Smoked Beer Appreciation Thread (2023)

Another great beer with good smoke is from MN: Klockow Downwind American Stout. Fantastic tasting and drinks way EZ for being 7.7%. Had it on tap and always look for crowlers of it down here in the cities.

 

Here is another collaboration from Bauhaus/ Hammerheart a dark larger that was a one off very tasty. Would love if this made another appearance.
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35769/626622/

 

I hope so. I may even try my hand at some smoked Märzen this fall using my Breville hand-held smoker (after I "poke" some Schell's Bock). What could possibly go wrong?

 

I have to get some smoked beer today, this thread .

 

I've never met a Smoked Beer I actively disliked. We're gonna have threads for every style at this point!

 

Well had to have one today , picked this up not a lot of smoked beer on the shelves at this time. Prominent beech wood smoke ,rich malts full bodied feel , molasses loved it

 

I don't think people fully see what's been happening in this regard. It's very interesting to me. It's a case of the progenitor being different at its core and intention from all the imitators (out of necessity). There seems to be many US brewed Helles with smoked malt, and the inspiration for these beers must be the Schlenkerla Helles.... but the Schlenkerla Helles isn't really a Rauchbier. It was really just designed to be an ordinary Helles. It's possibly not a stretch to claim that the Americans codified the idea of a Helles brewed with some smoked malt. If there were German brewers who beat the Americans to this approach, I would be surprised if those efforts gained as much traction as the American beers. I would appreciate it if anybody here can point me to such beers. To add some strength to this thinking, one can work with the same philosophy but go further back in the lineage - People think of "Helles" as a unique type of beer, but it was a case of Bavarians making their version of Pilsner.

 

I'm surprised that I found 3 Waypost beers at one of my local stores, but not the smoked helles. At least I know their distro reaches here, so maybe I'll find it at my other good store. Or maybe in Kzoo if not a trip to the brewery.

 

Would love to read you thought on those once you drink them.

 

Actually I didn't buy any of them and ended up with a couple of beers from Transient Artisan Ales. The Waypost beers were an Italian Pilsner, one of their saisons, and I think a wheat ale that might have been fruited, but none appealed to me. But now that I know I can get their beers here I'll be watching that spot on the shelves. I liked their beers when I visited the brewery 2-3 years ago, but just haven't been back in that area to stop again.

 

@einhorn, is Smoked Helles a 'thing' in Germany?

Prost!

@b9d9

 

That wasn't indicated on the label, otherwise I think I would have bought it. But I agree, that would be interesting.

 

I haven't spent much time around Franken/Bamberg (the place most likely to find one I suppose), but I never saw one. Then again, I'm no fan of smoked beers anyway so I wouldn't search it out.

 

-- say it ain't so, Joe -- say it ain't so!

 

I’m still waiting for an India Pale Rauchbier!

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/31326/109555/

 

Kudos to starting this thread. I love smoked beers (Rauchbiers). I think it's the most interesting & exciting part of the craft beer scene for me at the moment, as it while it isn't common, it is out there, and I'm always impressed by every one I've tried. I can walk into any great beer store & easily find new IPAs & IPA variations to try, same for interesting stouts & porters & lagers, but to see a new smoked beer I haven't had before is absolutely what gets me more excited than anything else (a close 2nd & 3rd would be Barleywines and an English Dark Mild, but Dark Milds are rarer, and tbh not as good as a good smoked beer). It's just such a unique character of a beer which makes it all the more enjoyable when I find one. The Aecht Schlenkerla beers are no doubt the best in class, and the best place to start & come back to. The Fastenbier is probably my favorite of theirs but it's not easy to find in my area, so I'll always grab their Marzen & Doppelbock when I see them.

I recently sought out a couple of great smoked beers direct from the brewery on a trip to CT:

The Cabin, Fox Farm Brewery
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45832/356196/

This one is a smoked Helles and it was excellent. Light, refreshing & flavorful like a great Helles should be, but then with the smoke character it was just another level.

Drudenhaus, Counter Weight Brewing Company
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/47847/399828/



This is more a traditional Rauchbier style, albeit on the darker side in color. Also excellent, and if the pic above worked then that's what I just enjoyed while typing this post!

Smoke & Dagger is one I can find in my area so I'll happily grab that when I see it, and when I ordered a case of beers from Suarez for Thanksgiving, they had this one:

Sensate, Suarez Family Brewery
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/41980/628248/

That was a smokey helles they had back last November, and much like The Cabin, it was just an excellent Helles to begin with before a subtle smoke note made it all the more interesting.

One last note I'll add that no-one else has mentioned in this thread, is that a good Scotch Ale or Wee Heavy can have some smokey characteristics, which is why I also will usually try any new examples of this style when I see them. Founders Dirty Bastard & Backwoods Bastard are great, and Einstok's Icelandic Wee Heavy is pretty good. I wish I could try that Smoked wheat Imperial IPA Fimbulvetr, sounds really interesting.

Cheers everyone, here's to more smoked beers!

 

Awesome choice. One of my favorite smoked beers by one of my favorite brewers of smoked beers. Nothing subtle about this one. In your face, almost meaty smokiness.