Once again, it's been awhile--life's been busy, but because of some recent events in my life, I'm going to really make an effort to step it up on this blog. I'm going to forgo a post about Belgium in Cooperstown since it was almost a month ago already--suffice it to say that it was AWESOME and I don't recall much! In terms of more recent happenings, I had a family BBQ this past weekend and served 5 gallons of homebrewed Hefeweizen on tap. The beer went over incredibly well--everyone loved it. Both my father and my aunts, none of whom are big beer drinkers absolutely loved it. It was clean, light, and refreshing--perfect for the hot August weather. And at 7% ABV (okay, it was an Imperial Hefeweizen maybe), everyone was feeling especially good! This was probably my most successful brew yet, and I'm going to be entering it in a competition (Malt Madness, put on by the Lehigh Valley Homebrewers and being held at Allentown Brew Works in Allentown, PA) this coming weekend along with my Marzen. I'll also be judging at the competition (obviously not in the categories I'm entering), so I'll provide some details on that after the weekend.
To kick-off my renewed efforts to update this blog more regularly, I felt it was only appropriate to start with some tasting notes. Tonight, I drank a Helles Schlenkerla Lager from Bamburg, Germany. This smoked helles (a German lager, similar to pilsner, but a bit more malt balanced) is unique in the fact that it doesn't actually use any smoked malt. The smoky character comes from making the beer in the same kettles and using the same equipment as the Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier (Original Schlenkerla Smokebeer), the famous Rauchbier. The end result is an interesting take on classic Helles...
Aroma: Sweet, pilsner malt backbone with and upfront touch of smoke. There's a slight spicy note in the aroma, and it's hard to distinguish if this is a by-product of the smoke or hop related. Besides the spiciness, there is no hop aroma. Some sulfur is apparent in the background as well.
Appearance: Light golden, almost bright with great clarity. A small white head is formed when initially poured but dissipates quickly
Flavor: Some smokiness initially gives way to a solid pils malt profile. The beer finishes rather dry with a slightly bitter aftertaste, and the smoke lingers in the mouth for awhile. There is no hop flavor and the beer has an exceptionally clean in terms of fermentation byproducts.
Mouthfeel: Medium-light body with high carbonation. The smoke gives the sensation that the beer is coating the inside of the mouth, leaving an impression that the beer is a bit heavier than it actually is.
Overall Impression: A great "gateway" beer for those afraid of trying smoked beers. The smoke is mild and welcoming. This smoked helles goes especially well with food (I had it with German-style sausage & peppers tonight); the smoke complements the meal, while the natural crispness of the lager is refreshing and cleansing.
