I would say that it’s about time Boston Beer, maker of the Samuel Adams line of beers, brewed a rauchbier. Fact is, they've ’been doing it for a while, since 2004 according to the label on my bottle of Samuel Adams Bonfire Rauchbier. Heretofore, however, it’s been draft only, limiting the number of folks that could enjoy it.

That’s changed, of course, with the beer’s release as part of the 2011 Harvest Collection 12-pack. In addition to the Rauchbier, you’ll also get two bottles each of Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale, Samuel Adams Black Lager, Samuel Adams Octoberfest, and a return new favorite from last year, Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin. The latter will happily be available in six-packs this year, by the way.

Back to the rauchbier though. Rauchbier is German for “smoked beer”, a style made famous in the Bamberg region of Bavaria. These beers are brewed with smoked malt that calls to mind the day when kilning malt to dry it was an inexact science, and the smoke from the wood fires imparted a distinct character to the malt.

Specs from the brewery website:

Color: Dark amber, 39 SRM

Original Gravity: 15.57

Alcohol by Vol/Wt: 5.7%ABV – 4.5% ABW

Calories/12 oz.: 213

IBUs: 19

Malt Varieties: Two-row Harrington, Special B, Caramel 60, and Weyermann Smoked Malt 

Hop Variety: Spalt Spalter Noble Hops

Yeast Strain: Samuel Adams lager yeast

Samuel Adams Bonfire Rauchbier pours to a dark mahogany color with a light creamy head formation and a nutty malty, quite smoky nose. In fact, the smoke got me even before I decanted, since on popping the concentrated notes of smoky malt wafted to my eagerly awaiting nostrils. Taking a sip, the nutty, chewy caramel flavors permeated with subtle notes of smoke immediately remind me of the classic Aecht Schlenkrerla Rauchbier, standard for the style. Here, the smoke is less pronounced and not so phenolic, but it’s definitely discernible. The finish is balanced with smoke and gentle hop bitterness, but I don’t get a lot of hops here.

While this won’t be replacing Schlenkerla anytime soon as my preferred rauchbier, I can tell you that I like this one a lot and would absolutely buy it in six-packs. If you’re new to the style, this makes a great introduction; not so smoky as to scare one away but more than enough character to show you what it’s all about.

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