Enegren Blondfire Smoked Helles

Review Date 2/6/2021 By John Staradumsky

Friends, I will tell you this much. Enegren Brewing Company of Moorpark, California, is on fire. I say this both literally and figuratively. Figuratively, in the sense that I have been quite impressed with almost every beer I have tried from them; literally, in that that their Rauchbier is just killing it. Rauchbier is smoked beer, of course, and it takes fire to make smoke. So, there you have it.

Here’s my latest Enegren adventure. Last August, I got a shipment from Craftchack.com that included two (count ‘em!) cans of Enegren Rauchbier. The first one was Enegren The Big Meat, and that being a smoked doppelbock, I was all over it as soon as I got it. I just love doppelbocks, dontcha know.

The second Rauchbier was the one I’m here to talk about today, Enegren Blondfire Smoked Helles Lager. Somehow, this one got pushed to the back of the beer pile and I forgot all about it until early February of 2021. Surprise! When I popped it, I liked it even more than The Big Meat, and and maybe even more than the very first Enegren beer I tried, Baltic Maple Porter. That beer is also brewed with smoked malt.

From the can label:

This Bamberg-style smoked lager combines the refreshing maltiness of a Helles with the smokey notes of Black Forest ham. Its slightly smokey flavor is the perfect accompaniment to a backyard family BBQ or a California beach bonfire.

Enegren Blondfire Smoked Helles Lager has an alcohol content of 5.2% by volume with 21 IBUs. I paid $4.49 for my can, but I don’t know how much it sells for at retail.

Enegren Blondfire Smoked Helles Lager pours to a beautiful blonde color with a medium sized fluffy white head and a soft malty nose with hints of smoke. Taking a sip, the beer leads with a solid hickory smokiness. The malt is light and fluffy, crisp and bready, just right for a Helles. This allows the smoke to pop wonderfully, and at the same time the smoke is well balanced but does not occlude the malt.

Enegren is killing it on the rauchbiers. This beer is so well balanced and just permeated with hickory smoke, but you never lose the bready malts of a Helles. Absolutely wonderful, and it really gives me the smoke I want in the style. And you know, of course, where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.

*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.

(B)=Bottled, Canned

(D)=Draft

 

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