Very very dark brown hue, almost no head, just an off-white ring. Aroma is nutty, extremely roasted, closing to charcoal even, chocolatey and plain bold, almost dirty bold. It doesn't appear too complex to me and such heavy roastiness sure as hell would hide any potential defaults. Flavor hints at coffee and dark chocolate, but it's really mostly about a rich roastiness which, paired with the slightly overcarbonated thin-medium body, leaves me a bit indifferent.

Pours a rich murky very dark brown with a thin short-lived tan head. Aroma of burnt black malts and some sourness. Flavor is semi-sweet with a hint of bready caramel maltiness, but this is mostly overcome by an underlying acidity and bitter finish. I don't think this is a bad bottle, because it just arrived at the store where I bought it. Not very true to style, although it goes down easy and has some positive attributes.

I get berries and licorice and smokiness in the flavor of this medium-bodied beauty. I get a coca-cola appearance and a foamy head, and a slightly hoppy, bitter palate that lingers and lingers (but in a nice way). Don’t know how close this is to the ’typical’ schwartzbier, but it’s another quality addition to a line of beers that I predict (or at least hope) will soon be challenging the Rogues of the world.

Dark fruit sweetening a malt so roasted it almost smells smoked...Quite bitter grass pierces through the maltiness and thin, fizzy body...An intense schwarzbier with that indelible McNeill's hop signature...

Very dry roasted aroma with some notes of sweet chocolate. Opaque black body with shy, large-bubbled head that recedes to lasting cover with very nice lacing. Surprisingly fruity sweet flavour is eclipsed by dry roasted malt bitterness. Very dry and light body with decent, engaging carbonation. Bottle (City Market - Burlington - Oct 2004).