6.3

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 5.5 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 6

Mellow smoke character, toasted bread, earth. There are some tangy-fruit kind of notes that seem off - perhaps suggestive of an infection. Could be good but seems out of shape.

7

Keg at the brewery. Pours deep amber, nose is smoked meat, chocolate, grassy, dried fruit, taste is toffee, caramel, smoky, sweet. 8/7/8/8/7

7.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8.5 | Flavor - 7.5 | Texture - 7 | Overall - 7.5

.3L at the brewery - hazy amber with a thick head - notes of dark bread and raisin, a hint of spice and caramel - smoke arrives late and is deep and complex - sadly, the finish gets a little watery and flat, so it’s not as satisfying and consistent as classic examples of the style, but it scratches the itch.

8.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

On tap at the brewery. Brown with amber haze and off white head. Nice smoke, caramel, some bready notes, moderate sweetness. Nice one.

7

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Draft at the source. Pours dark brown with an off-white head. Dark malt, smoked meats, smoke.

7.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Sample at Churchkey is a murky amber with some lacey beige head. Smokey nose, earthy, sweet, malty. Flavor is smoked carrot and dried leaves, malt and caramel and some sausage. Dry finish, slick.

7

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

On tap at Dovetail, pours a clear dark mahogany with a medium beige head. Aroma is full of nicely smoked, slightly ash malt, with bready notes and a hint of burnt toasted nuts. Flavour is much the same, with campfire smoke, some ash, and burnt toasted nuts. Pretty reminiscent of a Bamberg rauchbier. Very nice.

7.9

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

On tap at the brewery. Pours a dark brown with small beige head leaving spotty lacing. The aroma is strong smoke, wood, cocoa, dark fruit. Medium body, smoke, wood, raisin, cocoa, light dry finish, very nice.

8.1

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Somehow never had this one until now perhaps. Clean doughy backdrop for the luscious smoke tones to shine. Could certainly hang in Bamberg, a delicious and true example of the style. Unfiltered deep brown, ruby red body. Glass lacing off white head. Excellent.