Off Black
Hopewell Brewing Co.

This is definitely the first time I have tried something described as a black pilsner. The beer is really opaque black, and I'm not really picking up any reddish or brown colors. There is a nice light tan head that fades pretty quickly, leaving only moderate lacing. I am picking up roasted coffee notes, with dried citrus peel lurking in the background. Taste also features roasted coffee up front with some tart / bitter citrus as well, but not much. I guess this is what makes it a "black pilsner", rather than a standard "schwarzbier." Mouthfeel is full, with nice carbonation. This is a really good beer I would enjoy again in the future.

 

 

Outstanding black pils.

Canned 12/11/24; drank 3/2/25 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque brown/black appearance.

A rough pour yielded a nice tan head; strong tree-rung lacing remained.

Medium roast coffee bean & orange peel notes in the nose.

Creamy medium mouthfeel.

Medium roast coffee bean & orange peel flavors up front; mild pilsner dryness on the finish.

It tastes like a Black IPA with a pilsner finish; it's interesting but not one I'll seek out again.

16oz can. Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a small, off-white head of foam. It left sudsy lacing. It smelled of roasted malt, caramel and bready notes. Sweet caramel taste with a mild bitterness.

Very dark translucent coca-cola color with a touch of red and a decent but short lived tan head.
The aroma is dark roasted grain, coffee, earthy notes and dark chocolate.
The taste is the same with emphasis on the dark roasted malt. The finish is dry with some additional earthy/grassy moderate bitterness. The body is light, moderate carbonation, very drinkable.
Altogether, this is a tasty and refreshing brew, that should go well with heartty foods but nicely drinkable just for enjoyment, outstanding.

 

 

16 oz can into a pint glass.

A: Reddish-dark brown color with a robust sudsy tan head.

S: Cocoa, lightly roasted malt, brown sugar.

T: Malts taste a little more roasted and provide more bitterness than the hops.

F: Medium-light body. Crisp and very drinkable.

Poured cola black-brown with those reddish tints. A proud bone white head stood 2” in my Pils glass.
The aroma is lost on my nose currently, hopefully my sense of smell will return someday.
The taste, well I bought it because I thought it was a black Pils and it called itself that. But as it is listed as a Schwarzbier and not a Pils I will go that route.
The style has precious little taste requirements beyond balance and this is a little more malt heavy than hops so balance isn’t met. The taste itself though, full of chocolate and dark bread and medium roast malt. The hops are present only in the sense that they keep the flavor in check.
The feel is excellent, this is way too easy to slam.
OA, black Pils or Schwarzbier, I don’t care. I could drink another one right now.

 

Crisp and crushable with a solid roast that's still well balanced against the light-medium body. Love sessionable dark beer like this. Less chocolate than bigger schwarzbiers, but I'll take the trade off for drinkability.

 

Pours the color of Coca Cola - appears to be clear when held up to the light, but the darkness of the beer produces some opacity. One finger off-white head dissipates steadily leaving a coating of bubbly lacing but almost no residual foam on top of the beer.

Notes of cocoa, roasted malts, bakers chocolate and a touch of earthy hops.

The flavor is exactly what they described - a pilsner with rich cocoa and roasted malt notes. Its definitely veers far to the roasted malt side of things, but the hops are there - earthy, slightly bitter, with a complimentary flavor. For me, the malts and the hops are really well balanced here.

Feel is light, crisp, and smooth drinking. Moderate carbonation provides a sprightly dance on the palate. Finish is dry with an almost powdery feel to it.

Overall its a bit too heavy on the roasted malts for a schwarzbier - but to be fair the brewery doesnt call it a schwarzbier - they characterize it as a "black pilsner" - something of a modified hybrid between a scwarzbier and Černý Ležák. Regardless this beer is lovely, light (only 4.8 % ABV) and incredibly flavorful and delicious. This is one of the better new beers I've had a while - Ill definitely get this one again if they brew it again.

Black in color, hints of dark brown and red when held to light. Two fingers of off white foam that recedes relatively quickly and leaves minimal lacing. Aroma is very nice, light roast notes and some noble hop aromas. The taste follows, a clean lager initially, noble hops, and then the roastiness lingers on the aftertaste. Light body, very smooth, moderate carbonation, and a light-moderate bitterness of the finish. Overall, a really nice brew from Hopewell.

On tap at the brewery. This one is a nice mellow middle ground for a dark beer. It isn’t aggressively hopped like a cascadian, and the malt base isn’t deep like a stout. I expected one or the other, but that is my misperception because that wasnt wasn’t the style. This one is clean and easy drinking, but nothing crazy in any way. My subjective perception was that it was a bit boring, but it was not bad by any objective measure.