Heller Rauch-Doppelbock. Smoked India Pale Lager. India Heller Bock?

The newest beer from Andreas Gänstaller is made for export to Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà in Rome. Made with a combination of American, German and New Zealand hops, this beer is not fit for Franconian tastes. Sweet, full-bodied, bitter and smoky. The first sample I had at the Zoiglstube was bottled from bright tank, young, fermented out at the time to 7% on it’s way to the final 9.5% ABV.

At the Fränkisches Bierfest Nürnberg the keg was unsettled after being driven from the brewery in Schnaid. This was the most expensive beer at the entire festival, a €5 price tag for just 30 centileters – a maddening price for Germans accustomed to €1.80 mugs at the local gastette. But perhaps this was the Franconian version of our State Fairs back in the US, with their exuberant prices at the excuse of convenience, captivity and sideshow? It’s a savory bacon and pineapple pizza beer, only it’s a lagered Imperial IPA, or a Smoked IPL, or a Rauch Doppelbock. It doesn’t matter, style names are useless. The citra and nelson aroma hops showed their bright citrus / grapefruit / tropical fruit character to go with the meaty rauch malt ham back fat savoriness, but I don’t know if it was completely understood by the 19 year old boys standing next to me in the rain drinking.