The Schlenkerla in Bamberg is not a brewery, it is an institution. Everyone in Bamberg and actually everyone else who has ever drunk beer knows the Schlenkerla. And even in the furthest corners of Asia you can usually find a few bottles of the infamous smoked beer on the shelf. The Schlenkerla is cult and not without reason.
Liquid tradition
Schlenkerla was first mentioned in a document under the name Eberlein Breu in 1387. Even back then, brewing was taking place on Oberer Stephansberg and just a few years later it was also being served on Dominikanerstrasse. In 1866, the first member of the Graser and Trum families took over the brewery. The Schlenkerla is still owned by the family today, Matthias Trum is the venerable descendant of a whole series of Trums and Grasers, all of whom were brewers from the Schlenkerla. The traditional brewery still brews the same way it used to. This means that the malt needed for brewing is still dried over Buchholz fires. This process used to be common practice because there were no other ways to dry the germinated barley quickly and without mold. Nowadays this is usually done with coal and oil powered heat exchangers. The special, characteristic taste of smoked beer arises precisely from the use of beech wood fire. During kilning, the smoke penetrates the malt grains and combines with them to create a very special flavor. Schlenkerla is one of the last breweries that still kilns over beech wood and will probably stay that way. Chef Matthias Trum knows what makes his beer special and sticks to the old recipes and methods.
Schlenkerla – an attitude to life
To understand the hype surrounding Bamberg smoked beer, you have to know what it's like in the pub of the long-established brewery. Even before you enter the restaurant, you will meet countless connoisseurs of dark beer. In front of the Schlenkerla there is a crowd of people drinking Märzen , whatever the weather and at any time. People drink, chat and gossip here. It's important to see and be seen: Bamberg's high society joins forces with tourists and students. We continue in the so-called Schwemme, the inner courtyard of the Schlenkerlas. Here too you can usually find a crowd of people. People are queuing in front of the serving window, old men are sitting at the table over their beer and in between others are standing and chatting. Things are more tranquil in the cozy rooms, even if the waitresses bring a lot of pep into the place. Anyone who orders a soda here will be looked at crookedly and when there is a lot going on on Sundays, then you can particularly feel the Franconian charm of the ladies.
The Schlenkerla is simply a total work of art with a traditional Franconian taste.
Heller-Bräu Trum GmbH
Dominikanerstraße 6
96049 Bamberg
Deutschland 
