Gänstaller Rauch Märzen
Brewery: Gänstaller
Town: Schnaid
Style: Rauchbier
Color: unfiltered, almost black
Head: creamy, tan
Nose: faint smoke
Body: silky smooth
Palate: rich malt, ample hopping, nice smokiness
Finish: long, dry, bitter
Served: on tap at Café Abseits in Bamberg
Impression: Gänstaller is one of the most respected small breweries in Franconia despite having replaced another beloved favorite Friedel in Schnaid. There is no brewery tap in the small village so you have to find the beer elsewhere, no easy undertaking as much of it is shipped to other countries willing to pay more for the privilege. All that said, I’d heard this special brew was on tap at Café Abseits in Bamberg so made my way there despite an already very full beery schedule. When it came out, I knew I’d made the right move. It was about as pretty a dark beer as you’ll find and it more than lived up to its appearance. You often wonder why anyone would even attempt to brew a Rauchbier in a town that already has Schlenkerla and Spezial but this is the answer to that question. I hope I am lucky enough to drink it again one day.
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