Up In Smoke

A malty lager brewed using smoked malt from Bamber Germany. Perfect for a cold winter’s night, a taste of the open fire and a hearty 7.0 % ABV will warm you and help you take a break from the hustle and bustle of the season. A bold example of the Rauchbier (smoke beer) style, your cheeks will glow like you’ve been seated closely around the campfire, and the big flavors will linger like glowing coals.

Originally brewed after the Bethlehem Brew Works experienced a fire at the height of the Christmas season in 2008. It began with the cheeky name “The Roof is on Fire.” After becoming a crowd favorite, we began to annually brew a rauchbock for the holidays to commemorate the near-disaster and remind us to be thankful. We will always remember the loyal fans that kept visiting us in Bethlehem during the two and a half month rebuilding process.

Rauchbier is a complex brew with origins that date back to the 16th century – a throwback to a by-gone time. This was a time when literally all beers were Rauchbiers. As freshly cut malts were dried over an open fire they would pick up smoky flavors and pass them on to the beers that were made from them. Over time, kilning methods improved and ’clean’ malt beers became popular, and smoke beers became a historic rarity. Luckily, the brewing renaissance we have now (it is a “golden age” after all) has produced hundreds of rauchbiers for the adventurous beer aficionado. “Up In Smoke” is a fabulous example from the talent and artistry of our brewing team.