-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Schell's Dark
August Schell Brewing Company
- From:
- August Schell Brewing Company
- Minnesota, United States
- Style:
- American Amber / Red Lager
Ranked #65 - ABV:
- 4.8%
- Score:
- 77
Ranked #27,146 - Avg:
- 3.36 | pDev: 16.07%
- Reviews:
- 129
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sep 04, 2023
- Added:
- Aug 17, 2002
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 22
This beer is dark because the barley is roasted longer– a flavorful lager that everyone will enjoy.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by bashiba:
Reviewed by bashiba from Iowa
1.63/5 rDev -51.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
1.63/5 rDev -51.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1 | overall: 1.5
Pours a slightly darker than average amber color, certainly not the dark I would expect from a so called Dark Beer, which leads me to wonder why a brewery as competent as schell's would label this simply Dark, not one other mention of what style of Dark this is on the label anywhere.
Some very mild burnt malt smells lingering through, but not to much.
Taste - wow is this ever a lame beer. The taste is very a non descript macro like watery flavorlessness. Some very minor Malt tones and no hoppiness to speak of at all.
Mouthfeel is slick and watery, very, very thin.
Drinkability is about the same as any American Macro, you could drink it on a hot day, but would never go out of your way to get it.
Nov 14, 2004Some very mild burnt malt smells lingering through, but not to much.
Taste - wow is this ever a lame beer. The taste is very a non descript macro like watery flavorlessness. Some very minor Malt tones and no hoppiness to speak of at all.
Mouthfeel is slick and watery, very, very thin.
Drinkability is about the same as any American Macro, you could drink it on a hot day, but would never go out of your way to get it.
More User Ratings:
Rated by JohnnyLaw from Wisconsin
4.33/5 rDev +28.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.33/5 rDev +28.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Great dark amber color, great taste and balance of carbonation.
Sep 04, 2023Reviewed by Mindcrime1000 from South Dakota
3.12/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.12/5 rDev -7.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pours a crystal clear reddish amber. A nice foamy off-white head.
Toasted malt aromas are forward, but reserved, with some bready notes.
Toasted and caramel malts provide a fairly sweet tooth out of the gate. Some bready, yeasty, and vague dark fruity flavors arrive in midstream. Very little hop bitterness to balance.
The brew's sweet presence manifests on the tongue with some nearly-sticky qualities. A bit more carbonation would have helped. It comes across as heavy, both for its ABV and the style.
Schell has delivered some solid brews, but this one falls short. Too sweet, sticky, and heavy for the style.
Oct 13, 2019Toasted malt aromas are forward, but reserved, with some bready notes.
Toasted and caramel malts provide a fairly sweet tooth out of the gate. Some bready, yeasty, and vague dark fruity flavors arrive in midstream. Very little hop bitterness to balance.
The brew's sweet presence manifests on the tongue with some nearly-sticky qualities. A bit more carbonation would have helped. It comes across as heavy, both for its ABV and the style.
Schell has delivered some solid brews, but this one falls short. Too sweet, sticky, and heavy for the style.
Reviewed by marcobrau from Illinois
3/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
3/5 rDev -10.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75
Pours light brown/mahogany with plenty of foam that leaves lace and settles to a thin collar. Smells of cooked vegetables and stale root beer. Root beer-like taste with the sweetness kept in check by hops that offer just a very slight hint of spice and just a hint of bitterness. Reminds me a little bit of those little root beer barrel candies...
Sep 10, 2019Reviewed by deleted_user_1239096
4.49/5 rDev +33.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.49/5 rDev +33.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
This is amazing. Bottle in New Ulm, MN - caramel taste, dark amber color and hits the spot during a storm. Bartender wasn't sure if Schell's added dark malt to Deer Brand, but regardless an A+ from me!
Jun 21, 2019Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota
3.61/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.61/5 rDev +7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from 12oz bottle into glass. There is a date stamped on the bottle neck of '092018'.
Clear, deep amber colored body. Half a finger of off white head quickly goes back to an island and ring. Leaves behind some small spots of lacing.
Faint aroma of roasted malts, and a hint of sweeter grapes.
Taste has the roasted malts, along with some dark fruit sweetness. Lots of dark bread, and a little hint of earthy hops at the end. Stays away from bitterness.
Thin to medium mouth feel. Okay carbonation.
A pleasant sipping beer for activities, or for food pairing when a darker beer is called for (that is not thick and heavy).
Oct 29, 2018Clear, deep amber colored body. Half a finger of off white head quickly goes back to an island and ring. Leaves behind some small spots of lacing.
Faint aroma of roasted malts, and a hint of sweeter grapes.
Taste has the roasted malts, along with some dark fruit sweetness. Lots of dark bread, and a little hint of earthy hops at the end. Stays away from bitterness.
Thin to medium mouth feel. Okay carbonation.
A pleasant sipping beer for activities, or for food pairing when a darker beer is called for (that is not thick and heavy).
Reviewed by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota
3.8/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev +13.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear dark amber brown with a decent khaki head that falls away to leave generous lacing. Aroma is roasted malt. Flavor is a bit sweet in front, caramel, roasted malt, dark bread with only slight bitterness in the finish. Feel is nice medium bodied with good carbonation. Overall a nice affordable beer that's easily available.
Oct 22, 2018Reviewed by FBarber from Illinois
3.59/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a dark reddish brown color. Clear especially when held up to the light. Thinnish off-white head dissipates steadily leaving no residual head. Thin ring of foam is left along the outside of the beer.
Aroma has notes of dark bread, toasted malts, a hint of sweetness and earthy hops.
Taste follows the nose with notes of dark bread, toasted malts, dark fruits, earthy hops peep through on the finish.
Feel is fizzy, too fizzy. Light easy drinker.
Overall its a solid amber lager - easy drinking. I'd happily knock these back while watching football. ,
Jul 14, 2018Aroma has notes of dark bread, toasted malts, a hint of sweetness and earthy hops.
Taste follows the nose with notes of dark bread, toasted malts, dark fruits, earthy hops peep through on the finish.
Feel is fizzy, too fizzy. Light easy drinker.
Overall its a solid amber lager - easy drinking. I'd happily knock these back while watching football. ,
Reviewed by wl2bill from Wisconsin
3.37/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.37/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Nice for what it is, a dark American lager. A little more roasted flavor than a standard AAL. An easy drinking, inoffensive change up beer. Takes the place of Busch Copper Lager in my rotation.
May 30, 2018Reviewed by Victory_Sabre1973 from Minnesota
3.55/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.55/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Pours a dark amber color. Slightly off white head. The head is 2 finger, frothy, with nice lacing on the glass. Retention is good.
The nose is minimal. Just a slight malt aroma, but not much else.
Taste - Malty, with a touch of sweet on the backside. Slight nutty flavor.
Feel is not bad. A bit light, but not watery.
Delicious, and a solid beer. Easy drinking.
May 05, 2018The nose is minimal. Just a slight malt aroma, but not much else.
Taste - Malty, with a touch of sweet on the backside. Slight nutty flavor.
Feel is not bad. A bit light, but not watery.
Delicious, and a solid beer. Easy drinking.
Schell's Dark from August Schell Brewing Company
Beer rating:
77 out of
100 with
292 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!