Schlenkerla Erle
Smoked Schwarzbier • 4.2%
Schlenkerla • GERMANY
Format: 500ml
Schwarzbier has been around since at least the 16th century and used to be more widespread than it is today. In the industrial revolution of the 19th century, it was almost displaced by mass-produced lighter beers. Only a few breweries preserved the beer style, and for about 30 years now it has been experiencing a renaissance. For the Aecht Schlenkerla Erle black lager, they use a very special smoked malt. This is not dried over beech wood fire, as is usually the case, but over fire made of alder wood. The alder smoked malt brings a fine, complex smoky flavor to the beer – less strong and spicy than in our classic smoked beer. A high roasted malt content provides a pronounced roasted aroma and the dark, almost black color. At 4.2% abv, Aecht Schlenkerla Erle has slightly less alcohol, but is strong in flavor.
About the brewery
Schlenkerla is THE reference for smoked beers, a technique that reminds us today that, before modern malting techniques, all beers were at least slightly smoked. The Bamberg brewery does not pull its punches and delights us with surprisingly quaffable, intensively smoked concoctions.