Schwartz Bier
Devils Backbone Brewing Company

Schwartz BierSchwartz Bier
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From:
Devils Backbone Brewing Company
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
Schwarzbier
Ranked #72
ABV:
5.1%
Score:
86
Ranked #18,689
Avg:
3.83 | pDev: 10.7%
Reviews:
87
Ratings:
381
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 30, 2023
Added:
Jul 24, 2009
Wants:
  22
Gots:
  97
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
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by trigger467:
Photo of trigger467
Rated by trigger467 from Virginia

3/5  rDev -21.7%

Jun 01, 2013
More User Ratings:
Photo of DarkPassport
Reviewed by DarkPassport

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, 2023
Photo of CobraChicken
Reviewed by CobraChicken

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
 
Rated: 4.01 by Curt3 from Ohio

Aug 17, 2021
Photo of Navanation
Reviewed by Navanation from Pennsylvania

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, 2021
Photo of brewerburgundy
Reviewed by brewerburgundy from West Virginia

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, 2021
 
Rated: 4.28 by Vylo from New Jersey

Jun 25, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by DOCRW from Kentucky

Apr 11, 2021
 
Rated: 2.95 by fishguyac from Virginia

Jan 22, 2021
 
Rated: 3.74 by RyanPollie from California

Oct 01, 2020
Photo of milkshakebeersucks
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
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
Photo of Rub_This_BBQ
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
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
 
Rated: 4 by Velivolus1 from Vermont

Aug 01, 2020
 
Rated: 4.17 by jdezelick from Virginia

Feb 18, 2020
Photo of Beejay
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
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, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by Velivolus from Vermont

Nov 24, 2019
 
Rated: 3.84 by AccipiterofBeer from New York

Nov 01, 2019
 
Rated: 3.74 by TheRock7755 from Georgia

Oct 22, 2019
 
Rated: 4.6 by oldchucker92 from Virginia

Jun 26, 2019
 
Rated: 3.83 by Fr33man from Maryland

May 24, 2019
Schwartz Bier from Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 381 ratings