aecht schlenkerla á la grodziskie

Grodziskie – known in Germany as Grätzer – is a traditional beer style from the region around Grodzisk Wielkopolski in western Poland. This sparkling, top-fermented smoked wheat beer was brewed and enjoyed there as early as the Middle Ages. In the 20th century, however, it fell into obscurity until the Polish brewery Browar Pinta successfully revived it in 2010. To mark Grodziskie’s 15th anniversary, a celebratory reinterpretation was created in collaboration with the Bamberg smoked beer institution Schlenkerla.

For this collaboration, Heller-Bräu Trum (affectionately called Schlenkerla by the people of Bamberg) used smoked wheat malt specially produced in its own malthouse. As one of the last breweries in the country, Schlenkerla still kilns its own malt and dried the grain for this brew over an open oak wood fire. Aromatic Lubelski hops also went into the kettle. The result is a straw-yellow, slightly cloudy beer with a light, crisp white head and a delicate coppery hue.

On the nose, a delicate interplay of mild smoke, earthy herbs, soft grain tones, and a hint of fragrant hay unfolds. The initial sip is fresh and lively, with a subtle smokiness that elegantly underlines the light malt body. The palate reveals straw-like nuances, full-bodied wheat sweetness, and a balanced, grassy-herbal hop bitterness. At only 2.8% alcohol, the beer is very light, but the complex aromatics skillfully compensate for this.

The Schlenkerla à la Grodziskie is brewing history in its most delicious form!