Schlenkerla - historische Rauchbierbrauerei

The story

Schlenkerla Rauchbierbrauerei, Bamberg: Smoked Beer and Franconian Kitchen

Schlenkerla, the historic smoked beer brewery at Dominikanerstraße 6 in Bamberg, serves Bavarian and Franconian cooking alongside its own Rauchbier, and was awarded one Kochlöffel in the Schlemmer Atlas 2026. The house has operated in the Trum family's sixth generation, and its smoked beers remain the reason to visit.

Smoked beer from the cask

The Märzen is a dark, bottom-fermented lager brewed with malt from the in-house maltings, where an open fire still burns. It is poured from oak barrels, the traditional method the house has kept. The Rauchweizen is a wheat beer with a light smoky note, and the seasonal Urbock is matured for months in the rock cellars beneath the Stephansberg.

Franconian kitchen

The kitchen team starts preparing each morning at seven, cooking with fresh ingredients from Bamberg and the surrounding county. Nothing is made with artificial aromas or convenience foods. Some dishes sell out during the day, so the kitchen cannot simply reproduce them on demand. The house sausages are made with the smoked malt, and Slow Food recognized the kitchen again in 2026.

Rooms and history

The property is first documented in 1405 as the "Haus zum blauen Löwen." Guests dine in rooms named for their history, including the Bamberger Zimmer, opened in 1964, and the Ulanenzimmer, opened in 2010. Service in the vaulted room is provided in traditional Dirndl.