Heartland Brewery Bavarian Black Lager
Heartland Brewery Union Square

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From:
Heartland Brewery Union Square
 
New York, United States
Style:
Schwarzbier
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.73 | pDev: 21.45%
Reviews:
12
Ratings:
21
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Dec 26, 2015
Added:
Nov 16, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by RBorsato:
Photo of RBorsato
Reviewed by RBorsato from Virginia

4.08/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Tasted on-tap 01/10/07 at the Heartland Brewery Times Square in NY, NY.

Nice solid mahogany color with a nice light brown head that leaves nice lace. A decent nutty and light roasted malt aroma and flavor. Not much in the chocolate or coffee dept. Medium bodied and smooth with a nice finish.

A solid Schwarzbier but a touch light in overall character.

Per HB website: 6.5% ABV.
Chocolate and Caramel Malts.
Available Mid-Oct to Jan.
Jan 17, 2007
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.34 by HeartofMiami from Florida

Dec 26, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by paulish from New York

Dec 11, 2015
 
Rated: 1 by JPowell712 from Pennsylvania

Dec 02, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by shigg85 from Japan

Feb 14, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by bsm80x from New York

Oct 24, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by ant880 from New York

Feb 03, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by salthemonster from Pennsylvania

Dec 02, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by gshackles from New York

Nov 25, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by RoryOMoore from New Jersey

Jan 23, 2012
Photo of Rifugium
Reviewed by Rifugium from North Dakota

4.17/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
First had: on tap at Heartland Union Square, NYC, NY

Undoubtedly the best beer I've had from Heartland. And the logo is just plain classic. Poured a dark mocha brown, opaque, with very little head. Strong aroma of roasted malts and dark sugars. Very roasty taste, caramel and molasses, and light notes of chocolate and vanilla. Smooth, near-full body, and very tasty and drinkable.
May 11, 2011
Photo of bob3701
Reviewed by bob3701 from New Jersey

4.2/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a shaker pint at their South Street Seaport location. I think this may have been my favorite sampled there. Nice white head and great lacing. Great roasted malt scent. Very velvety in the mouth, nice and smooth. Hints of bitter chocolate and caramel. Slight sour finish. Also really liked the dominatrix logo for this brew, too funny.
Jan 04, 2010
Photo of Minotaur
Reviewed by Minotaur from Pennsylvania

4.11/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This beer poured typically lager into a pint glass: it had a nice even head and a dark (indeed - deep deep brown and nearly black) color to it. There was only a bit of translucence and it was crystal clear.

The aroma was nothing particularly startling: it was average and neutral smelling of slightly smokey malt.

The taste was a pleasant surprise. It was smooth and crisp, but contained hints of hazelnut, smoke, chocolate, pumpernickel bread, and just a tiny bit of crisp but mild hops. The taste did not change significantly upon moving through the glass but remained consistently flavorful and rich without being at all heavy.

I can't say the beer was particularly profound - but it is the most solid Schawrzbier that I have had outside of Germany. There are enough flavors for it to stand up to heavier foods and more hearty beers, but light enough that it is not overwhelming in flavor or character.
Dec 15, 2009
Photo of Gavage
Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

4.01/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: dark brown with some mahagony highlights. A two finger head lasts a bit and some nice lacing paints the glass.

Smell: malt sweetness is mild but enjoyable.

Taste: thin malty profile. Caramel, hint of chocolate, prune sweetness, and some mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Lightly crisp from start to finish. Very short aftertaste.

Drinkability: superb session beer, as I enjoyed two of these in a short period and a few more could have been quaffed.
Jan 24, 2009
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A seasonal served at the Radio City Location.

A: THe schwarzbier is a dark brown-black color that looks like coffee (save for the carbonation). There is no head atop the body.

S: The nose is a treacly sweet caramel aroma, as though a shot or two of Torani caramel had been added to the glass. Underlying the caramel is a darker, fuller aroma of roasted grains.

T: The schwarzbier style is highly underrated. The first sip reveals a caramel flavor that rivals a dunkel lager but with a wider array of tastes. Caramel and chocolate dominate but not to the extent of a stout, they know when to recede and soften up. The lasting flavor is strong on caramel, just as I found in the nose.

M: The mouthfeel is crisp with the carbonation assisting in clearing away the caramel sweetness.

D: Very drinkable, even with an abv that has creeped up a bit over the oatmeal stout.
Dec 11, 2007
Photo of scottum
Reviewed by scottum from Vermont

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served a deep brown with a small tan headskie. Quite smooth and well balanced. Chocolate chewy malt flavors lead the brew with enough hop to cut through and finish the experience. Goes down very smooth and easy to drink. I'm glad to have sampled a pint.
Nov 06, 2007
Photo of warriorsoul
Reviewed by warriorsoul from Pennsylvania

3.86/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Enjoyed a pint while having lunch with fellow BA eandj.
Arrived in a standard pint glass, black in color with a little of light able to pass thru. A full finger of off-white head sat on top and disappeared rapidly...no lacing with this one.
Not a ton in the nose...an earthy aroma with some chocolate and sweet malt.
The taste is very enjoyable...no one flavor jumps out at me, but it is filled with chocolate, caramel and vanilla.
This one is certainly on the sweeter side compared to the few other black lagers I have tried, but it is not distracting and was very easily to drink.
Mouthfeel was again, thicker than what I would expect, but not cloying.
Glad I went for this offering over the others from Heartland...had a taste of the others on hand and this was the clear-cut winner.
Dec 18, 2005
Photo of bultrey
Reviewed by bultrey from New York

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Wow -- finally a pleasant surprise from Heartland. I had a pint of this today at the Seaport location, and wasn't expecting much. I had a pint about a year-and-a-half ago, and it was awful. I suspected it might be that the beer was less-than-fresh at the time, and I think I was right.

This beer came with an attractive and persistent head, and a ruby-tinged dark mahogany that belies the name 'black.' Smell is all caramely goodness, mostly a sweet nose. The taste was much, much better than in the past. Even though it had that 'homebrew' taste to it, it was an assault of deeply roasted caramel malts up front, with some aggressive German hopping to keep it in check, and a ghost-like charcoal smoke roastiness finishing things off. It hit the spot so much, I had two pints at lunch.

The unfortunate thing is, I know Heartland can make better beers. This proves it. Either they changed the recipe from last year, or the freshness made all the difference.
Nov 11, 2005
Photo of NJpadreFan
Reviewed by NJpadreFan from New Jersey

2.17/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Bavarian Black Lager.

Heartland Brewery- beer 2 of 8!

Appearance- A flat matte black with no head.

Smell- Did someone put the cigerette ashes into my beer?! Smells of a dirty wet ashtray. Ash that is this beers aroma!?

Taste- Bland. Like a black and tan. A watery flat Guiness poured and mixed into a harp lager. Slight roasted hops detected but otherwise unflavorfull.

Overall- a boring quickly overlooked beer that won't stand out and won't be enjoyed.
Nov 06, 2005
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

4.2/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I sampled a pint of this tasty brew at the Heartland Brewery's Seaport location. Poured very dark brown, with ruby highlights, medium carbonation and moderate head observed. Tiny bubbles evident, this one leaves nice lacing. Nose was of licorish, malt, and slight chocolate also detected. Notes of roasty/toasty maltings, chocolate, and more black licorish. Yum. Nicely crafted, flavorful dark lager. Fine cold weather offering, give me some sausages, and some black bread to go with this fine brew!
Dec 07, 2004
Heartland Brewery Bavarian Black Lager from Heartland Brewery Union Square
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 21 ratings