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Schwartz Bier
Devils Backbone Brewing Company
- From:
- Devils Backbone Brewing Company
- Virginia, United States
- Style:
- Schwarzbier
Ranked #75 - ABV:
- 5.1%
- Score:
- 86
Ranked #19,314 - Avg:
- 3.83 | pDev: 10.7%
- Reviews:
- 87
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 30, 2023
- Added:
- Jul 24, 2009
- Wants:
- 22
- Gots:
- 97
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
Formerly known as Black Lager
We like this beer for lots of reasons. It’s a traditional old world beer style and it’s a lager, so it takes time to make but it also has roasted & toasted malt flavors. And while it’s light to medium in body, it’s black with a quick, crisp finish. Add in six imported malts and two European hop varieties, you’ll taste why this true to style DB favorite is an award winner!
Malts: Pilsner, Carafa II Special, Dark Munich, CaraRed, Bohemian Pilsner, Melanoidin
Hops: Northern Brewer, Saaz
IBU: 22
COLOR: Black
We like this beer for lots of reasons. It’s a traditional old world beer style and it’s a lager, so it takes time to make but it also has roasted & toasted malt flavors. And while it’s light to medium in body, it’s black with a quick, crisp finish. Add in six imported malts and two European hop varieties, you’ll taste why this true to style DB favorite is an award winner!
Malts: Pilsner, Carafa II Special, Dark Munich, CaraRed, Bohemian Pilsner, Melanoidin
Hops: Northern Brewer, Saaz
IBU: 22
COLOR: Black
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by DarkPassport
4.35/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.35/5 rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Poured from 12oz bottle a year and a half past best-by date. Room temperature tulip glass. No surprise, the beer was black. No head at all.
Aroma: Dark roasted malt, coffee, toasted grains. Browned caramel. If there's chocolate, it's not artificially sweetened or bitter.
Taste: Same as nose. Very well balanced flavor with nothing overpowering.
Feel: Medium-light body, medium carbonation.
Overall: Great beer by itself. Dark lagers can be difficult to master but they got this one right.
Pairing: It did not go well with a super lean burger or sweet potato fries. I imagine it would be much better with a juicy red meat entree or even ice cream as a compliment to dessert.
Sep 30, 2023Aroma: Dark roasted malt, coffee, toasted grains. Browned caramel. If there's chocolate, it's not artificially sweetened or bitter.
Taste: Same as nose. Very well balanced flavor with nothing overpowering.
Feel: Medium-light body, medium carbonation.
Overall: Great beer by itself. Dark lagers can be difficult to master but they got this one right.
Pairing: It did not go well with a super lean burger or sweet potato fries. I imagine it would be much better with a juicy red meat entree or even ice cream as a compliment to dessert.
Reviewed by CobraChicken
4.7/5 rDev +22.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.7/5 rDev +22.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Beautiful cola color with tan head. Smells of dark, toasted bread and malt. The first sip I notice an abundance of carbonation (which I love) and a initial flavor of malt and light coffee. The finish was more crisp than I expected, with a slight acidity that left me wanting more. I love the medium body and high carbonation that goes with this. I fully underestimated how good this would be. It it not heavy by any stretch and you can put three or four away without feeling bloated. I will 100% be getting this again. We’ll done Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co. You apparently can do no wrong!
Dec 16, 2021
Reviewed by Navanation from Pennsylvania
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Lovely mocha taste. Not heavy. Light, malty, chocolate with a hint of coffee. Direct from the bottle so color im assuming is black. Nice beer. Easy to drink without being heavy.
Aug 06, 2021Reviewed by brewerburgundy from West Virginia
4.16/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle, tulip, best by 9.27.21.
Quite dark, but clearly light bodied, and has a small, creamy khaki head with good lacing.
Hershey’s, sweet yet bitter fresh coffee beans, clean ash, rye bread.
Quick hit of chocolate sweetness up front that quickly dries out with ashiness, coffee, and metallic bitterness. The finish is clean and dry.
Light, sweet-crisp, dry, busy carbonation.
Seems like a great example of the style to me. It’s light, yet rich, sweet, yet dry.
Jul 12, 2021Quite dark, but clearly light bodied, and has a small, creamy khaki head with good lacing.
Hershey’s, sweet yet bitter fresh coffee beans, clean ash, rye bread.
Quick hit of chocolate sweetness up front that quickly dries out with ashiness, coffee, and metallic bitterness. The finish is clean and dry.
Light, sweet-crisp, dry, busy carbonation.
Seems like a great example of the style to me. It’s light, yet rich, sweet, yet dry.
Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
3.74/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Basic black appearance with a large mocha colored head and good lacing. Grainy, toasted malt aroma. Smooth, rounded flavors of biscuits, dark bread and roasted malts. Sweetness held to a minimum. Hops were subtle up to the aftertaste, when some spicy, herbal hops kicked in. Medium bodied, well carbonaed mouthfeel with a lingering finish.
Aug 29, 2020
Reviewed by Rub_This_BBQ from Massachusetts
4.25/5 rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.25/5 rDev +11%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Great example of the style, nice dark roast black coffee with a crisp bite. In the times of pastry stouts, and milk shakes this is a under rated style .
Aug 16, 2020
Reviewed by Beejay from Virginia
3.48/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.48/5 rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
A: dark black in the glass with a soft tan head.
S: lager Aaron's, with brown bread, rye, and caramel.
T: brown bread, some light caramel flavor, and we'll as raisin. Slight grainy bitterness in the finish.
M: medium light body, fairly high carbonation. Slightly dry finish.
O: overall not a bad brew.
Dec 15, 2019S: lager Aaron's, with brown bread, rye, and caramel.
T: brown bread, some light caramel flavor, and we'll as raisin. Slight grainy bitterness in the finish.
M: medium light body, fairly high carbonation. Slightly dry finish.
O: overall not a bad brew.
Schwartz Bier from Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
381 ratings
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