Oak Smoke is an interesting product that is released in the winter around Christmas time.  What makes this beer so interesting and unique?  Well for starters its flavor and aroma are developed by using oak wood during the kilning process rather than beech wood.  Beech wood gives Aecht’s beers a distinct aromatic nose that is something akin to bacon.  The oak however offers much deeper and richer smoke experience than the beech.

The color of this super clear beverage is that of maple syrup with a foamy head typical of German libations.  The aroma does give off that bacon nose, but in a more subtle way making room for charred wood, wood sugars, campfire/fire place smells.  There is a deeper heavier wood quality as compared to the beech and rightly so.   Oak is a hard wood, dense, rustic.  Beech wood to me seems softer and lighter burning quickly.  Perhaps that is why the smoke characteristics of their other offerings have a sharper aroma.  The malts did give off a hearty scent as this dopplebock is a malt bomb.  Deep woodsy notes were present throughout.

Upon taking my first sip, my palate was not yet use to the difference between the woods used to kiln.  There fore, it tasted very close to the beech wood flavor in their Marzen to be honest.  This beer is both great served at cold and warmer temps.  When colder you get that great dopplebock smoothness and finish while at warmer temps you get a huge smoke focus.  On the tongue it possessed a moderate mouthfeel.  Malt and smoke presented simultaneous notes so it was hard to pick out the malt from the oak (I guess that is a good thing).  I do know that the flavor is in fact much deeper than their other beers.  Like a rustic log cabin or raging campfire.  It was a clean, yet dry finish that consisted of a malt profile similar to wort right before the boil.  Sweet and smokey…maybe a dash of teriyaki sauce.  Meaty and game-ish this brew is a meal in the glass.