Beer Me! — Schlenkerla "Heller-Bräu" Trum KG

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Schlenkerla "Heller-Bräu" Trum KG

Dominikanerstraße 6
D-96049 Bamberg
Telephone: +49 (0)951 / 56060
Hours: Open daily 9:30am-11:30pm.
Brewer: Michael Hanreich
[Contact] [Update]

Notes

Visited: March 23, 2009

Opened: 1405

Annual Production: 12,500 hl

Contributors: Mario Kornmesser, Carl Eidbo, Roman DrÃƒÂ¼g

Schenkerla is located in a little street in Bamberg's Altstadt. The place was packed at 6:00 on a Thursday evening when I visited in 2003; on a Sunday night in 2009, not so much. They also serve their beer in their Biergarten im Dominikanerhof.

Updated: October 9, 2024

News

2014-09-04: Schlenkerla tavern taps 609-year-old tradition (Boston Herald)
2009-03-17: Comfort beer (Examiner)
2008-01-16: Smoked beer tradition lingers (News & Observer)

Beer List

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock

Smoke-Flavored Beer

6.50% abv.
- Date: March 26, 2000 (#3407)
  
  Package: bottled
  
  Place: Flanagan's Stop and Shop, Appleton WI
  
  Score: 17 points
  
  Overall Impression (3)
  Deep red, high carbonation, thick head. Intense clean smoke aroma. Medium body, fairly fizzy, big rich smoke flavor on a malty background. Big lingering smoky finish.

Eiche Doppelbock

Bamberg-Style Rauchbier

8.00% abv.

Date: December 22, 2010 (#8400)

Package: bottled

Place: Hessen Haus, Des Moines IA

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Deep red-brown. Dense thick head.

Aroma (4)
Richly smoky and richly malty, as expected in a Schlenkerla beer.

Mouthfeel (10)
Big and chewy, low carbonation. Lots of malt and lots of smoke. The oak smoke seems grassier than the usual beechwood. Unmistakably oaky. Some alcohol warming at the end, but otherwise smooth and clean.

Overall Impression (3)
Another triumph for Schlenkerla.

Helles Lagerbier

Münchner-Style Helles

4.30% abv.

Date: January 2, 2007 (#6251)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 19½ points

Appearance (3)
Bright golden with a hint of amber. High carbonation. Thick dense head.

Aroma (4)
Surprisingly smoky! Sweetly malty.

Mouthfeel (9½)
Light body, fizzy. Big sweet fresh malt flavor, with quite a bit of smoke. Hint of grassy hop flavor with a mild bitterness.

Overall Impression (3)
As smoky as it is, the brewery says it's ein helles Lagerbier ohne Rauchmalz: a pale lager without smoked malt.

Rauchbier Fastenbier 2018

Bamberg-Style Rauchbier

5.50% abv.

Date: March 23, 2009 (#7726)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 20 points

Appearance (3)
Red, hazy. Big dense head.

Aroma (4)
Fiercely smoky and nicely malty.

Mouthfeel (10)
Medium-almost-big body, really smooth and malty and smoky and clean.

Overall Impression (3)
Wow. Fantastic beer.

Date: February 6, 2010 (#8143)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 19 points

Appearance (3)
Bright deep copper color. Dense head.

Aroma (4)
Standard rich Schlenkerla smoke.

Mouthfeel (9)
Light-medium body, fairly fizzy. Lots of sweet toasty malt and lots of smoke. Very mild yeasty undertone. Clean smoky finish.

Overall Impression (3)
Good beer!

Date: December 29, 2006 (#6236)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 15 points

Appearance (3)
Red, hazy. Huge fluffy head.

Aroma (2½)
Really smoky, like a wood fire. Some diacetyl.

Mouthfeel (8)
Medium body, very fizzy. Smoky and malty, with all the flavors of a good Dunkelweizen. There's an unfortunate buttery note that mars this excellent and unusual beer.

Overall Impression (1½)

Date: March 27, 2003 (#4770)

Package: draught

Place: at the brewery

Score: 16½ points

Overall Impression (3½)
Deep amber, lots of yeast. Big thick dense head. Mildly smoky, mildly spicy aroma. Medium body. Sweetly smoky. Lots of sweet wheat malt, quite a lot of smoke, and just a bit of clove. Finishes sweet and a little astringent.

Date: November 25, 2001 (#4004)

Package: bottled

Place: Sam's Wine and Spirits, Chicago IL

Score: 18 points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright red-brown, very high carbonation, thick dense head. Smells nice and smoky. Light body, fizzy, silky mouthfeel. Big smoke flavor with subtle hints of banana and clove, more so in the finish.

Date: December 29, 2006 (#6237)

Package: bottled

Place: Beertopia, Omaha NE

Score: 18 points

Appearance (3)
Bright garnet. Thick dense head.

Aroma (3)
Fresh Munich malt, nice wood smoke. Less intense than the Weizen.

Mouthfeel (9)
Medium body, smooth. Sweet and malty and smoky and clean.

Overall Impression (3)
Real tasty beer...a WHOLE lot better than mine!

Date: March 27, 2003 (#4769)

Package: cask-conditioned

Place: at the brewery

Score: 20 points

Overall Impression (3)
I wish all my beer was this color. Deep dark beautiful red, with a massive dense big head. Wonderfully clean smoky aroma. Light-medium body. Indescribably delicate-yet-assertive smokiness on top of a lot of dark Munich malt flavor. Crisp, clean, smoky, and wonderful. If I could give this beer 30 points, I would.

Date: August 14, 2002 (#4387)

Package: draught

Place: Port of Hamburg, Milwaukee WI

Score: 20 points

Overall Impression (3)
Bright deep red, thick head. INTENSE smoky aroma. Medium body, very smooth with a huge smoked malt flavor. Outstanding.

Date: April 7, 1998 (#2697)

Package: bottled

Place: Siebel Institute of Technology, Chicago IL

Score: 20 points

Overall Impression (3)
Red, thick head. Nice clean smoke aroma. Just like the smokehouse back on the farm.