Schwarz
Fieldwork Brewing Co.

 

No canning date (released on 9/30/20, so presumably canned within a few days of that date); consumed on 12/1/20

Pours a deep black hue with slight mahogany accents and topped with two fingers of creamy, dense, light mocha foam; solid head retention leaves a thin curtain of cap, moderate, frothy collar, and a generous spread of webby lacing ringing around the walls of the glass.

Aroma opens with immediate impressions of nutty cocoa easing sharper tones of ashy, almost astringent roast; distant palo santo wood forms over the middle as toasted grain, bakers chocolate, and bitter, grassy hops evolve alongside well-established charry roast to round out the bouquet.

Taste welcomes grassy hops intertwined with malty roast, ash, and milk chocolate upfront as touches of yeast extend over the mid-palate to burnt bread crusts and a sharpening minerality into the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a medium-light body, consistently dry from start to finish, and a fluffy, plush, moderate-high carbonation; an airy grit disperses over the mid-palate, though the overall texture remains somewhat creamy, with mild, malty astringency into a semi-bitter finish.

Highly robust and even at times aggressive for the style, the hope profile is readily apparent as it feeds into the nuances of the darker, roaster malt textures; this finesse enables a unified Schwarzbier, with each individual element ultimately delivering fluid transitions and an easy-drinking overall experience.