Schlenkerla Weichsel (Rotbier) on tap
Brewery: Heller (Schlenkerla)
Town: Bamberg
Style: smoke Rotbier 4.6%
Color: deep red
Head: off-white, creamy, ample
Nose: light smoke, rich malt, fruity
Body: medium
Palate: balanced, light but sure smoke, fruity, quite dry
Finish: clean, dry, semi-bitter
Served: on tap at the brewery tap
Impression: One of the more hyped new beers in recent Bamberg history and it lives up to expectations despite being one of my least favorite styles, this smoky take manages to capture the fruity maltiness of the best of the genre and finish much drier, all the while incorporating a pleasantly light but firm smokiness. Many speak of forest berries and while I find it fruity, I’m not sure if I can pinpoint it that clearly. It really doesn’t matter, it’s another huge winner from Schlenkerla, who continue to not only expand their formidable line-up but also to push the envelope with each new entry. A probable tired take that it would have proven in lesser hands shows again why Schlenkerla is the town’s signature brewery. The beer seems oddly served in a snifter like their Eiche Doppelbock and is advertised as such with their bottles but I later got one in the standard pint glass which I found more appropriate for the style. It’s a relatively low octane session beer at 4.6%, not a sipper.
Back to the beer list.
