Beer: Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Urbock
ABV: 6.60%
Home: Bamberg, Germany
Since May, I've heard several mug holders talk about how the smoked beers are the toughest on the list, but they're dead wrong. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this one is quite good! The dark caramel color and big bubbles on the sides of the glass make it look like a glass of Coke. We had a discussion about how these bubbles are indicative of a slightly dirty glass, likely from hard water residue. That's all right, though. The taste is like liquefied sausage with a hint of sweetness at the finish. According to online resources, the smokiness, which has been a specialty of the Bamberg region for hundreds of years, comes from drying the malt in a smoked stove.
There's a saying written on the brewery's coasters (translated): "Even if the brew tastes somewhat strange at first swallow, do not stop, because soon you will realize that your thirst will not decrease and your pleasure will visibly increase." Our time at the bar tonight verified the truth of this statement! There's one more Rauchbier on the list, but I'm saving it until Fall.
Beer: Geary's Pale Ale
ABV: 4.50%
Home: Portland, Maine, USA
Since there weren't any more bar seats by the time we got there, we took one of the high-top tables by the windows. A definite trade-off, I know, but it was the only available option. Anyway, we got "new guy" as our server, who definitely improved since last time, but the fact that both of tonight's beers had very little head tells me that maybe his pouring skills could use some fine-tuning. The Geary's pours a coppery color with a healthy dose of hops and earthiness on the nose. Very clean and crisp.
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