Iconic Breweries of the World: Schlenkerla, Germany

Picture this: you’re in a calm forest clearing, immersed in the crisp winter air, wrapped in a thick blanket sitting around a toasty, crackling bonfire, with aromas of smoke mingling with the freshness of beech trees, and life is perfect other than a lingering anxiety that your hair and clothes are going to resemble an ash tray the next day. Now, imagine all that as a beer. Sounds memorable, right?

Well, one brewery has bottled up that whole atmospheric feeling: Schlenkerla, of Bamberg, Germany.

Schlenkerla are the world’s finest purveyors of Rauchbier, German for “smoke beer”. The brewery is located in Germany’s Franconia region in the stunning medieval town of Bamberg, and their beer can be found worldwide with their recognisable font, historic label aesthetic and chunky 500ml bottles. Their distribution is astounding given the size of the brewery, but when you essentially own legend-status for a style so significant, people are going to want your beer.

Indeed, the Rauchbier style is one of the world’s most divisive: some say it tastes rich, flavourful and moreish, some say it tastes unpleasantly like liquid bacon, some say it tastes pleasantly like liquid bacon (tho honestly wtf). All agree that it is instantly memorable. It’s typically made by smoking regular malt over beechwood, then brewing with it, i.e. the smoke is there from the very start of the process. Most breweries do not have the capability to do this in-house, however – but Schlenkerla does, and thus can control the exact specifications of its produce.

With any niche style, the question is oft asked “who invented it?”. With Rauchbier, the tables are turned, and the question must instead be: “who invented non-Rauchbier?” One essential part of the malting process is drying the grain, and brewers throughout history shortened the process by doing so over fire, which inevitably imparted smoked notes. Summary: every beer was kinda smokey. Then obviously we in the UK went and fucked it with our industrial revolution. In 1635, Sir Nicholas Halse, who nobody has heard of and clearly doesn’t get the recognition he deserves, received the patent for a smokeless kiln. When we think of major turning points in the history of beer and brewing, this should be at the top of the list, even more so than Citra hops, 440ml cans and splitting the fucking G.

The technology made it to Germany 150 years later. Most German breweries caved to the new kiln, but a couple did not. Schlenkerla commemorates the day Sir Nicholas’ patent came through: the 23rd July, labelled “smoked beer preservation day”, is essentially a day of mourning. Schlenkerla, along with neighbouring Brauerei Spezial, are the only producers worldwide to have been continuously brewing smoked beer. The smoke level at Spezial is lighter, and Schlenkerla’s icon status really lends itself to the go-big-or-go-home mentality: they use 100% smoked malt. They want as much flavour as possible, and once you get used to the smoke on your palate, it feels smooth, though we’ll admit that for a newb, getting through the first few sips is a cultural experience at best, and like you’ve pulled a muscle in your tongue at worst.

Oh, and the brewery name? As always in this part of the world, legend plays a big role. The head brewer from a few centuries ago apparently had a bit of a wobbly gait, in German known as schlenkernd, and it was his version of the Rauchbier that wowed the locals most. Thus, the brewery was named after his stature, and here we are. It’s not exactly woke, but I’m sure he won’t mind. Also, he’s been dead like 400 years.

A visit to Bamberg is highly recommended, because while the Schlenkerla bottles are good, the draught beer from the source is a different proposition – plus the taproom is all quaint and wooden, just like you imagined. Ultimately, when people think smoked beer, they think Schlenkerla – and there is nothing that bestows iconic status more than that.