Köstritzer Schwarzbier

Brewed by Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei (Bitburger)
Style: Schwarzbier
Bad Köstritz, Germany

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

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Not the darkest beer I’ve ever seen, but I had to hold the glass against the light in order to see the red shining through the black. The head doesn’t last particularly long and leaves no lacing behind. The nose is malty, prunes and rye bread come to mind. The first mouthful reveals what you’d expect from the nose; gentle roasty bitterness, dark bread, dried dark fruits, not too sweet but caramel-ish. Nicely balanced but maybe not as flavorful as you’d expect. The mouthfeel is gentle as the carbonation is not particularly strong, but somewhat thin. The finish is somewhat short but pleasant if you like the alcohol taste well hidden. A casual rustic beer.

I was pretty disappointed with this beer. Pours a nice dark brown/black color with a small kahki head. Aromas and flavors are pretty light and consist of caramel, smoked malt, chocolate and roasted nuts. Mouthfeel is watery and finishes without much notice. A bland beer...........one of the worst German Schwarzbiers I’ve had.

Pours medium black with soft tan head and great lacing down the glass. Aroma of sweet malt and carmel and taste the same but with some leather and nice smooth yeast to complete the taste. Overall a great example of the style and hard to put down the glass.

330 ml bottle into lager glass, best before 3/6/2013. Pours crystal clear deep reddish brown color with a 1 finger dense light khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a small cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass, with moderate streaming carbonation retaining the head. Aromas of caramel, raisin, fig, toast, molasses, brown bread, light roast, light floral, and earthiness. Very nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt and fruity esters. Taste of caramel, raisin, fig, toast, molasses, brown bread, light roast, light pepper, light floral, and earthiness. Lingering notes of caramel, dark fruit, toast, molasses, brown bread, light roast, light pepper, and earthiness on the finish for a bit. Very nice balance and complexity of malt and fruity ester flavors; with good robustness and zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a moderately creamy and smooth mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with hardly any warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a damn nice schwarzbier style. All around nice balance and complexity of flavors with good robustness; and very smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Bottle. Pours a black body, with a large light brown head that diminishes slowly, leaving a fair lace. Faint coffee aroma, but more intense bitter taste, notes of coffee. low carbonation level, full bodied, oily texture. Nice.

My favorite black lager. Pours a mahogany brown with a small tan head. Nice roasted malts and some sweetness but not over the top. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Can from Trader Joe’s in Oceanside, CA. Deep, dark brown with a thin cream colored head. Aroma is chocolate, grain, earth, and grass. Taste is malt forward with a medium sweetness, mildly bitter. Light to medium body, somewhat watery and thin but OK for a lager. Soft carbonation and long finish, very good flavor and goes well with food. Nice summer beer.

Pours chocolate brown with a small head. Sweet, but not overly so with nice dark roasted flavors. Aroma is mostly sweet malt. Body is light which makes for a very pleasant beer.

Pours a dark deep rustic caramel color with a frothy head. Aromas of light smoky malt, caramel, hay, grain, and slightly toasty. Flavors of light smoked malt, hay, slight grass, and light caramel. Light subtle sweet notes leaving a light grain/grass/smoke aftertaste. Silky feel. Doesnt taste or feel as light as the abv would lead you alone to believe.

9oz on tap at Yard House Cincinnati. Dark brown color, clear around the edges. Thin off-white head. Good lace. Medium body. Kind of soft, smooth lighter carbonation. Light roasted malts. Good dark chocolate. Light bit of dark fruit. Nice moderate bitter taste, light on the sweet. Satisfying schwarzbier. Good example of the style.