If you like rauchbier, then you love Aecht Schlenkerla. At least that is what I say. One of the original Bamberg rauchbier brewers, they continue to show an unbelievably deft hand at producing a variety of lager styles that accent smoke. The smoke is always an anchor of the beer but never overpowers other aspects. Read here and here for examples of what I mean.

I have made a habit of picking up each and every different Schlenkerla beer that crosses my path. And I am yet to be disappointed.

Then I cam across this: Helles Schlenkerla Lagerbier. A helles-style lager with – wait for it – absolutely no smoked malt added. Just an ordinary German pale lager. Huh? What’s up with that?

I almost – almost – gave it pass. I appreciate helles lagers, but wasn’t particularly in the mood. But at the last second I relented an scooped up a bottle.

And, oh man, was I glad I did.

Rather than explain, I will first describe. It pours medium yellow with a thin, wispy white head. Great clarity. Looks exactly like a Helles. So far so good. The aroma first gives me a soft graininess, a bit of grassy sweetness, all accented by the tiniest  hint of smoke.

Whaa!?!

Confused, I trudge on.

The flavour begins with a soft, stalk-y malt, with clear pilsner quality. I also pick up medium honey and some grassiness up front. It first strikes me as light bodied and gentle. The hopping is fairly low. The middle starts to add a vague earthiness that builds into a slightly smoky accent to the linger. Ghosts of rauchmalt whisper across the roof of my mouth.

I can’t quite be sure that I am really tasting smoke. Yes, I can tell it is there, but it is elusive. It plays just at the threshold of my taste buds. It takes me a few sips to convince myself that I actually am tasting smoke and it is not just a trick of my imagination, triggered by the familiar label. It ends up being a wonderful tasting experience. The smoke persists but never raises its voice above a whisper, meaning the clean, grainy character of the Helles gets to speak volumes.

As it turns out, the folks at Aecht Schlenkerla are not lying. They add no rauchmalt to the beer. That ghost of smokiness comes entirely from using the same kettles as the rauchbier. Clearly smoke has seeped into every pore of that brewery, coming out even when they don’t intend to make a rauchbier. Brilliant, fascinating and almost magical.

I will admit I was totally blown away by this beer. From what would have been a normal, pedestrian Helles, the hints of smoke lift it into a new category. Actually using rauchmalt would be too much and overpower the beer. The light body of the beer needs nothing more than a kiss of smoke, and that is what it gets. A truly unique drinking experience!

Aecht Schlenkerla does it again!