The bottle: Shmaltz Brewing Company’s Pastrami Pilsner, $9.99 for a four-pack

The back story: As a classic deli menu item, pastrami needs little in the way of introduction. It is smoked and spiced meat that requires just a couple of slices of rye bread and perhaps a slab of mustard to be enjoyed.

But a pastrami beer?

Leave it to Shmaltz Brewing Company, a Jewish-themed craft brewer based in Clifton Park, N.Y., to deliver deli in a bottle, so to speak. The idea for the beer emerged last year when Shmaltz looked to create a special brew in collaboration with Barcade, a chain of craft beer-centric bars with video games. Pastrami is an “iconic American delicacy,” says Shmaltz founder Jeremy Cowan, so it suggested itself as a flavor possibility.

And as far as Cowan knew, no one had done a pastrami beer before — an important factor given how competitive the craft space has become. “It’s been harder and harder than ever to make a unique beer that can truly stand out,” he says.

How the 'grocerant' is disrupting the $500 billion food industry

As for mimicking the taste of pastrami in beer form, Cowan says it wasn’t so difficult. The brew is simply an “experiment with a wild array of flavors and ingredients,” such as kosher salt, cracked black pepper, mustard seed, ground caraway seed and horseradish. In other words, the team took pastrami spices but didn’t exactly dump a sandwich into its beer-making equipment. To quote the Shmaltz website: “No pastrami was harmed in the making of this beer.”

What we think about it: If you’re expecting a mouthful of deli with every sip of Pastrami Pilsner, you may be disappointed. The flavor is more subtle, though we think that’s actually the way to go. (Who really wants to drink their pastrami?) Think of this as a refreshing pilsner with a pastrami aftertaste. And in that way, it’s quite appealing.

How to enjoy it: Yes, you can pair your Pastrami Pilsner with pastrami, but the Shmaltz team suggests trying it with any number of savory food items, from carne asada to Indian samosas. The beer is available (in four-packs) in 30 states, but be forewarned: It’s a limited-edition item — and there are lots of pastrami lovers out there.