Schlenkerla Heller Aecht Märzen
Brewery: Heller (Schlenkerla)
Town: Bamberg
Style: Rauch Märzen
Color: dark amber
Head: ivory, rocky
Nose: very smoky
Body: medium, low carbonation, soft
Palate: firm smokiness, hoppy, bitter
Finish: long, dry, bitter
Served: gravity dispense from wooden barrels at the brewpub
Impression: Drinking this beer at the renowned Schlenkerla pub in Bamberg is one of the top beer experiences without question. Whether you like the beer or not, it’s one of the most atmospheric places you’ll ever come across and if you like smoky things, it’s unlikely you won’t like this fine brew. What I love most is people always say it’s a one beer beer but locals drink it like it’s a light beer. I loved it the first time I tried it but I love smoky meats, cheeses and fish. I find it a great session beer, though at 5.1% it’s deceptively strong. Gravity dispensed from wooden barrels, the beer has a lovely soft body which makes it all the more quaffable. The nose is unmistakably smoky, as is the palate but in the end the hops win out for a nice long dry bitter finish. Life can be full of beery disappointments but drinking this beer in this pub is not one of them.
