Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen. What the hell is that? Well, a marzen is an Oktoberfest beer. Brewed in March in Germany during the last cold part of the season (March) and then left to lager during the summer, this beer is finished off in October during... You guessed it, Oktoberfest. So what makes this beer different. Simply put, smoke. Wow, what an experience. I had stared at this beer in the cooler for over 6 months. Should I get it? Should I not get it? Could smoking a beer really even add all that much to the beer? I asked other people what they thought... I didn't like what I heard. Well, what can I say. A night of boredom and an adventurous soul led to this beer being bought and sampled.

Upon first sip I'm hit with an absolutely outrageous flavor. Did I just drink liquid bacon??? It sure as hell tasted like it. After taking a minute to let it sink in I had some more, and the depth of the beer was starting to be realized. The color of the beer is a dark red/amber with a thick, stable head. The aroma gives off some tar, but is more reminiscent of smoked ham. The flavor is absolutely dominated by smoke. The maltiness is surely there, but smoke rules all. There is a slight saltiness to this as well as tar and a surprisingly dry finish.

I would probably never buy this beer again, but the experience was absolutely worth it. This beer is a world classic for the style. The impression it made on me is like nothing I've ever had and is certainly something I will never forget. While that first impression of liquid bacon is what sticks with me, I'm very glad I had it. If you're not adventurous enough to try this beer, then give the weizen version a try. The body of the beer is much lighter, and I had it while eating buffalo wings and enjoyed it very much. If nothing else, sample this beer for the experience.