Samson Černý Tmavé Výčepní (Dark)

Brewed by Budějovický Měšťanský Pivovar
Style: Dunkel
České Budějovice, Czech Republic

I had this one from tap on a very hot day in Hluboka nad Vlatava north of Ceske Budejovice. Nice deep rubin red colour with off white head. Aroma was sweet and gave a forewarning to the sweet delicat flavor.

Bottle. Brown colour. OK head. Nice roasted flavour with a touch of chocolate.

Good sized tan coloured head initially but faded away pretty quickly after that. The colour of the body was just like cola. Light aroma of caramel predominantly and maybe a touch of chocolate. The taste is a little too sweet for my liking, it has caramel, brown sugar, some dark chocolate notes and a light to medium body.

This bottled brew poured a large sized head of foamy fine to medium sized mostly lasting bubbles that left behind a fair lacing. The body was a transparent carbonated and dark ruby red brown in color. The aroma was mild with caramel malt notes. The mouth feel was mildly tingly smooth and malty with some hops thrown in for good measure. It goes down very easily. The flavor contained notes of malts and hops with a tinge of red and brown beer flavoring. It is a very nice brew overall from the Czechs.

Bottle. This beer formed a medium sized tan head that was frothy with fine-small sized bubbles that mostly diminished. The body was carbonated and transparent with a reddish brown hue. The aroma was lightly malty, lightly hoppy, sweet, spicy and some clove. The flavor was caramel, hops and malt. The mouthfeel was smooth and a bit watery-thin. This was a light-medium bodied beer.

Deep amber, which is a strange colour for a dark. Sweet caramel is pronounced but sitting in this cellar bar with my half litre I had a growing conviction that the taste was from unrefined or muscovado sugar! I'm not saying this is a bad thing, as I really enjoyed the beer, it's just unusual! (Draught at U Draku, Hradec Kralove)

Dark Czech beers are a little harder to find than their Bohemian Pilsner cousins but I think there must be better out there. This was out of balance, needing more hops to support the overly sweet chocolate palate. O.K. but not great.

Brown with a hint of orange color with a smallish light tan head. Mocha aroma dominates. Sweet toasty malt flavors. Some sidebars of caramel and simple dark sugar. Seems unattenuated. This would be a good hearty brew to cook with enough sweetness to enhance the flavors. Finish is of grainy dark/rye bread.