Black Pils
Fair State Brewing Cooperative

 

 

Aroma is big roasted malts and a hint of chocolate/coffee. The flavor is fruit, chocolate/milk chocolate/mild sweetness and an acidic/big roasted malt finish.

Appearance: Pours a dark, nearly black color with a strong light tan head that lingers. SRM of 22. (4.25)

Aroma: Aromas of dark grains, black malt. Some roasted and earthy notes. (4.25)

Flavor: Flavors of dark grains, earthy roast upfront before some bittersweet chocolate sweetness. Bittersweet cocoa with some bitter and floral roast lingers off the end. (4.00)

Feel: Medium-body, strong carbonation. Bitter and roasted floral notes off the end. Clean. (4.25)

Compared to Back Channel Zero 11/25: Pours identical, milder aromas. Less smooth cocoa. More crisp black malt and floral notes. Cleaner.
3/26: Less smooth cocoa. More crisp black malt and floral notes. Cleaner.

Compared to Fair State Pilsner 11/25: More dark malt and roast. Less lemon. Similar bitterness.

Compared to Half Acre Ridge Tree 11/25: Pours dark, similar aromas. More bitterness. Less cocoa. Similar sweetness.

to Little Thistle Mist & Shadow 12/25: Milder head. Less cocoa, earth and smoke. More clean floral notes and bitterness.

to Hofbrau Dunkel 12/25: Pours darker. More toasted, roasted cocoa, dark malt, floral notes. Less earthy brown grains and brown bread.

to 3 Sheeps Sombra 12/25: Pours darker, similar head. More floral and bitterness. Less cocoa and dark malt. Cleaner.

to Drekker Laser Suits and Laser Beams 12/25: Pours darker, stronger aromas. More black malt and roast. Less brown bread and toasted notes. More floral and bitter.

to Kostritzer Schwarzbier 1/26: Pours darker, stronger aromas. More black malt, cocoa, roast. Less earthy. More flavor.

to Ayinger Albairisch Dunkel 1/26: Pours darker, milder aromas. Less earthy tobacco and bread. Similar cocoa, more roast.

to Arbeiter Nacht Rider 2/26: Identical aromas. More dark grains, pine, bitter cocoa. Less dark fruit and sweetness. Similar.
4/26: More earthy, floral, bitter. Less dark chocolate and sweet.

to Little Thistle Cloak of Feathers 3/26: Similar pour, milder aromas. more dark grains. less dark chocolate and fruit. Drier and cleaner.

to Little Thistle Schwarzenlager 4/26: Milder aromas. More floral bitterness. Less dark chocolate, roast. Similar.

Overall: A Black Pils from Fair State so knowing how good their regular Pils is, I wasn't going to pass this up. Pours beautifully. Roasted and earthy aromas. Similar flavors with some more bittersweet cocoa flavors and a bitter floral and roasted finish. First impressions are this is Outstanding. The Gold-Standard Fair State Pils but in Black form. A Black Pilsner. Drinks sort of like a Schwarzbier. This is outstanding .(Rating: 4.15)