Upland Schwarz

Brewed by Upland Brewing Company
Style: Schwarzbier
Bloomington, Indiana USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

12 ounce bottle, bottled in January 2011. One of my friends got it for me and didn’t give it to me until recently. But it was free so I shouldn’t complain! Served in a pint glass, the beer pours dark brown with an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both decent. Aroma is roasted and charred/burnt malt, coffee and chocolate. Taste is the same as the aroma. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it’s a bit coating with moderate carbonation. It’s also smooth and goes down easy. Overall it’s decent enough. I’d like to try this brew fresher at some point, but this bottle wasn’t bad at all.

12oz bottle from a now forgotten location on a summer trip to Upland country. A shame I haven’t been able to try this beer on tap, since I have the distinct impression that this bottle has a very mild infection and may not be as fresh as desirable. Nice dark brown pour, with a fairly lively carbonation, almost cola-like. Soft roasted malts and a hint of chocolate in the nose, along with a mild dankness. Body is a bit too lively in places, though it does eventually settle down a bit. Hints of smoke and chicory in and among the roasted malts, and the dry hops blend well with dark choc. The mild tart note remains, and docks the brew a point or two. But still a solid entry.

Bottle. Woody chocolate malt aroma. Opaque black-brown color with moderate head. Wood, light smoke and chocolate malt flavor. Lightly bitter herbal hops finish. Very good.

Bottled. Poured deep cola brown with a nice lookin’ beige head on top. The aroma picked up sweet vanilla, cocoa, and chocolate, with hints of dry coffee roast around.. some hints that it might be a tad sour.. not bad. The flavor found dry-roasted coffee and chocolates with accents of vanilla.. the roast was quite heavy, and stuck along with fresh earthy bitterness on the finish.. very faint metallic sourness on the back.. I really enjoyed it, and it was close to an 8. Lighter-bodied, roasty, and bitter on the palate.. the roast worked well.. this was a very solid brew.

Pours black with a foamy tan head. Malt, hop, and roasted grain aromas with a hint of cbocolate and coffee. Sweet malty flavor with a nice balance of hops.

Pours near black with ruby hues and a thin tan head. Notes of foamy airy roast, soy, pepper, rye, salty, chalky meats. Medium bodied, lightly spritzy carbonation.

Crimson-tinged black. Grayish jagged-edged ring of foam. Dull cola, chocolate taffy, spent coffee grounds, and burnt cookie aromas. Light notes of popcorn, wet paper, and model airplane glue. Watery and fizzy on the tongue. Sharply roasty and ashen, initially. Soft dabs of caramel temporarily sooth the tongue before an acidic char and unripe plum tingle takes foothold. Body is fairly flabby due to the absence of any significant definition or depth to the malt. Considerably acidic, as well, which greatly hampers the body. Curious abundance of fruity esters doesn’t help, either. Closes limply with primary flavors of cassis, unripe plum, and bittersweet chocolate alongside lesser notes of coffee grounds, cocoa, and smoke. Wish I admired the result as much as the attempt. Rather pedestrian.

Draft. Poured a dark clear black color with an average frothy off-white head that was mostly lasting and produced good lacing. Moderate toasted malt aroma. Medium body with a smooth texture and soft carbonation. Medium roasted bittersweet flavor with a medium bittersweet finish of moderate duration. Solid drinkable brew.