Schlenkerla uses a special smoked malt for this black lager - it's not dried over beech wood fire, as is usually the case, but over fire made of alder wood. The alder smoked malt provides a fine, complex smoky flavour – less strong and spicy than in Schlenkerla's classic smoked beer. A high roasted malt content provides a pronounced roasted aroma and a dark, almost black color. At 4.2% abv, Aecht Schlenkerla Erle has slightly less alcohol, but makes up for it in flavour.
