Not long after I discovered smokebeers, I learned the word “rauch” (German for smoke), and then about 10 years passed before I learned the word “Grätzer.” Polish in origin, a Grätzer is a Sour Smoked Wheat Ale (see notes in spreadsheet). Well, although I’m sure Dr. Fritz Briem knows his stuff and made a hell of a grätzer, to the question of how well this stacks up to the smokebeers that The Ministry is looking for, the answer is not so well. I felt cheated considering the word smoke is on the label. Even given that I’ve only had two other grätzers, this one still garners the fewer smokestacks comparatively and misses on some key elements that we look for, which will not bode well in the Overall Happiness category. Rather than beat up on this good gratzer, and very drinkable beer, I’ll just list the elements that more often than not, help smokebeer rank high: High abv, darkness, robust taste, and smokepower (smell and taste). Having said that, Overall Happiness: 2 out of 7 Smokestacks.
| Brewer | Dr. Fritz Briem |
| Beer Name | Piwo Grodiskie Grätzer Ale |
| Brewer’s Description | Grodziskie or Gratzer is a Sour Smoked Wheat Ale that was brewed back in the 1900’s in East Prussia and dates back to as early as the 15th century. It was named after a Polish town of Grodzisk Wielkopolski, or Gratz in German. Brewed according to the German Purity Law with air dried barley malt & beech smoked wheat malt and hopped with Perle & Saaz. A sour mash is created using the old and forgotten techniwue called “Digerieren”. Finally a 3 mth aging & maturity process creates a complex sour, smoky, & heavily hopped wheat ale. |
| Food Pairings | More beer |
| Brewer Location | Munich, Germany |
| Alcohol content by volume | 4.0% |
| IBU (International Bitterness Units) | 15 – 20 (says DJ) |
| Beer opacity rate 1 – 7 (light – dark) | 2 |
| Smell smoke? 1 – 7 (No – George Burns) | 0 |
| Sausage detection? Y or N | N |
| Smokepower taste: 1 – 7 Smokestacks | 1 |
| Overall Happiness: 1 – 7 (low – high) | 2 |
I guess this leads to this team:
SmokeBeerMinistry 