Rauchbier and Tropical Stout

Rauchbier

With colder weather finally upon us, many craft beer drinkers will be reaching for something “bigger” from their cellar this autumn and winter. Barleywines, Quadrupels and Imperial Stouts all make for great cold-weather beers, but there’s one style that makes for a perfect pint beside bonfires and fireplaces all over the world: Rauchbier.

When you think of German beers, your mind probably springs to the obvious examples. Pilsners, Bocks, and other light, easily quaffable beverages are indeed some of the hallmarks of the German beer scene and German brewing history.

Much of this impression stems from the country’s ancient beer purity law, the Reinheitsgebot, which decrees that beer only contain four ingredients: hops, yeast, water and barley or wheat. Rauchbiers indeed follow this law, but with some notable differences in the brewing process.

Rauchbiers, literally Smoked Beers in German, originated in Bamberg, Germany in ancient times. Originally, before modern brewing techniques came along, malt had to be dried with direct sunlight, wind or above an open flame. The purpose of this was to get the perfect balance of smokiness and malt roundness, which could only be done through drying the malt to precise temperatures.

When kiln-drying became the most popular and widely used way to dry malt, Rauchbiers lost much of their delicate smokiness, as kilns shunt the smoke away from the malt in order to keep the malt flavor more or less intact. Modern Rauchbiers are smoked versions of Märzens, the malty German style, which was the trademark style of Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration for many years, but which has been replaced by the lighter Festbier in recent times.

Two major breweries (Schlenkerla and Spezial) in Bamberg still dry their malt over open flames, though, therefore continuing the rich history of Rauchbiers. But the history isn’t the only thing that’s rich about Rauchbiers.

Beers that taste like smoke might not immediately sound very appetizing, especially to someone who owns an asthma inhaler, but the smoke flavor, while initially a little jarring, is perfectly integrated into the beer’s flavor. Bacon or ham-like smokiness is the style’s flavor hallmark, with fired beechwood a secondary element, but the smoke should never be overpowering. The round and creamy mouthfeel creates a smooth drinkability that is another exemplar of the style.

Balance is the name of the game for Rauchbiers. While smokiness is its calling card, a well-made Rauchbier almost always strikes a balance between its smoky qualities and typical beery elements. 

Rauchbiers evince powerful aromas and flavors, so much so that pairing food with them can sometimes be a moot point. However, there is a fallback option for the style that suits it perfectly: grilled food. Pairing grilled and barbecued meats with Rauchbiers is an absolute joy as the flavors are perfectly complementary. Succulent steaks and rich, tasty bratwursts are transformed into transcendent culinary delights when enjoyed beside the hearty smokiness of a Rauchbier.

While smoked beers may seem a bit imposing on the surface, all styles have their place, and since Rauchbiers have been around for hundreds of years, their place is obvious: Beside a plate loaded with grilled barbecue and smoky baked beans.

A style that’s perfect for cooler temperatures, Rauchbiers still have their niche in a craft beer scene where every conceivable palate is catered to.

STATS
OG: 1.050 – 1.057
IBU: 20 – 30
SRM: 12 – 22
ABV: 4.8 – 6.0%

Commercial Examples: Kaiserdom Rauchbier, Samuel Adams Bonfire Rauchbier, Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen, Spezial Rauchbier Märzen, Victory Scarlet Fire Rauchbier

Tropical Stout

Once again, as the weather gets colder, craft beer drinkers will be reaching for beers that are heavier, darker and more warming. However, one beer style is able to evoke warmer weather before even hitting one’s lips with its name alone: Tropical Stout.

Tropical Stouts are higher-gravity versions of a very popular and readily available style: Sweet Stouts. Sweet Stouts (often called milk stouts) are reminiscent of coffee, chocolate or cream and are full-bodied and roasty, with sweetness being the style’s calling card.

Far more sweetness is present in this style than in other stouts, mostly because of the lack of bitterness and the addition of lactose for complementary body and sweetness.

All of these traits transfer to Tropical Stouts as well, but the reasons they are called Tropical Stouts and not, say, Imperial Sweet Stouts is because of the regions where these beers are exclusively brewed.

Tropical Stouts are often brewed in the Caribbean and other locales where tropical (hence the name) climates are the norm. They were originally brewed as domestic versions of the Foreign Extra Stouts that were only available as imports and modified using Caribbean brewing methods. Unlike most other styles of stouts, Tropical Stouts are brewed with bottom-fermenting lager yeast, which provides an easy-drinking quaffability – a far cry from the heavily bittered, late-hopped imperial stouts.

Tropical Stouts follow much the same flavor pattern as Sweet Stouts, with far more raisin and plum-like sweetness and a heavier mouthfeel stemming from the higher alcohol content and local ingredients.

Chocolate and coffee aromatics are desirable, and licorice, molasses and dried fruit may also make a fleeting appearance. Despite the higher ABV and dark color, tropical stouts make for a refreshing spritzer on a hot day – fitting for a beverage originally pioneered in some of the most sweltering environs on our planet.

While similar related styles, specifically Foreign Extra Stout, those stouts are not tied to specific regions for the most part and showcase more herbaceous and earthy aromas, as opposed to the fruity sweetness that tropical stouts convey. Foreign Extras are drier, more bitter and evince less esters as well.

The rule of thumb for pairing stouts with food is that the beer should be sweeter than the dish. Luckily, in the case of tropical stouts, they are both sweeter and boozier than most of their dark beer brethren and are thus prime pairings for any number of dishes. Try a tropical stout with braised lamb shanks to accentuate the beer’s thick and filling mouthfeel, or enjoy with a gingerbread cookie fresh out of the oven to showcase the beer’s rounded sweetness.

STATS
OG: 1.056 – 1.075
IBU: 50 – 70
SRM: 30 – 40
ABV: 6.3 – 8.0%

Commercial Examples: ABC Extra Stout, Dragon Stout, Jamaica Stout, Lion Stout, Royal Extra Stout

Body Photo Credits: Ethan Prater/flickr (top) and lovelypantry.com (bottom)