aecht schlenkerla eiche doppelbock jahrgang 2018

In the Heller-Bräu Trum, also affectionately called Schlenkerla by the people of Bamberg, wood plays a major role. The traditional brewery is one of the last breweries in Germany to still malt their grain themselves. As it was hundreds of years ago, the germinated grain is cured over the aromatic smoke of beech wood. The special malt gives the beers from Schlenkerla their strong color and the unmistakable taste of smoke. Some associate the aroma with a campfire, others taste smoked ham or bacon in the beer.

For their Doppelbock series , however, the brewers decided against the intensely smoky beech fire malt and instead used grain that was kilned over oak. This malt has a smoother, rounder and milder flavor that is deep and complex. In order to further intensify the complexity of the aroma, the beer was stored in the brewery’s rock cellar after the brewing process was complete.

The Aecht Schlenkerla Eiche Doppelbock comes in different vintages and is marked with the year in which it was brewed. Over time, the magnificent buck matures more and more and refines his character. The basis is a full-bodied strong beer with smooth caramel, smoked malt and honey notes, which combined with a hoppy bitterness result in a well-rounded overall picture.