Schlenkerla Eiche Doppelbock Bottle 500ml

“Rich Bamberg Doppelbock with oak smoke, caramelised malt, dark fruit and a warming finish.”

Schlenkerla Eiche Doppelbock is a seriously distinctive smoked beer, even by Schlenkerla standards.

Unlike the brewery’s classic Rauchbier, which uses beechwood smoked malt, Eiche is made with malt dried over an open oak wood fire. That gives the smoke a softer, rounder and more layered character, sitting alongside rich malt, caramel, dark fruit and a warming sweetness. At 8% ABV, it has plenty of strength, but the bitterness from Hallertau aroma hops keeps everything from becoming too heav

This is one of Schlenkerla’s most distinctive seasonal releases. The oak smoked malt gives it a completely different personality to the classic Märzen, and the fuller Doppelbock style makes it a brilliant choice for anyone who already loves Rauchbier and wants to go a little deeper.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Oak smoke, caramelised malt, dark bread, dried fruit and gentle herbal hops.

Palate: Rich and full bodied with toffee, dark fruit, roasted malt and a smooth layered smoky character.

Finish: Long, warming and complex with lingering oak smoke, caramel, dark malt and balanced hop bitterness.

About The Brewery

Schlenkerla is based in Bamberg, Germany, and is one of the world’s best known producers of traditional smoked beer.

Eiche is a particularly interesting part of the range because the malt is smoked over oak wood rather than beechwood. Schlenkerla says the oak smoke produces a softer and more complex character, while Hallertau aroma hops provide enough bitterness to balance the rich malt.

The beer is amber in colour and matured for several months in the deep brewery cellars beneath Bamberg before release. It is traditionally associated with the Christmas season and is only available for a limited period each year.

It is definitely not the Schlenkerla you hand to someone who says they would like “something light”. This one arrives with smoke, malt and 8% ABV and makes absolutely no apology for any of it.

Details

Producer: Schlenkerla
Beer: Eiche Doppelbock
Style: Smoked Doppelbock
Country: Germany
Region: Bamberg, Franconia
Bottle Size: 500ml
ABV: 8%
Malt: Oak Wood Smoked Barley Malt
Hops: Hallertau Aroma Hops
Colour: Amber
Ingredients: Water, Barley Malt, Hops
Maturation: Several Months in Brewery Cellars
Availability: Seasonal, Christmas Release
Key Flavours: Oak Smoke, Caramel, Dark Malt, Dried Fruit, Herbal Hops