The Beard's second beer ► The Last Brunch

The second beer from 
Shmuel ("Schmulz") Naky:
The Last Brunch, 
an Imperial Rauchbier.

The second beer bearing the "Brewed by the Beard" label is, of course, as far-out as the first one.  If you appreciate Israeli craft beers and you haven't been hibernating for the last three years, you should know that the The Beard is Shmuel ("Schmulz") Naky, partner and brewer at Birateinu, the Jerusalem Beer Center.

Schmulz produced the first beer under his own label several months ago: 5G Stoned Steinbier (which you can read about here).

His second beer is called The Last Brunch, an Imperial Rauchbier, which means "smoked beer" in German.  These beers get their smoky aroma and taste from the smoked malts used in the mash.  It was brewed at the Hatch Brewery in Jerusalem.  

The name is Schmulz's way of letting us know that even though this might not be your typical breakfast beer – like a Breakfast Stout, for example – it's perfectly suitable for brunch.  Why the "Last" Brunch?  I'll get to that later.            

Shmuel ("Schmulz") Naky, aka "The Beard,"
in his natural habitat,
Birateinu, the Jerusalem Beer Center.

The Last Brunch pours out a dark brown to black, with no head and almost no fizz.  The aroma is smoky; well, they tell me actually smoked meat.  Very powerful, but there's also some underlying sweet substance.  This also comes out in the taste: Smoked meat and smoked chocolate(!) plus caramel, alcohol and some wood.  The finish is also sweet and smoky.  The mouthfeel is a bit astringent, full-bodied and alcohol heat.  It's even on the verge of being a little viscous, clinging to the glass.   

There's nothing wrong with the taste – if you're a fan of smoky beers.  At 10.3% alcohol by volume, it's not easy to drink a lot of it, but to enjoy The Last Brunch, even drinking a small measure is enough. 

Nir Kleinman's label for The Last Brunch:
Baroque themes of chaos and cannibalism.

 A few words about the label, designed by Nir Kleinman.  It's an irreverent and profane parody of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci.  Michal Moussaffi, who is Schmulz's wife and a student of art and literature, wrote that it had Baroque themes with movement, broken diagonals and chaos.  The participants in the "meal" are breaking limbs and engaging in cannibalism, while on the table are foods whose taste can be found in the beer (though I can't identify them).  Michal even ties the art to the flavors in the beer:  Chaotic and wild, yet somehow balanced and smooth in the throat.   

When table manners where more refined:
The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci.

Heavy stuff for a beer label.

The Last Brunch is available at Birateinu and in their online store (at this link), and also at Beit Habira (The Beer House) in Beersheva, Kishkashta in Rishon LeZion, and Biguns, the Center for Culinary Hobbies, in Karkur.  Additional stores will be added.  Tell your taste buds that they should be ready for something "different."