Guinness Black Lager | Guinness Ltd.
Brewed by:
Guinness Ltd.
Ireland
guinness.com
Style: Euro Dark Lager
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.50%
Availability: Rotating
Notes / Commercial Description:
No notes at this time.
Added by mdagnew on 04-03-2010
Ratings: 1,974 | Reviews: 445
Reviews by sweett3k:
More User Reviews:
2.5/5 rDev -18.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Guinness and Lager do not mix. I love Guinness Regular (in the pub) and Guinness Extra Stout and my favorite is Foreign Extra but this Guinness is terrible. It tasted slightly like Guinness but it just didn't hit the spot of the way other Guinness tastes. Lager is lager and Guinness is Guinness. Just keep it that way.
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look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
Guinness and Lager do not mix. I love Guinness Regular (in the pub) and Guinness Extra Stout and my favorite is Foreign Extra but this Guinness is terrible. It tasted slightly like Guinness but it just didn't hit the spot of the way other Guinness tastes. Lager is lager and Guinness is Guinness. Just keep it that way.
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3.06/5 rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance – This is a nice, very dark brown in color, OK almost black, with a big, fluffy, tight, dark white head.
Smell – I like the roasted aroma but there’s just not enough of it. This bouquet is very faint and consists of dark roasty notes along with a light raw sugar sweetness.
Taste – It’s equally light in the ass at the taste. Again, all the flavors are here it’s just a little empty and lacking in depth. I’d say it’s almost watery.
Mouthfeel – There’s no bitterness to this ale which is better than light-bodied but far from medium. The carbs are a bit too perky for the style as well.
Drinkability – This is an easy-going beer that won’t impress anyone but will stay out of the sink.
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look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance – This is a nice, very dark brown in color, OK almost black, with a big, fluffy, tight, dark white head.
Smell – I like the roasted aroma but there’s just not enough of it. This bouquet is very faint and consists of dark roasty notes along with a light raw sugar sweetness.
Taste – It’s equally light in the ass at the taste. Again, all the flavors are here it’s just a little empty and lacking in depth. I’d say it’s almost watery.
Mouthfeel – There’s no bitterness to this ale which is better than light-bodied but far from medium. The carbs are a bit too perky for the style as well.
Drinkability – This is an easy-going beer that won’t impress anyone but will stay out of the sink.
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2.86/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Mike for giving me this bottle at a recent tasting. It was in his 'Free Beer...Please Take Home' box
It pours a transparent deep deep chestnut brown with crimson highlights. A fluffy generous khaki colored head tops the beer with medium retention and minimal lacing.
The nose is very mild. It has a minimal amount of roasted barley as well as a slight plum esters and finishes just a bit sweet.
The roasted barley is once again nearly non-existent. There is not even a hint of coffee or chocolate commonly found in beers with a decent amount of roasted barley. There is just a slight dark grain taste. Once again a lot of plum esters are coming through. There is almost a medium amount of bitterness which balance some of the malt sweetness in the finish. The plum is just too prominent.
The body is very thin and watery and the carbonation level is medium low which does not compliment this beer at all. Drinkability is just above average, it's not hard to down the beer because it's so thin and watery but at the same time it's very boring, so not enjoyable. It's like they mixed 1 part Guinness with about 5 parts black lager. It ends up with a mash-up that does nothing to accentuate the roastiness of a good dry stout and the crispness of a good lager. I'd only choose this again if BMC is the only thing available. I'd much rather just have the original.
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look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5
Thanks to Mike for giving me this bottle at a recent tasting. It was in his 'Free Beer...Please Take Home' box
It pours a transparent deep deep chestnut brown with crimson highlights. A fluffy generous khaki colored head tops the beer with medium retention and minimal lacing.
The nose is very mild. It has a minimal amount of roasted barley as well as a slight plum esters and finishes just a bit sweet.
The roasted barley is once again nearly non-existent. There is not even a hint of coffee or chocolate commonly found in beers with a decent amount of roasted barley. There is just a slight dark grain taste. Once again a lot of plum esters are coming through. There is almost a medium amount of bitterness which balance some of the malt sweetness in the finish. The plum is just too prominent.
The body is very thin and watery and the carbonation level is medium low which does not compliment this beer at all. Drinkability is just above average, it's not hard to down the beer because it's so thin and watery but at the same time it's very boring, so not enjoyable. It's like they mixed 1 part Guinness with about 5 parts black lager. It ends up with a mash-up that does nothing to accentuate the roastiness of a good dry stout and the crispness of a good lager. I'd only choose this again if BMC is the only thing available. I'd much rather just have the original.
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3.1/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
In a pint glass this beer was a very dark brown, almost black color. It had a medium-sized tan head that disappeared quickly.
Roasted malt aroma, sweet cocoa. Kind of faint.
The taste was even fainter. Weak coffee, a tiny bit of chocolate.
Very thin and watery. On the positive side, you could drink a number of these in one sitting.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
In a pint glass this beer was a very dark brown, almost black color. It had a medium-sized tan head that disappeared quickly.
Roasted malt aroma, sweet cocoa. Kind of faint.
The taste was even fainter. Weak coffee, a tiny bit of chocolate.
Very thin and watery. On the positive side, you could drink a number of these in one sitting.
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2.85/5 rDev -7.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
3.08/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
330ml brown bottle w/ no freshness date.
LOOK: Off black color w/ reddish hue. Good lacing.
SMELL: Sweet, cocoa, mild charcoal, lightly bready, clean.
TASTE: Smooth, slick, lighter body, wet, mild roasted grain, dried grass, muted hops, bitterness, residual dextrins.
I was not sure what to expect but after several goes at it I am still trying to wrap my head around its inception. Regular draught Guinness does a great job ... consistent, drinkable, the story behind it. Sort of a lesser Guinness that has a typical carbonation of a Euro Lager. I guess I just don't see the market for it. I can understand why FES was brought to the states, 10-15 years late to the party but this concoction just does seem to hit it with me. Not saying it is bad at all, it hits the right elements ... drinkable, easy going flavor. Is it for 38-56 year old males who make more than $75,000 a year that are not into beer that much but are sick other Euro Dark Lagers? If someone was looking for a dark lager why wouldn't they just look for a solid Munich Dunkel or a dark Czech lager? Go figure, best of luck guys ... still trying to figure this one out. Regardless, it is worth a tick.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
330ml brown bottle w/ no freshness date.
LOOK: Off black color w/ reddish hue. Good lacing.
SMELL: Sweet, cocoa, mild charcoal, lightly bready, clean.
TASTE: Smooth, slick, lighter body, wet, mild roasted grain, dried grass, muted hops, bitterness, residual dextrins.
I was not sure what to expect but after several goes at it I am still trying to wrap my head around its inception. Regular draught Guinness does a great job ... consistent, drinkable, the story behind it. Sort of a lesser Guinness that has a typical carbonation of a Euro Lager. I guess I just don't see the market for it. I can understand why FES was brought to the states, 10-15 years late to the party but this concoction just does seem to hit it with me. Not saying it is bad at all, it hits the right elements ... drinkable, easy going flavor. Is it for 38-56 year old males who make more than $75,000 a year that are not into beer that much but are sick other Euro Dark Lagers? If someone was looking for a dark lager why wouldn't they just look for a solid Munich Dunkel or a dark Czech lager? Go figure, best of luck guys ... still trying to figure this one out. Regardless, it is worth a tick.
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3.05/5 rDev -1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12 ounce bottle
Pours dark cola , minor tan head, thin collar and minor lace.
Just a very faint whiff of dark bread on the nose.
Notes of some dark bread, not much else.
Pretty lame and boring brew. Unfortunate that Guinness doesnt seem to care to put out more of an interesting product. Oh well, glad I only poached one of these from a friends assortment box
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look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12 ounce bottle
Pours dark cola , minor tan head, thin collar and minor lace.
Just a very faint whiff of dark bread on the nose.
Notes of some dark bread, not much else.
Pretty lame and boring brew. Unfortunate that Guinness doesnt seem to care to put out more of an interesting product. Oh well, glad I only poached one of these from a friends assortment box
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3.4/5 rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Appearance: black in color with a 1/4 inch head, opaque, moderate carbonation
Smell: toasted malt and caramel
Taste: toasted malt, caramel, smoke--like a less dense Guinness Draught
Mouthfeel: light bodied, high carbonation, sweet and smoky
Overall: Not a bad beer and certainly above average for the style. I could see myself getting a glass or two again. Probably my least favorite from the brewery. Try to grade against others I have had in the style. If I was not, this beer would be closer to a C.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Appearance: black in color with a 1/4 inch head, opaque, moderate carbonation
Smell: toasted malt and caramel
Taste: toasted malt, caramel, smoke--like a less dense Guinness Draught
Mouthfeel: light bodied, high carbonation, sweet and smoky
Overall: Not a bad beer and certainly above average for the style. I could see myself getting a glass or two again. Probably my least favorite from the brewery. Try to grade against others I have had in the style. If I was not, this beer would be closer to a C.
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Guinness Black Lager from Guinness Ltd.
3.08
out of 5
based on 1,974 ratings.
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Poured into my Guinness Pint glass with a frothty tan head with thick foamy lacing. Dark Brown not as black as the stout. Very earthy aroma with hints of raisins. Flavors of coffee, dirt, and smoke. Nice light flavor and easy to drink. A little bitter at the end. I'd rather drink the stout and I do not agree with the comercial of this beer making people enjoy a dark beer.
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