Land Ho!
Heavy Seas Beer

Land Ho!Land Ho!
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From:
Heavy Seas Beer
 
Maryland, United States
Style:
Schwarzbier
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 9.52%
Reviews:
38
Ratings:
97
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 08, 2014
Added:
May 09, 2012
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  0
Collaboration with Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ChainGangGuy:
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

3.99/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
22 ounce bottle - $3.99 at Lucky's Beverage World in Woodstock, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours out a very, very dark brown body with a medium-sized, frothy, beige head that doesn't stick around for too terribly long.

Smell: Pils malts holding up supporting aromatic notes of milk chocolate, roast, and dark caramel. Lightly spicy, scantly herbal hop hints.

Taste: Upfront pilsner maltiness, then some chocolaty, roasty tones following hot on its heels (plus caramel as it warms). A little bit of the initial roastiness soldiers on, as the German hop's subtle spiciness kicks in. Subdued bitterness. Light herbal undertone. Semi-dry, modestly roasty finish with hints of the pils malt coming in now and again. I'm happy they didn't opt for the over-hopped, highly astringent black malt route.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: Who the hell is Devil's Backbone Brewing? Fairly decent beer at a good, nod-worthy price.
Jun 17, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.5 by wrightst from Maryland

Aug 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by JMS1512 from New Jersey

Aug 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by HuntDaddy540 from District of Columbia

May 08, 2014
Photo of Jadjunk
Reviewed by Jadjunk from Georgia

3.96/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
"Virginia's Devils Backbone Brewing Company, with Brewmaster Jason Oliver, was a perfect partner for us to do a collaboration beer. Not only is Devils Backbone one of the most award winning breweries in the country over the last few years, but Jason hails from Heavy Seas' Brewmaster, is clearly a lager lover and specialist, and he and Jason had a great time conceiving and developing this special lager. It has been a privilege working with both of these gentlemen, and I hope you enjoy the result of this joint effort." Brewed in the style of a Schwartzbier. This is a one-off collaboration between Devils Backbone Brewing Company and Heavy Seas Beer, available in 22 oz. bottles and on limited draft.

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle to my Heavy Seas pint glass. Served above 55º Fahrenheit.

(Appearance) Pours a crisp fizzy mocha tan head over a dark cola brown body with deep mahogany highlights. Retention is slightly above average and lacing is spotty and thin. 3.75

(Smell) Earthy malts combines cracker pilsner malts and light caramel with faintly roasted grain and a pinch of black malt bitterness. Hop bitterness and aroma is mild to pair, mostly resiny but with some mild fruit. Pleasantly inviting and enjoyable aroma for a black lager. Potency is medium-high. 4

(Taste) Pale and roasted malt paired with a toasty, earthy bitterness for a complex but inviting malt profile. Sweetness is mellow but balances well with the bitterness of the specialty malts and mild acidity of the lager strain. Low earthy and grassy hop flavor with a lesser bitterness. Like most lagers, the profile is light and drinkable without encroaching on thin or watery. 4

(Mouthfeel) Texture is thin, smooth and mildly chalky dry. Carbonation is mild, generating a thin creaminess and fluffy mouthfeel. Body is medium for the style, light/medium overall. Balance is equally sweet, roasty, acidic and bitter. Alcohol presence is light. 3.75

(Overall) An excellent collaboration brew that takes ones expectations of a Schwartzbier to a new level. Very flavorful and well balanced with an enjoyable carbonation and high drinkability. 4

Heavy Seas Beer/Devil's Backbone Brewing Company's
Land Ho! Black Pilsner Style Lager Collaboration
3.96/5.00
Apr 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by brpendergast85 from District of Columbia

Mar 25, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by vermilcj from Ohio

Mar 06, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by st9647v3 from New Jersey

Jan 09, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Zanico from Ohio

Nov 10, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Casey3236 from Pennsylvania

Oct 14, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by ROGUE16 from Delaware

Oct 05, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by pathman from Ohio

Jul 16, 2013
Photo of Brenden
Reviewed by Brenden from Ohio

3.53/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Close to black, there's definitely some brown easing into the body, especially at the edges, but it is dark. This beer's solid tan head reaches just over one finger tall and shows good retention. Lacing is left in foamy patches and heavily toward the top of the glass, then thinner patches the rest of the way but in good volume.
It's toasty and has some roast to it, almost overwhelming the pilsner malts and the floral hops bitterness. They come out lightly, but underneath some coffee grounds and light smokiness. Hops bring a bit of spiciness more than anything.
The flavor brings out toast and smoky grains primarily, though also present are undercurrents of bittersweet cocoa and coffee balanced against spicy, somewhat grassy hops. There's something almost like dark fruits sweetness / tanginess and light nutty notes.
The light body offers crispness and some smoothness alongsside but gets a little weak at times.
Jul 15, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by ncstateplaya from North Carolina

Jun 17, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by civicm87 from New York

Jun 17, 2013
Photo of utopiajane
Reviewed by utopiajane from New York

3.63/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Pours black, opaque with just a little light at the bottom when held to the light. 2 thin fingers of foam that fell fast to a filmy cap and ring. Soapy lace. Nose is strong with toast, roasted grains and floral hops. There’s some grass from the hops but almost no fruit except for a hint of dark fruits. Smells a lot like cola. Nose has chocolate but it’s not sweet. It has plenty of grain. There’s some caramel and molasses as ti warms. Taste is strong malt. Toasted, a little smoke, the mild chocolate cocoa powder, and walnut.The hops are floral and earthy with plenty of grass but no real fruit on the palate. Also there is not really any malt sweetness on the palate so it has a dry quality. Body is thin and a little over carbonated. Finishes with toast, roast, coffee and a moderate bitter. It was hard to want more of it because it lacked any kind of sweetness. It tasted a lot like dry cheerios. For the style it’s right on. A neutral malt character with nothing burnt, moderate roast and a bitter chocolate flavor featuring a moderate hop bitterness.
Jun 12, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by PEIhop from Massachusetts

Jun 01, 2013
Photo of facundoCNB
Reviewed by facundoCNB from New Jersey

4.23/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
a black pour with 2 fingers of fluffy light tan head which dissipated slowly and gave off nice amounts of lacing. smells of very sweet citrusy malt, light roasted scents.. orange, chocolate.. very strange profile for its color! a bready, very refreshing tasting beer. slight orange citrus flavor, a very slight roasted grain profile.. very refreshing and mellow beer, perfect for a nice spring night like tonight. light body with high carbonation, yet a slightly creamy mouthfeel. a really nice overall very enjoyable beer. never had a black pilsner, but if this is something that catches on, i could become a pretty big fan.
May 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by AngusOg from North Carolina

May 21, 2013
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.88/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This beer is black, with ruddy brown highlights when held to a light. The head is a small-bubbled foam, thick and tan. The aroma is clean...lots of bready malt. The taste is clean, some malt and a touch of hops. Reminiscently smokey...nothing over the top. Medium body. Drinkable and enjoyable.
May 12, 2013
Land Ho! from Heavy Seas Beer
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 97 ratings