Friday, 9 June 2006

Review: Jolly Monk Rauchbier

Jolly Monk Rauchbier from Drayman's Brewery
Rating: B

Purchased at the brewery in Silverton, proud to be the first to review.

Appearance: Comes in a 1 liter brown plastic bottle. Dark brown, nearly opaque at the top of the glass but when tilted reveals some garnet - almost purple - tints, moderate head, some lacing.

Smell: First surprise, the smokiness is definitely present, but not overwhelming or overpowering - unlike the other smoked beer I've had (this being the second). Some sweetness present too.

Taste: Light smoke, then sweet. Finish is very mild, bitterness seems very low - too low, probably. Aftertaste is nice and smoky. Also, the smokiness here isn't artificial - someone didn't just dump liquid smoke into the brewpot - this is natural and it shows. The brewer told me his smoked malt is imported from Europe.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light bodied, carbonation seemed too high at first such that it almost masked some flavor, but that improved halfway down the 1 liter bottle.

Drinkability: Smoked beers can be overwhelming or unnatural tasting, but this one isn't. The smokiness remains natural and pleasant. Drinkability suffers a bit from being underhopped, in my opinion, which made it seem a bit sweet for my tastes. One liter split two ways still seemed like a lot of beer - I wish Drayman's sold their wares in some smaller bottles!

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 06-09-2006 00:26:04

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