Ham in a glass!

Last year's batch.  Pretty.

Rauchbier

There's a brewery in Bamberg, Germany  named Schlenkerla.  Maybe you've heard of it?  They make beers using smoked malts.  The beers kinda taste like campfires and bacon.  It's an amazingly delicious experience.  A friend of mine who has frequented Germany claims it tastes like ham and she hates it because of this.  She calls it "ham in a glass," as if that's supposed to be some kind of insult.  But what does she know?

So what do you eat with rauchbier?  Bacon?  Ham?  Barbecue?  Other smokey foods?  Sure.  It works, but you'd have to be dumber than a mole to not think of that combo.  Don't be boring, be creative.  Pair it with a meal that isn't smoked at all.  Maybe a little braised pork shoulder, kraut and potatoes?  Maybe a roasted chicken and roasted fall veggies? Duck?  Poached salmon?  Mushrooms?  I like sweet, herbal, and earthy flavors with it, but it's a very versatile beer.  How about putting out a heavy Schlenkerla Urbock with dessert?  Chocolate ganache cake might be pretty good.  I just made that up!


To the right is my current rauchbier fermenting away.  It smells like sulfur and feet right now, but with a little hard work from the yeast and some time, it will be smooth, smokey, and delicious in the winter.  So long that the beer gods were appeased with my sacrifice.

Rauchbier Recipe

6 gallons
OG 1.053
FG ------
23 IBU

10 lbs German rauchmalt
0.75 lbs Caramunich
0.25 lbs Melanoidin malt
2 oz black patent malt
2 oz Hallertauer (60 min)
WLP833 Bock yeast

Mash 150F
Ferment at 50F for 3-4 weeks, and lager for 3 months.