A group of brewers who love smoked beer invite you to give it a shot
SEATTLE, WA — Eight Pacific Northwest breweries have come together to release Smoke Break, a collaborative Rauch Märzen built around a simple idea: Rauchbier is great, and more people should be drinking it.
The project brings together Cloudburst Brewing, Obelisk Beer Co, Varietal Beer Company, Ladd & Lass Brewing, Ravenna Brewing Company, Urban Family Brewing Co., Human People Beer, and Single Hill Brewing (who hosted the collaboration.) It is a larger-than-usual collaboration centered on a style that does not often get this kind of spotlight.
Rauchbier, a traditional style from Bamberg, Germany, is brewed with smoked malts that give it a distinct campfire and beechwood character. It is a cult classic among brewers, but a very difficult sell across a full production batch.
That tension is part of what sparked this collaboration.
Smoke Break is a mid strength Rauch Märzen brewed with beechwood-smoked barley, and a touch of oak-smoked wheat. The result is a malt-forward lager with notes of caramel and cocoa, backed by a firm but clean smoky finish that lingers without overwhelming.
“We all love Rauchbier, but brewing a full batch on your own means you’re committing to selling a lot of it,” said Andrew Pytel of Single Hill Brewing. “This was a way to make something we’re genuinely excited about and share it across all of our taprooms. If you’ve ever been Rauchbier-curious, this is probably the best time to give it a shot.”
The beer will debut April 2 at the Single Hill Brewing Taproom in Yakima and the Single Hill Commons in Seattle, with other participating breweries tapping their allotments around the same time. It will be available on draft and in cans at each location while it lasts.
While this year’s batch was brewed at Single Hill, the group has talked about keeping the project going and potentially rotating host breweries in future releases.
At the end of the day, Smoke Break is a simple pitch. A group of brewers made a beer they love. Now they want people to try it.
About the Collaboration
Smoke Break is a joint release from eight independent breweries across Washington and Oregon. The project was created to share a less common style with a wider audience and to lean into the collaborative spirit that defines the Pacific Northwest beer community.
