Schwarzbier
Canteen Brewhouse (Il Vicino)

 

On tap at the brewery. Comparing to a Kostritzer, head is lacking. Aroma is spot on, hinting at the dark roast grain base, but somehow comes off too sweet in taste. Perhaps a bit slick for a dark lager. Nice try however.

 

 

My only prior experience with schwartzbier is Sam Adams' Black Lager. While I like that in moderation, the sweetness is too much and ultimately the drinkability is low, so I cannot see myself going back to it very often.

Il Vicino's schwartz is a whole different animal. It pours a deep, dark brown with medium lacing. The smell is malty, but not too much so. The big draw for me, though, is the mouthfeel. It's a reasonably carbonated brew and maybe the most drinkable beer I've ever had.

It feels like a pilsner, looks like a stout, and delivers in every field. Maybe the best thing at Il Vicino right now.

This beer is really good. I think it may be better than their Wet Mountain IPA which is really good. Nice hop and malt balance and great finish. Pours a nice medium dark color and has decent aroma. The beer is brewed in Albuquerque at the Il Vicino Brewery. Occasionally served also at their two restaurants in Albuquerque, NM.

Off the tap at their downtown Santa Fe location this beer was a mahogany color with a thin, tan head. Retained very well as a skim and left thin bands of lacing. The aroma was soft but pleasant, roasted and toasted malt with hints of hop bitterness. The flavors were spot-on for the style, it started with a toasted malt note followed by some earthiness which was counterbalanced by citrus hops. Hints of nuttiness remained in the background and the finish was on a long biscuit-like malt note. The body was medium, the mouthfeel smooth but watery and the carbonation a little too soft for the style.