Lithos
Grimm Artisanal Ales

 

 

 

 

Very dark blackish brown opaque body with a khaki head and thick beautiful lacing. Dark roasted malts lead cocoa, dark german yeast, a hint of toasted caramel, and soil, classic. Taste also is lead by roasted malt, with complimentary german yeast, licorice, earth, a hint of coffee ground and herbal hops, and a kiss of anise. Feel is frothy and roasted, a wonderful appeal of the style brought forth here, end is bittering with some hops that surprise a bit, body thins of through the sip too, but roast prevails to hold it all together.

 

Served from the can in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Pours a deep midnight umber (nearly opaque) topped by a finger of dark tan foam. The nose comprises mild roast, toast, light anise, light cola, pine sap, and a sprinkling of cocoa powder. The taste brings in more of the same, the roast and pine taking the van, but there's some strong support from the cola and cocoa. The body is a lithe medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fairly smooth feel. A rather nice schwarz, to be sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out of the can it pours a very dark chestnut brown color which appears pitch black in the glass. A large creamy head retains well.

Aromas of dark toasted malts, dark chocolate, and a touch of sourdough. There is a touch of nutty and lightly roasted malts as well as aromas of woodsy and earthy spices.

The taste is moderately sweet with crisp and clean flavors of dark toasted malts along with a touch of nutty and slightly roasted malts. Notes of bittersweet dark chocolate, and caramel. Earthy and woodsy hops provide a touch of bitterness. The finish is crisp and dry.

Medium bodied with a moderate carbonation. The mouthfeel is crisp, yet it also has some Porter like smoothness.

Fantastic example of the Schwarzbier style! It has lots of interesting flavors yet it is refreshing and easy to drink. I would have again.

Pours near black with a brief 1.5" tan head, nice lacing. Aroma is round, chocolatey roasted malts, earthy hops, slight leather and dark fruit. From the smell alone, I expected a drier beer, and the taste doesn't disappoint. Bitter notes throughout (baking chocolate) without much appreciable sweetness from the malt. Finishes dry with a full mouthfeel.

Look: Pours a dark, cola colored shade of black with some mahogany brown highlights around the edges. Generates a two finger, off white head of foam that leaves a generous amount of lacing. The head dissipates after about five minutes after the beer is poured.

Aroma: Semi-sweet bitter cocoa, almost like powdered Ovaltine or Milo but not quite as sugary. A pleasant, slightly burnt aroma of toasted bread gives it some dimension. Might be my imagination but I'm also picking up notes of cherries, but it's way in the back.

Taste: If you like dark chocolate, you will enjoy this. Upfront flavors of bittersweet chocolate and powdered cocoa with supple undertones of black coffee. Dry on the tongue. It's slightly doughy, with an aftertaste reminiscent of what I can only describe as either funnel cake or unfrosted, plain doughnuts. It's rounded out by a delicate backdrop of earthy, resinous, hoppy cypress.

Feel: Light body with a supple mouthfeel. Low carbonation. Dry. Clean. Very easy to throw back and drink.

Overall: I highly recommend letting this warm up a bit instead of drinking it ice cold. Letting this one breath and open up did wonders for the taste. I've probably only tried about a half dozen or so Schwarzbiers, but I think this is an excellent, if not slightly Americanized version of the style.