Blacker Cracker
Spring House Brewing Company

I tried this on tap at the brewpub served chilled in a glass

The color is appropriately black with a thin beige head with fine bead. The smell is a mix of dark malt and hop aromas. The feel is more roast that hops however there is a moderate amount of bitterness.

The taste is decent however it has a dark malt roastiness in the taste which seems to clash with the hops. The hop flavor is good there just needs to be more of it. I would recommend trying this if you never had it or like American Black ales

 

 

 

 

 

Draft offering at the Springhouse tap room in Lancaster. Served in a half pint glass. The brew appears a dark brown to black color with an off-white cap. The head fades to a thin lacing across the top that produces a spotty pattern of lace on the glass.

The smell of this brew is a bit muted but includes some mild roast from the dark grain. There is a fruity alcohol presence tht blends well into the character of the hops that includes notes of citrus, fruit and herbs. Towards the back is some chocolate and more roast but it all blends together well.

The taste is dark roasted grain upfront that blends into some fruity flavors of alcohol and hops. The bitterness seems to come front combination of both the char of the grain and hops but maybe leaning more towards the grain than hops. Overall, nothing seems to clash about this brew and it really works.

American black ales are not my thing. However, I approached this with an open mind and was pleasantly surprised. If I had to drink an American black ale, I would pick this one over many I have had in the past. It is medium bodied with a modest level of carbonation. The flavors blend nicely in this and nothing stands out as fighting for attention. It doesn't have that assertive oily pine quality that many in this style possess. Well done spring house.

 

Had this on 2011-02-16 at the Taproom in Lancaster, PA (recently opened by Spring House)

A - Deep, dark brown with a short, tan head and good lacing good

S - Mild, milk chocoate and coffee

T - Dark roasted grain, chocolate, a litle coffee, black pepper and mild hops. Not very sweet. The pepper and astringent bitterness last into the aftertaste. The beer has a lot of flavor.

M - Medium body and carbonation. Moderately creamy.

D - Peppery, black IPAs aren't my favorite style. This one was done as well or better than most of the ones I have tried. For example, I rate this higher than Victory's Yakima Glory. I enjoyed experiencing this one pint glass but would switch to other Springhouse beers on my next visit.

Blacker Cracker, a black ale, served at the Spring House taproom in Lancaster.

A: The black ale is appropriately named, darkened and brownish. The depth is enough to look black from a distance while retainings its caramel brown up close. A quarter finer of head, white, comes with the ale.

S: The nose is roasted, malty with chocolate and coffee in strong supply. As the ale warms, citrus emerges to pair with the malt side but generally those hops are nonexistent.

T: The roasted stout presence is the biggest aspect of the ale, a roasted, toasted, and burnt flavor. Chocolate, char, and coffee all swirl together, crowding out any hoppiness. Hell, the ale remains a dark morass until it warms appropriately. As it warms, citrus hops emerge, providing a sweet counterpoint to the darkness of the malts. I'd just rather not wait that long for the equalizer.

M: The mouthfeel is that of an American porter, roasted and dark, until the hops arrive. More strength upfront and I'd be a happy camper.

D: A moderate ale, flavorful even if it trends towards the fuller stout side. A nice pint to sip through, especially as the hops emerge.