This beer was brought over from Germany by hand, my hands, stashed in luggage, refrigerated, tasted, and written about. Written on some scrap of paper that has long since been lost because I was drinking, but the memory lives on, through me, so that you can drink and never thirst again. This beer tastes like smoke, and it should. Having been made from within the motherland of smokebeers, Bamberg Germany, just down the street from the famed Aecht Schlenkerla. I don’t think I’ve mentioned my pilgrimage to the motherland on this site in much detail yet. Well, it was a vacation of a lifetime. I toured the entire city which culminated with a decent down into the center of a mountain where they brew the beer of angels, and I drank from the vessel at the moment of transubstantiation. This bottle of Klosterbrau Bamberger Rauchbier was purchased at a nearby giftshop. We are loved all the same… But for the purposes of this beer review, this rauchbier gets a little bit less love. 6 smokestacks of happiness for Klosterbrau Rauchbier. It’s just a bit less flavorful than it’s Schlenkerla cousins.
| Brewer | Klosterbrau |
| Beer Name | Bamberger Rauchbier |
| Brewer’s Description | Shimmering in deep black and with an imposing beige foam, this original Franconian cult beer from Bamberg impresses with its appearance. A clear smell of smoke, which is evident in the nose and behind it a balanced, fruity hop note from the finest Hallertau aroma hops, can be recognized. The smoky flavor comes from the use of beech wood during the drying of the malt. On the palate, the velvety taste of liquorice, smoked ham, dark chocolate and roasted caramel nuances lovingly come together. A real specialty for connoisseurs and lovers of this original type of beer. |
| Food Pairings | A heavy meal with gravy. Meats, Potatoes. |
| Brewer Location | Bamberg, Germany |
| Alcohol content by volume | 5.3% |
| IBU (International Bitterness Units) | naw, we ain’t got nun |
| Beer opacity rate 1 – 7 (light – dark) | 5.5 |
| Smell smoke? 1 – 7 (No – George Burns) | 7 |
| Smokepower taste: 1 – 7 Smokestacks | 6.6 |
| Sausage detection? Y or N | Y |
| Beer thickness 1-7 (water – used motor oil) | 4 |
| Overall Happiness Rating: 1-7 (low – high) | 6.5 |
Klosterbrau – Pretty good website
SmokeBeerMinistry 