Poured black with a great head and lacing. Light roasty, coffee and malt aroma. Flavor is the same as the aroma with a light -medium body. This is a very good easy drinking beer. Very nice!

I had a few of these on draft at the brewpub in ’Cowlumbus’ before heading over to the Rob Zombie show last night. This was my introduction to Schwarzbier. This brew pours a nearly black brown with red highlights. The average rocky tan head is fully lasting with good lacing. The bold nose though not overpowering, is clean and complex with hints of toasty roasted grain and cereal, caramel, herbs, grass, resin, leather, earth, and date. I found the moderate flavor to be slightly unbalanced leaning towards heavy roasted malt sweetness, with an earthy yeasty finish of average duration. The body is medium to full, with a creamy texture and soft carbonation. A very good brew.

On tap at the San Jose location. This beer is a handsome black with a pillowy light tan head that has great retention and lacing. The aroma is dark, dusty, roasty and perhaps sweaty. It is medium light in the mouth; very smooth with a crisp finish. The roastiness is on the subtle side, but provides the main flavor here. This is the best beer I’ve had from Gordon Biersch and the best beer I’ve had in San Jose. What a great session beer.

The beer from the tap a deep brown to black with nice ruby highlights, the head a perfect two fingers, creamy tan in color, evaporates slowly, leaving a thick sheet of lace to obfuscate the glass. Nose has a toasted grain aroma, sweet with hints of smoke, caramel, maybe a licorice like tone, mouthwatering. Front has a splendid toasted malt presence, sweet with a delectable hop spicy bite at the back. Finish pleasantly acidic, hops spicy and delightful, dry lingering aftertaste, a great representative to the style.

Beautiful dark brown color. Very sweet aroma. Tasted malty and almost fruity.