Source: Atlas Obscura
In the beer lovers’ paradise of Bamberg, Germany, you’ll find giant piles of beechwood stacked outside some of the city’s breweries. Although wood isn’t usually an ingredient in beer, it is essential to the traditional German style called rauchbier. Just as some single-malt scotches are prized for their peaty essence, rauchbier picks up so much smoky aroma and flavor in the brewing process that some compare it to smoked meat.
If that sounds unusual, that’s because rauchbiers are rare today. But up until the 17th century, most beers contained this smoky essence. After malting their grains (i.e., submerging them in water so they begin to…