It’s not bad. I have to start with that phrase because the pour was pretty cloudy with a bunch of flakes in it. I did what I could to keep those bits in the bottom of the bottle, but the unusual carbonation, which seemed to exhale its last few breaths after opening it up, mixed everything all around. Supposedly, those bits aren’t supposed to hurt the flavor of the beer, and may even add to the taste, but I don’t like it, and this is my opinion, and I set the standards. Presentation is a component and I suspect that this is not exactly as Gänstaller desired. It’s not flat though, just a bit weird; I can relate. I’m still inclined to state that Affumicator is an above average smokebeer. I can taste what might be beechwood smoked malts (maybe oak), well balanced with caramel, proper hop infusion, and a biscuits. I’ll even leave the door open for a do-over review. This is a good smokebeer that went a little haywire in the bottle, just a little. A tip of the hat to Mugs who alerted the Ministry to this beer a while back, we appreciate clear direction. And, I just drank the flakes, what the heck. Overall score = 5.2 smokestacks out of 7.
| Brewer | Gänstaller Bräu |
| Beer Name | Affumicator |
| Brewer’s Description | Gänstaller’s heftiest traditional lager, Affumicator gives off a massive smokey nose, with hints of bacon, salmon, and Bonito flakes, and follows it with a delicious palate of caramel, chocolate, sweet bready malt, and a nice hop bitterness. Big, full, smooth, and with huge flavor–but most importantly, well-balanced, in the finest Bavarian tradition. |
| Food Pairings | wurst |
| Brewer Location | Hallerndorf, Germany |
| Alcohol content by volume | 9.6% |
| IBU (International Bitterness Units) | idunno |
| Beer opacity rate 1 – 7 (light – dark) | cloudy 4 |
| Smell smoke? 1 – 7 (No – George Burns) | 4 |
| Smokepower taste: 1 – 7 Smokestacks | 5 |
| Sausage detection? Y or N | Y |
| Beer thickness 1-7 (water – used motor oil) | 5 |
| Overall Happiness Rating: 1-7 (low – high) | 5.2 |
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