Substrate
Kent Falls Brewing Company
- From:
- Kent Falls Brewing Company
- Connecticut, United States
- Style:
- Schwarzbier
Ranked #90 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 87
Ranked #21,560 - Avg:
- 3.9 | pDev: 9.49%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 5
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Feb 10, 2023
- Added:
- Dec 31, 2017
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 1
SCORE
87
Very Good
87
Very Good
Sub·strate: a substance or layer that underlies something. Our house lager profile remains at the core of this dark beer keeping it cool and refreshing simultaneously conjuring warmth to cope with extended winter nights and like burying your hands in the cold dark rich soil on a summer day.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by jrc1093 from Connecticut
4.25/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Canned on 1/20/20; best before 7/20/20
Pours a deep jet-brown body highlighting mahogany-amber accents at both ends and is topped with two fingers of creamy, dark khaki foam; good head retention leaves a thin, rocky cap, lightly frothy collar, and dense rings of lacing holding firm to the walls of the glass.
Aroma persists on a foundation of intensely balanced roast accented with a vague minerality upfront; charred wood sparks hints of fresh chocolate through the middle, while exceptionally balanced touches of bready sweetness appear as the bouquet fades to burnt coffee grounds and grassy hops on the close.
Taste shows crisp grassy hops playing off of charry malt notes brilliantly; some espresso and brown bread harmonize across the mid-palate before a bittersweet cocoa dusting sprouts through the clean, toasty malts on the finish.
Mouthfeel features a light body with medium-full carbonation; a steady malty grit is immediate and flows across the palate with deft subtlety into a dry, filling finish; rounded, light, and satisfying swallow.
A lager at its casual best, marrying a layered malt expression with deliberate hoppy jabs for a dark beer hitting a stride from start to finish; straightforward, clean, and yet robust brilliance all-around.
May 22, 2020Pours a deep jet-brown body highlighting mahogany-amber accents at both ends and is topped with two fingers of creamy, dark khaki foam; good head retention leaves a thin, rocky cap, lightly frothy collar, and dense rings of lacing holding firm to the walls of the glass.
Aroma persists on a foundation of intensely balanced roast accented with a vague minerality upfront; charred wood sparks hints of fresh chocolate through the middle, while exceptionally balanced touches of bready sweetness appear as the bouquet fades to burnt coffee grounds and grassy hops on the close.
Taste shows crisp grassy hops playing off of charry malt notes brilliantly; some espresso and brown bread harmonize across the mid-palate before a bittersweet cocoa dusting sprouts through the clean, toasty malts on the finish.
Mouthfeel features a light body with medium-full carbonation; a steady malty grit is immediate and flows across the palate with deft subtlety into a dry, filling finish; rounded, light, and satisfying swallow.
A lager at its casual best, marrying a layered malt expression with deliberate hoppy jabs for a dark beer hitting a stride from start to finish; straightforward, clean, and yet robust brilliance all-around.
Reviewed by metter98 from New York
3.89/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.89/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A: The beer is very dark brown in color (black when viewed from afar). It poured with a quarter finger high dense tan head that died down, leaving a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of roasted malts are present in the nose along with notes of dark malts.
T: The taste is rather malty, having lots of flavors of dark and roasty malts along with a light to moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels nearly medium-bodied and a touch dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very malty but quite drinkable.
Serving type: can
Mar 27, 2020S: Light to moderate aromas of roasted malts are present in the nose along with notes of dark malts.
T: The taste is rather malty, having lots of flavors of dark and roasty malts along with a light to moderate amount of bitterness.
M: It feels nearly medium-bodied and a touch dry on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very malty but quite drinkable.
Serving type: can
Reviewed by cjgiant from District of Columbia
3.92/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Can dated 2/2019:
Pours as a dark brown stream into the glass and build up a finger and a half of large bubbled head. The tan head falls to a thin island and a medium ring. I thought there might be a little haze blocking light when compared beside another dark lager that had a more obvious clarity, though once the glass got low enough, it seemed fairly clear.
The aromas include a slightly fudgy aspect to the dark malts along with a bit of slightly burnt wood and a lighter roast of coffee. There's also a slight metallic note sensed with a deeper whiff. Sipping it, I get a somewhat fuller feel than I expected, though it still doesn't get to a medium body. There is a nice dichotomy of somewhat soft/creamy edges with a barrage of carbonation on the front of my tongue, the latter subsiding thankfully about halfway through the beer.
Chocolate malt opening is backed by some soft dark bread and just a flicker of char. There's an air of a reedy grass or woodsy hops in play, but whatever it is pairs so well with the more obvious malt notes, it's not clear exactly what they are bringing on their own. A couple of little things nudged this offline from being a really good beer for me, but I would still order one if I was in the mood for a dark lager.
Apr 07, 2019Pours as a dark brown stream into the glass and build up a finger and a half of large bubbled head. The tan head falls to a thin island and a medium ring. I thought there might be a little haze blocking light when compared beside another dark lager that had a more obvious clarity, though once the glass got low enough, it seemed fairly clear.
The aromas include a slightly fudgy aspect to the dark malts along with a bit of slightly burnt wood and a lighter roast of coffee. There's also a slight metallic note sensed with a deeper whiff. Sipping it, I get a somewhat fuller feel than I expected, though it still doesn't get to a medium body. There is a nice dichotomy of somewhat soft/creamy edges with a barrage of carbonation on the front of my tongue, the latter subsiding thankfully about halfway through the beer.
Chocolate malt opening is backed by some soft dark bread and just a flicker of char. There's an air of a reedy grass or woodsy hops in play, but whatever it is pairs so well with the more obvious malt notes, it's not clear exactly what they are bringing on their own. A couple of little things nudged this offline from being a really good beer for me, but I would still order one if I was in the mood for a dark lager.
Reviewed by malrubius from Vermont
2.85/5 rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
2.85/5 rDev -26.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
Black with lasting small head and a little lace. Chocolate tar ash plum aroma. Sweet chocolate and very plummy for a lager. Very fruity finish. Strange lager. Medium light body. Not entirely pleasant.
Mar 13, 2019
Reviewed by PatrickCT from Connecticut
3.74/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Inky black body with minimal head. The body is nice but I expected more of a big, frothy head.
The aroma is delicate with toasted malt, a bit of sweetness, some char and mineral presence.
The taste follows the nose but with more hops than is usual for the style and lightly astringent.
Mouth feel is creamy up front, as is typical of the style, though it finishes a bit dry for me.
Over all it is a good effort from one of my favorite breweries. I was hopping they would try to nail the style but I knew they would make it according to their own. I am happy to have a local brewery offering a Schwarzbier, either way.
Dec 31, 2017The aroma is delicate with toasted malt, a bit of sweetness, some char and mineral presence.
The taste follows the nose but with more hops than is usual for the style and lightly astringent.
Mouth feel is creamy up front, as is typical of the style, though it finishes a bit dry for me.
Over all it is a good effort from one of my favorite breweries. I was hopping they would try to nail the style but I knew they would make it according to their own. I am happy to have a local brewery offering a Schwarzbier, either way.
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