Live Oak Schwarzbier | Live Oak Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Live Oak Brewing Company
Texas, United States
liveoakbrewing.com
Style: Schwarzbier
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 4.80%
Availability: Spring
Notes / Commercial Description:
30 IBU
Added by Kornoms on 02-29-2012
View: Beers | Place Reviews | Events
Reviews: 11 | Ratings: 75
5/5 rDev +17.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Excellent example of a vastly underrated style. Roasted and toasted yet it is easy to pound a few of these back without blinking an eye. My first Schwarzbier which has lead to me seeking out more to try yet still the best I've had.
★ 231 characters
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Excellent example of a vastly underrated style. Roasted and toasted yet it is easy to pound a few of these back without blinking an eye. My first Schwarzbier which has lead to me seeking out more to try yet still the best I've had.
★ 231 characters
3.69/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4/1…served on tap in Austin. pours very dark brown, almost black. light foam. Light chocolate malt taste, coffee in there too. Thin mouthfeel, almost watery. Good.
★ 165 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
4/1…served on tap in Austin. pours very dark brown, almost black. light foam. Light chocolate malt taste, coffee in there too. Thin mouthfeel, almost watery. Good.
★ 165 characters
4.47/5 rDev +4.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This has to be the best drinking Black Lager in Texas. I literally pounded back a pint of this the other day. It was like I just got done running a 5K and slammed a gatorade. One of the most session-able beers I've had in a while. Well done, but I'm not surprised, Live Oak makes some of the finest beers in TX.
★ 311 characters
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This has to be the best drinking Black Lager in Texas. I literally pounded back a pint of this the other day. It was like I just got done running a 5K and slammed a gatorade. One of the most session-able beers I've had in a while. Well done, but I'm not surprised, Live Oak makes some of the finest beers in TX.
★ 311 characters
4.6/5 rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Nobi Public House in Webster, Texas.
Wow. Live Oak does it again. This is the 4th beer of theirs I have tried and all have been great.
Primus is still my favorite, but I believe I like this more than their Hefe.. which is high praise indeed. Their Pilsner is very good, but my least favorite.
I'm new to this style, so I don't have any way to compare it to any other versions..but I look forward to trying some different ones in the future. All in all... I love Live Oak.
★ 484 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Nobi Public House in Webster, Texas.
Wow. Live Oak does it again. This is the 4th beer of theirs I have tried and all have been great.
Primus is still my favorite, but I believe I like this more than their Hefe.. which is high praise indeed. Their Pilsner is very good, but my least favorite.
I'm new to this style, so I don't have any way to compare it to any other versions..but I look forward to trying some different ones in the future. All in all... I love Live Oak.
★ 484 characters
4.5/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This pours a roasty tan-brown color, like a dark, fizzy cola. Actually, fizzy is not too far off from the mark here in describing the way the foam bubbled up then quickly died down.
I get a nuanced roasty aroma that’s on the light side, with a wonderful caramel malt profile coming across. The flavor has a nice roast profile to it as well, with a light hop bittering and a delectable body. This lacks the cloyingly sweet flavor and heavy body that I find unwanted in my Schwarzbier —yet there’s just enough sweetness to round it out and a flavor which holds up even as it warms. Wonderful! Perhaps the closest beer to a Death & Taxes I’ve had in Texas. Bravo, Live Oak, bravo.
★ 686 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
This pours a roasty tan-brown color, like a dark, fizzy cola. Actually, fizzy is not too far off from the mark here in describing the way the foam bubbled up then quickly died down.
I get a nuanced roasty aroma that’s on the light side, with a wonderful caramel malt profile coming across. The flavor has a nice roast profile to it as well, with a light hop bittering and a delectable body. This lacks the cloyingly sweet flavor and heavy body that I find unwanted in my Schwarzbier —yet there’s just enough sweetness to round it out and a flavor which holds up even as it warms. Wonderful! Perhaps the closest beer to a Death & Taxes I’ve had in Texas. Bravo, Live Oak, bravo.
★ 686 characters
3.58/5 rDev -16%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Vickery Park in Plano.
The beer pours a black color with a tan head. The aroma has a lot of roasted malt, as well as some very light smoke and some light chocolate. The flavor is similar. I get a lot of roasted malt, as well as some chalky, powdery chocolate and some grain notes. The beer is fairly dry. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
★ 356 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
On tap at Vickery Park in Plano.
The beer pours a black color with a tan head. The aroma has a lot of roasted malt, as well as some very light smoke and some light chocolate. The flavor is similar. I get a lot of roasted malt, as well as some chalky, powdery chocolate and some grain notes. The beer is fairly dry. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.
★ 356 characters
4.5/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Red's Porch.
A. Black, until you hold it up to the light which reveals a deep ruby red. Thin tan-coloured head.
S. Lots of toasted malt.
T. Sweet at first, then a big hit of roasted malt bitterness and some noble hops. Lingering bitter finish.
M. Medium bodied, smooth, nicely carbonated, crisp.
O. Another delicious beer from Live Oak, possibly the best brewer of German and Czech style beers in the US. Every time LO brews a new beer they do it superbly, and if you can do the simple things to perfection you're doing every bit as well as someone who goes for the weird and esoteric. LO Hefe, LO Pilz, Treehugger, Big Bark, and now this. What a joy to be living in the same town.
★ 696 characters
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Red's Porch.
A. Black, until you hold it up to the light which reveals a deep ruby red. Thin tan-coloured head.
S. Lots of toasted malt.
T. Sweet at first, then a big hit of roasted malt bitterness and some noble hops. Lingering bitter finish.
M. Medium bodied, smooth, nicely carbonated, crisp.
O. Another delicious beer from Live Oak, possibly the best brewer of German and Czech style beers in the US. Every time LO brews a new beer they do it superbly, and if you can do the simple things to perfection you're doing every bit as well as someone who goes for the weird and esoteric. LO Hefe, LO Pilz, Treehugger, Big Bark, and now this. What a joy to be living in the same town.
★ 696 characters
4.88/5 rDev +14.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A friend brought a growler of this by. Pretty fantastic overall.
Pours very dark brown to black, hints of deep red when held up to the light. Very nice clarity.
Lots of malt on the nose, not much discernible by way of hops, but that's as it should be. A little toasty and biscuity notes cmoe through.
Taste is great. Good malty backbone with a well-balanced amount of hops as well. Roasty flavors come through on the back end and it provides a remarkably clean finish.
Mouthfeel is great all the way down, smooth and well carbonated.
Overall I could drink this beer all day and was disappointed to only have one growler to split.
★ 637 characters
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
A friend brought a growler of this by. Pretty fantastic overall.
Pours very dark brown to black, hints of deep red when held up to the light. Very nice clarity.
Lots of malt on the nose, not much discernible by way of hops, but that's as it should be. A little toasty and biscuity notes cmoe through.
Taste is great. Good malty backbone with a well-balanced amount of hops as well. Roasty flavors come through on the back end and it provides a remarkably clean finish.
Mouthfeel is great all the way down, smooth and well carbonated.
Overall I could drink this beer all day and was disappointed to only have one growler to split.
★ 637 characters
4.15/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Beavers in Houston.
A: Pours a dark brown, nearly black color with some ruby highlights around the edges. A one finger tan head forms with and leaves some patchy lace.
S: Toasted malts, bread and biscuit. Lingering hops and lagerish yeast. Simple but very nice.
T: Again, simple but very nice. Toasted malts, bread and biscuit. Light toffee sweetness, and a lingering bitterness.
M/D: A light to medium body with excellent carbonation. Very smooth, crisp, and ultra clean. So easy to drink. All day with this one.
Another excellent German interpretation form Live Oak. Maybe the bet non German brewery making German beer in the US. Get some if you see it.
★ 667 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap at Beavers in Houston.
A: Pours a dark brown, nearly black color with some ruby highlights around the edges. A one finger tan head forms with and leaves some patchy lace.
S: Toasted malts, bread and biscuit. Lingering hops and lagerish yeast. Simple but very nice.
T: Again, simple but very nice. Toasted malts, bread and biscuit. Light toffee sweetness, and a lingering bitterness.
M/D: A light to medium body with excellent carbonation. Very smooth, crisp, and ultra clean. So easy to drink. All day with this one.
Another excellent German interpretation form Live Oak. Maybe the bet non German brewery making German beer in the US. Get some if you see it.
★ 667 characters
4/5 rDev -6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Just had the new Live Oak Spring Seasonal on tap at the pub we work at. It pours an opaque black, but in the light it reveals ruby red undertones. The smell has flowery and spicy notes in addition to the maltiness smell. The taste is very nice, it has a hoppiness (that isn't too bitter) and is well balanced with the roasted malts. The feel is relatively smooth with a nice dry finish. This is the first Schwarzbier we've had so we don't have a lot to compare too, but overall we thought it was a very well done beer.
★ 518 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Just had the new Live Oak Spring Seasonal on tap at the pub we work at. It pours an opaque black, but in the light it reveals ruby red undertones. The smell has flowery and spicy notes in addition to the maltiness smell. The taste is very nice, it has a hoppiness (that isn't too bitter) and is well balanced with the roasted malts. The feel is relatively smooth with a nice dry finish. This is the first Schwarzbier we've had so we don't have a lot to compare too, but overall we thought it was a very well done beer.
★ 518 characters
Live Oak Schwarzbier from Live Oak Brewing Company
4.26
out of 5
based on 75 ratings.
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
Had this on tap at the old brewery during a tour. An amazing, delicious beer that is exemplary of this very under-appreciated and under-rated style. I've had several schwarzbiers before and after this but nothing stands up to Live Oak, it's the best.
★ 250 characters