Dark Helmet | Westbrook Brewing Co.
Brewed by:
Westbrook Brewing Co.
South Carolina, United States
westbrookbrewing.com
Style: Schwarzbier
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.00%
Availability: Fall
Notes / Commercial Description:
Dark Helmet is a German-style black lager (or Schwarzbier) brewed with 10% malted rye. Chocolate and Carafa malts give this beer its dark color and ludicrously smooth, roasty flavor. May the Schwarz be with you!
25 IBU
Added by YumYumGumGum on 11-20-2011
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Ratings: 271 | Reviews: 44
5/5 rDev +27.9%
AFCPar-tie-ers, Dec 11, 2014
4.45/5 rDev +13.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Deep dark brown, not quite opaque as you can see through it slightly. Held to the light you can see a yellow orange tinge. Thick brown cappuccino like head.
S: Dark chocolate, toasted malt, espresso coffee, creamy like crème fresh. An almost wine like quality as well
T: Dark toasted malt, espresso notes, and an almost wine or grape like quality. A slight bitter aftertaste lingers. Very true to its form.
M: Medium to thick body, heavy carbonation.
O: Very true to form Schwarzbier. Glad to have got my hands on this at Whole Foods in Columbia, SC while traveling through. Would like to try more by Westbrook.
619 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Deep dark brown, not quite opaque as you can see through it slightly. Held to the light you can see a yellow orange tinge. Thick brown cappuccino like head.
S: Dark chocolate, toasted malt, espresso coffee, creamy like crème fresh. An almost wine like quality as well
T: Dark toasted malt, espresso notes, and an almost wine or grape like quality. A slight bitter aftertaste lingers. Very true to its form.
M: Medium to thick body, heavy carbonation.
O: Very true to form Schwarzbier. Glad to have got my hands on this at Whole Foods in Columbia, SC while traveling through. Would like to try more by Westbrook.
619 characters
4.42/5 rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
ark, rich looking dark brown with a small one inch head of off white that capped the top of the glass very, very nicely before it settled down leaving with it some nice lacing up and down the sides of the glass that seemed to really thicken up and push through as the time went on. Aroma is smoked malts right off the top. Dark, evil, with hints of campfire, peat, dark roasted chocolate and a good bit of almost a licorice touch to it. As I take the first sip a rich and creamy feel overloads the senses. Wonderful and rich, dark and foreboding, it seems that it is just meant to be evil and dark. Loads of roasted and smoked malts just rolling across the tongue. Lightly dry finish leaves just enough room for a small amount of smoky flavor to pop its head in and really give it a nice solid finish. great job
811 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
ark, rich looking dark brown with a small one inch head of off white that capped the top of the glass very, very nicely before it settled down leaving with it some nice lacing up and down the sides of the glass that seemed to really thicken up and push through as the time went on. Aroma is smoked malts right off the top. Dark, evil, with hints of campfire, peat, dark roasted chocolate and a good bit of almost a licorice touch to it. As I take the first sip a rich and creamy feel overloads the senses. Wonderful and rich, dark and foreboding, it seems that it is just meant to be evil and dark. Loads of roasted and smoked malts just rolling across the tongue. Lightly dry finish leaves just enough room for a small amount of smoky flavor to pop its head in and really give it a nice solid finish. great job
811 characters
4.38/5 rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
4.38/5 rDev +12%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Getting it for free (due to some unlikely events) may colour this review, but here goes:
Look: a delicious dark amber, just begging to be consumed.
Smell: not much, actually, but I was in a pizza place at the time, and that probably messed with my perception.
Taste: delicious malt, with more complexity driving up on the exhale.
Feel: not the strongest I've come across, but better than most ales I've had. Fairly solid.
Overall: I'll admit, a lot (all) of why I got this was for the name, but it didn't disappoint. If Rick Moranis ever drops by, I'd gladly share this with him. Even measures, of course, after all: Your Schwarz is as big as mine!
649 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Getting it for free (due to some unlikely events) may colour this review, but here goes:
Look: a delicious dark amber, just begging to be consumed.
Smell: not much, actually, but I was in a pizza place at the time, and that probably messed with my perception.
Taste: delicious malt, with more complexity driving up on the exhale.
Feel: not the strongest I've come across, but better than most ales I've had. Fairly solid.
Overall: I'll admit, a lot (all) of why I got this was for the name, but it didn't disappoint. If Rick Moranis ever drops by, I'd gladly share this with him. Even measures, of course, after all: Your Schwarz is as big as mine!
649 characters
4.35/5 rDev +11.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.33/5 rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Pours a fudge brown color with ruby high list; the tan cap pancakes the liquid, displaying good retention and leaving a few shards of lace behind
Smell: Roasty campfire; black bread with chocolate and licorice tones
Taste: Black bread and chocolate, up front, with a hoppy, rye-spice character developing by mid-palate; after the swallow, the smoky campfire element comes through and though there is a surprising residual sweetness that lingers in the aftertaste
Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: A really interesting take on the style; enjoyed the hops, the rye, the sweetness and the smoky elements
649 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Pours a fudge brown color with ruby high list; the tan cap pancakes the liquid, displaying good retention and leaving a few shards of lace behind
Smell: Roasty campfire; black bread with chocolate and licorice tones
Taste: Black bread and chocolate, up front, with a hoppy, rye-spice character developing by mid-palate; after the swallow, the smoky campfire element comes through and though there is a surprising residual sweetness that lingers in the aftertaste
Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with moderate carbonation
Overall: A really interesting take on the style; enjoyed the hops, the rye, the sweetness and the smoky elements
649 characters
4.32/5 rDev +10.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Pours a nearly black color, with a bit of brown/ruby highlights around the edges. A tan head rises to about two fingers, good retention. Plenty of lace is left.
S: Lager like yeast, chocolate malts, light smoke. Toasted malts. A love the malty aroma, finishes with a light earthy hop bitterness.
T: Like the nose, a great malty flavor. Toasted malts, baked bread, grains, a substantial chocolaty flavor with a bit of sweetness. Again, finishes with a light earthy bitterness that brings everything together.
M/D: A medium body and enough carbonation for a good crisp bite. Though ultra smooth, and silky. Really well rounded body. So easy to drink. I wish I could get this all the time.
An excellent Schwarzbier with lots of character. Well done, a lovely beer that I would highly recommend.
795 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
A: Pours a nearly black color, with a bit of brown/ruby highlights around the edges. A tan head rises to about two fingers, good retention. Plenty of lace is left.
S: Lager like yeast, chocolate malts, light smoke. Toasted malts. A love the malty aroma, finishes with a light earthy hop bitterness.
T: Like the nose, a great malty flavor. Toasted malts, baked bread, grains, a substantial chocolaty flavor with a bit of sweetness. Again, finishes with a light earthy bitterness that brings everything together.
M/D: A medium body and enough carbonation for a good crisp bite. Though ultra smooth, and silky. Really well rounded body. So easy to drink. I wish I could get this all the time.
An excellent Schwarzbier with lots of character. Well done, a lovely beer that I would highly recommend.
795 characters
4.31/5 rDev +10.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Received a 22oz bottle (dated Sep 2014) in a recent trade. Really enjoyed this roasty and malty lager from Westbrook.
117 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Received a 22oz bottle (dated Sep 2014) in a recent trade. Really enjoyed this roasty and malty lager from Westbrook.
117 characters
4.28/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
You really can't beat the smoothness here. Everything comes together in such a drinkable way. Chocolately without being too sweet, roasty without being bitter, thin but without sacrificing body, nutty but more like a porter than a brown ale. Goes down easy but demands respect as you drink. I wish Westbrook canned this one, it would be a regular in my rotation (since I don't regularly drink bomber-only beer).
411 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
You really can't beat the smoothness here. Everything comes together in such a drinkable way. Chocolately without being too sweet, roasty without being bitter, thin but without sacrificing body, nutty but more like a porter than a brown ale. Goes down easy but demands respect as you drink. I wish Westbrook canned this one, it would be a regular in my rotation (since I don't regularly drink bomber-only beer).
411 characters
4.27/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had to get one of these ever popular little 32oz growlers of Dark Helmet from my main man Wes at Green's. $5.50 fer the fill.
A. Clear and rich brown color, black if you put it in a fat enough goblet. Small head, some tan lace sticks. What little there is produces an oil-slick looking tan contrast on the dark beer. Does have those ruby colored highlights that the BJCP looks for, if you're into that sort of thing.
S. Excellent and full sweet-roast nose, perhaps a little sweeter than the style calls for, but good all the same. Chocolately, clean and a little spicy from the hops and (I discovered later) a 10% rye addition. It works very well, the dominant sweet pumpernickel bread nose and the lesser rustic spice note with a hint of herbal hop.
T. As advertised, but if you judge this against the 'classic' style, it's a bit sweeter and more additive with the hops and rye... I like it. It doesn't deviate from the style to be unrecognizable, nor does it slavishly try to be a classic example - this is new, delicious and works. The short version: an easily drinkable dark semi-sweet roasty and chocolate tasting beer with character to spare.
M / O. Terrific mouthfeel, light and wet with excellent carbonation off the tap - medium-full and complimentary. Finish is long gentle smooth roast and sweet-tasty. Kiss of bitterness at the very end. Dark Helmet is extremely easy to drink.
Why is Dark Helmet good? Schwarzbier is one of those rather obscure styles that never seems to get any attention, so it is a great thing for me that one is being made 2 hours from my house. This is an excellent twist on a classic style and one you should try. I wouldn't change a thing.
1,681 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Had to get one of these ever popular little 32oz growlers of Dark Helmet from my main man Wes at Green's. $5.50 fer the fill.
A. Clear and rich brown color, black if you put it in a fat enough goblet. Small head, some tan lace sticks. What little there is produces an oil-slick looking tan contrast on the dark beer. Does have those ruby colored highlights that the BJCP looks for, if you're into that sort of thing.
S. Excellent and full sweet-roast nose, perhaps a little sweeter than the style calls for, but good all the same. Chocolately, clean and a little spicy from the hops and (I discovered later) a 10% rye addition. It works very well, the dominant sweet pumpernickel bread nose and the lesser rustic spice note with a hint of herbal hop.
T. As advertised, but if you judge this against the 'classic' style, it's a bit sweeter and more additive with the hops and rye... I like it. It doesn't deviate from the style to be unrecognizable, nor does it slavishly try to be a classic example - this is new, delicious and works. The short version: an easily drinkable dark semi-sweet roasty and chocolate tasting beer with character to spare.
M / O. Terrific mouthfeel, light and wet with excellent carbonation off the tap - medium-full and complimentary. Finish is long gentle smooth roast and sweet-tasty. Kiss of bitterness at the very end. Dark Helmet is extremely easy to drink.
Why is Dark Helmet good? Schwarzbier is one of those rather obscure styles that never seems to get any attention, so it is a great thing for me that one is being made 2 hours from my house. This is an excellent twist on a classic style and one you should try. I wouldn't change a thing.
1,681 characters
4.25/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Dark Helmet from Westbrook Brewing Co.
3.91
out of 5
based on 271 ratings.