizen and Helles, so you may want to start there. The others are more 'potent', and are definitely worth trying, though. My personal fave is the Urbock. Good luck!

 

Well, next time you're in Chicago get to Dovetail pronto to try their Rauchbier. It's awesome.

 

Michael (@TongoRad) made mention of Schlenkerla Helles in post #11. I discussed this beer in a New Beer Sunday thread:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-680.562032/#post-5907682

A positive for this beer is that there is a packaging date on the top of the 4-pack holder:

“How old is this beer?

I have stopped purchasing bottled beer from Schlenkerla since the bottles we receive in the US have no bottling dates. The ‘good news’ is that there is a sticker on top of the 4-pack carrier for this beer with a canned on date: “Canned on 12.21.2017” So, at least I know the date when this beer was packed in the can. But when was the beer packaged in the BIG container tank? I have no idea. I am hopeful that this container tank was delivered in a timely manner from Germany to the canning place in Connecticut. And that once it was arrived it was promptly canned. What is that old saying? Oh yeah: Hope springs eternal.”

Cheers!

 

+1 on Dovetail's Rauchbier. It's like drinking a smoked sausage. Delicious!

 

I don’t know if you can get Off Color beers by you, if you can try 15 Feet:

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31678/98898/

100% applewood smoked wheat at 3.5 percent. If this was year round, I would always have some available. Great table beer with meals too!

You can’t go wrong with any of the others mentioned above either.

 

Scratch Brewing in Ava, IL does a few smoked/rauchbiers. They have one on right now per their website.

OP, if you haven't been there, they are more than worth going to even if they don't have a rauchbier on since, in my opinion, they're one of the best and most interesting breweries in the nation, and it is a great experience going there. The only problem is you do need to watch how much you have since there's no lodging very close by.

I also second visiting Dovetail the next time you are in the Chicago area, visiting Urban Chestnut in StL when they have one on (and in general, because they're great), and finally buying any Aecht Schlenkerla you can find, because they are all awesome.

 

It isn't exactly a rauchbier, rather a grodziskie/graetzer, but I think it's a good recommendation all the same since it's an excellent smoked beer. I, too, wish it was year-round.

 

Uh, thst doesn't sound good, although I like smoky scotches.

 

The beer that inspired this thread is hardly a traditional rauchbier, so a suggestion like this is not that out of line.

And speaking of Off Color, their gotlandstricka Class War is also really good, and on the shelves now. It's kind of like a malty smoked porter.