Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen
This beauty pours with a nice healthy beige colored head that settles atop effervescent reddish-brown liquid, turning a bit murky once the residual yeast sediment is swirled/poured into the glass. Nose..ahh the nose, light wheat malts enrobed in a blanket of wonderful smokiness...very appetizing to all the senses! Tasting reveals the light body from the proportion of malted wheat used, then wave upon wave of wonderful smoke flavors coat the palate. A very subtle hop presence is tasted after swallowing. Finishes smoky, then the "traditional" weizenbier flavors, (Banana & Clove) make a brief apperance, but the finish is not as intense or as long as in the Marzen & Urbock, but is still a wonder to behold. A nice, less in-your-face introduction to the style...truly one of the world's most distinctive beers, a must-try!