Star Garnet
Payette Brewing

16oz can from Brewers Haven. Black pour with a thin beige head. Roasty malt aroma, nutty. Taste features toasty malts, light sweetness and a mild bitter finish.

 

 

who comes out with a schwarzbier in the middle of summer with absolutely no fanfare? these guys! a total surprise but a very pleasant one, as i love the style, think payette often kills it with the classic styles, and its way under the radar amidst all the other beers they have been releasing lately, great to see all this new stuff from these guys after it was getting a little boring there for awhile. pretty pour on this, a frothy inch of off white head on top of a deep brown base, a little reddish tone at the edges of the glass, definitely looks the part. the nose is german to me on the lager yeast and quite roasty on the grain, drier than many, with a dark bready character to it, fresher than the imports ever are, and well proportioned, classic but perhaps slightly more robust overall than is common. the flavor agrees, lots of roast to this and some bitterness from it lingering a little, a european vibe to the middle malts, and of course the yeast, which is drying and lightly doughy in a good way, some minerals still coming through all this, and a medium body holding on the palate just a bit. this has a nice smoothness and is rich without any real sweetness. hints of coffee, chocolate covered raisin, and even a light fruity prune sort of layer. it feels invigorating, even healthy, is lively on the tongue, and is expertly made overall. glad to see this out there in cans, really not enough american breweries giving this style any attention, so i am extra thankful for payette taking a swing at it, i think its fantastic! a great morning beer!