Filtered My Rauchbier

I just got done filtering for the first time, a Rauch. I procured an old water filter from my folks a few weeks back. I shopped for a replacement cartridge and settled on a 5 micron from the local big box hardware store. The purchase also included the fittings to enable me to just screw my hoses on and off.

I am attending a x-mas party next Sat. and offered to provide some refreshments to some mainstream beer drinkers so I decided to try my filter to make my product sparkle. I picked my Rauch that has been lagering in a corny since Sept. It was based on an Octoberfest and had 2lbs of smoked German malt out of a 12lb grain bill. When I brewed it I had a really hard time picking out the smoked flavor and labled it as a pretty nonoffensive.

So I hooked up my filter and transferred into another corny. The product came out sparkling and tasted something like a beefy Sam Adams. I still had a hard time picking out the smoke but was still a damn good lager and now had the looks to back it up. Now to sit on the gas until next Sat.

Even in Germany the Schlenklera Rauchbier is stiff (hard to swallow at times). Many other breweries make a smoked beer but with less smoke flavor. One beer had a really light smoked flavor that was enjoyable to drink.