Rauchbier
intro
A traditional Bavarian smoked lager with deep amber hue, subtle beechwood smoke notes, balanced malt sweetness, and mild hop bitterness, perfect for pairing with grilled fare.
Ingredients
Steps
Mash the grain bill
Heat 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) of soft brewing water to 67°C (153°F) in a stainless steel pot over medium-low heat. Crush the combined pilsner malt, beechwood-smoked malt, and Munich malt into a coarse grist, stir into the heated water, and hold a steady temperature of 65–68°C (149–154°F) for 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent scorching. The mash will smell sweet and faintly smoky, with a thick, porridge-like consistency.
Strain and collect wort
Set a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a second clean pot. Carefully pour the mashed grain through the strainer, then slowly pour 500ml (2.1 cups) of 77°C (170°F) hot water over the spent grains to rinse out remaining sweet wort. Discard the spent grains; you will collect approximately 2 liters (8.5 cups) of clear, amber, sweet-smelling wort in the second pot.
Boil wort with hops
Place the pot of collected wort over medium-high heat, bring to a steady, rolling boil (100°C/212°F) and maintain the boil for 60 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to avoid boilovers. Add 10 grams of Hallertau hop pellets at the start of the boil for bittering, then add the remaining 4 grams of hops during the last 5 minutes of the boil for aroma. Skim any foamy krausen that rises to the surface with a slotted spoon.
Cool wort and pitch yeast
Remove the pot from heat immediately after the boil ends, and place it in an ice bath filled with cold water and ice cubes to bring the wort temperature down to 12°C (54°F) within 20 minutes. Pour the cooled wort into a sanitized 2-liter glass fermentation jug, sprinkle the 5 grams of Bavarian lager yeast over the surface, and seal the jug with an airlock filled with no-rinse brewing sanitizer.
Complete primary fermentation
Move the sealed fermentation jug to a dark, temperature-controlled space held at a steady 10–13°C (50–55°F) for 2 weeks. Monitor the airlock: bubbling will start within 24–48 hours as yeast converts sugar to alcohol and CO2, and slow to 1 bubble every 30 seconds or less when primary fermentation is complete.
Carbonate and condition beer
Dissolve 12 grams of corn sugar in 30ml (2 tablespoons) of boiling water, cool to 12°C (54°F), and add to a sanitized food-grade bottling bucket. Siphon the fermented rauchbier into the bucket, stir gently to mix evenly, then fill sanitized 500ml (17oz) swing-top bottles, leaving 2cm (0.8 inches) of headspace. Seal bottles and store at 12°C (54°F) for 2 weeks to carbonate and condition, then chill to 4°C (39°F) before serving.
Tips
2.Hold mash temperature steady between 65–68°C (149–154°F) for the full 60 minute rest: temperatures above this range create overly sweet, heavy beer, while lower temperatures produce a thin, overly dry final product.
3.Avoid using heavily chlorinated tap water for brewing, as chlorine reacts with malt compounds to create harsh, medicinal-tasting off-flavors; use filtered or bottled soft spring water if your tap water has a strong chlorine scent.
OMG, this rauchbier recipe is an absolute game changer! I’ve been homebrewing for 3 years and have struggled to nail that authentic Bamberg-style smoke flavor without it tasting like a campfire in a glass. Followed the instructions exactly, used beechwood smoked malt per the note, and brought a growler to my neighborhood potluck last weekend. People were begging for refills before the burgers were even done! SO good, already planning my second batch.
Total newbie homebrewer here—how hard is this really for someone who’s only done extract kit beers so far? The medium difficulty tag is making me nervous, but I love rauchbier so bad I want to give it a shot.
Made this for my annual fall camping trip with the guys and it was the hit of the weekend. The smoke level is perfectly balanced—not overpowering, just that nice, savory kiss that pairs so well with brats and campfire chili. Will be a yearly brew for me from now on.
Wait, has anyone tried substituting the beechwood smoked malt with cherrywood smoked malt? I have a ton leftover from a stout I made last month and don’t want to run to the homebrew shop if I don’t have to.
My grandpa was from Bavaria and used to rave about the rauchbier he drank growing up, so I made this for his 82nd birthday. He took one sip and got all teary, said it tasted exactly like he remembered. 10/10, no notes.
Brewed this to have on hand for our college football tailgates this season and it’s chef’s kiss. Pairs so well with smoked wings and pulled pork, all my friends kept asking where I bought it. Will definitely be making a double batch next time.
Quick question—do I need a dedicated fermentation fridge for this, or can I get away with using a cool closet in my basement that stays around 50-55F this time of year?
Made this last month, just cracked the first bottle last night and WHOA. The smoke is so smooth, not that artificial liquid smoke taste you get in some store-bought smoked beers. Only issue is my carbonation was a little low—any ideas where I messed up?
I was worried the 4 week total time would be too long, but honestly the active time is so short (only 90 minutes!) that it was totally manageable even with my crazy work schedule. Set it and forget it for the most part, and the end result is way better than any rauchbier I’ve picked up at the liquor store.
Weirdly good with spicy food! Had a couple bottles with my weekly taco night spread last week and the smoky lager cut through the heat of the salsa and carnitas so well. Never would’ve thought to pair rauchbier with Mexican food but now I’m obsessed.
Just wanted to pop in and say this recipe is foolproof! I’ve messed up so many lager batches in the past from temp issues, but the instructions here were so clear I didn’t have a single problem. Ended up bringing a six pack to my local homebrew club meetup and it won first place in the lager category last night!
Is there a non-alcoholic version of this recipe? I love the flavor of rauchbier but don’t drink alcohol anymore, and I can never find a good NA smoked lager at the store near me.
Hosted an Oktoberfest party last weekend and served this alongside traditional pretzels, obatzda, and bratwurst. My guests thought I ordered it from a fancy German import shop! So worth the 4 week wait to have that fresh, homemade taste.
Pro tip for anyone making this: don’t overdo the smoked malt! I added an extra 2oz on my first batch because I wanted extra smoke flavor and it ended up tasting like I was drinking a liquid bacon strip. Second batch I followed the measurements exactly and it was perfect.
I’ve been buying commercial rauchbier for years and this is hands down better. The malt balance is spot on, the smoke doesn’t overpower the clean lager finish, and it’s so much cheaper than buying imported six packs every week.
Was nervous about trying a lager because I’ve only ever made ales before, but this recipe walked me through every single step. No weird jargon, no confusing steps, just clear instructions that led to the best beer I’ve ever made. My husband is already begging me to make another batch before our first runs out.
Can I scale this recipe up to make a 10 gallon batch instead of 5? My brew club is doing a big Oktoberfest event next month and we need enough for 40 people.
Game changer for my fall meal prep! I brewed a batch a month ago, bottled it up, and now I have a perfect cold beer to crack open after work every night with dinner. The smoky flavor is so cozy for crisp fall evenings, I don’t know why I didn’t try making rauchbier sooner.