Czech Dark Lager
Dovetail Brewery

Flavors of cocoa, hazelnut hints without being an actual hazelnut beer, fruit I can't really put my finger on, maybe raisin. A clean start with a malty touch of bitterness on the finish. Somewhat thin mouthfeel with medium carbonation. I'm not even sure these are bad things because this is a very enjoyable beer to drink, relaxing, hearty and satisfying, soothing and comforting all the way. A little off the beaten path, but a very harmoniously balanced medium-dark lager that I will buy again.

16oz can, dated 10.17.2023, poured into a 16oz tumbler glass. Enjoyed on 11.18.2023, reviewed from Tasting Journal.

The beer pours a dark cola brown color, nice opacity, nice shades of amber and red when struck by the light, fizzy and soapy bone colored head with good retention and modest lacing. The aroma is great, dark roasted grain, toffee, leather, stone fruits and soft chocolate. The flavors are nice, chocolate, toasted dark brown bread, toffee, brown sugar, stone fruits, leather, and mineral water. The mouthfeel is good, coating, smooth medium body with a soft and easy finish.

Verdict: A very nice CDL from Dovetail. Robust, full of bold flavors but super sessionable and easy going with a great balance.

2024-04-27
16oz can served in a giant snifter, classily ensconced in a jacket of foil. Reviewed blind, scored later with style in mind...

Pours with a modest head that settles quickly into a broad but thin round island and a moderately thick ring. Color is in the direction of cola, but not quite as dark, kind of a toffee-ish color. The pour looked slightly thick and the small head makes me think it might be kinda big. It came in a box of gigantic stouts, though, so it may be puny in comparison.

Smell is vanilla and toffee, smells sweet but not boozy, knocks down my suspicions of colossalness. Seems like a strong nuttiness, and maybe some cocoa.

Taste is not completely in a different direction, but bitterness arrives here. Nuts and toffee resolve a bit more, slight roast bitterness combining nicely with some earthy hops bitterness. Maybe some coffee bitterness. Massivity is no longer believable, though it doesn't seem light.

Mouthfeel is medium, much more effervescent than the appearance suggests, almost a slight wateriness in the texture.

Overall, this is a tasty and drinkable beer. I think it's likely a red IPA or a hoppy amber, I would guess in the 7.5% abv range.

 

Brown in color with a fingernail of creamy brown on top. The aroma is of dark bready malt with some toffee, too. I’m tasting that dark sourdough malt. The mouth is crisp and refreshing.

Dark amber with a weak tan head. Weak aroma - some chocolate and roast. Taste is watered down 1990s amber beer. Hints of cola with melted ice. I love Dovetail beers but this is pretty bad.

Review: 2026
Beer Name: Czech Dark Lager
Brewery: Dovetail Brewing
Location: Chicago, IL
Style: Czech Dark Lager
ABV: 5.3%
Date: 11/14/2023

I am enjoying a glass of Czech Dark Lager from Dovetail Brewing, served in a German mug at 42 degrees. The beer has an airy, frothy, two-fingered, light tan head with fair retention and appears cloudy with a brown color and mahogany hues, measuring around 24 on the color chart. As the head dissipates, it leaves some lacing on the sides of the glass. Overall, the beer's appearance is average for its style.

I can detect toasted malts, breadiness, light floral notes, light caramel, nuttiness, and earthiness on the nose. I also smell light chocolate and herbal undertones.
The beer's flavors start with roasted malts, chocolate, floral esters, and nuttiness, evolving into toasted bread crust, caramel, light molasses, and a light earthiness.

In terms of mouthfeel, the beer is astringent and finishes somewhat dry. It has a medium-low body with medium carbonation.

This Czech Dark Lager is a lovely, easy-sipping, and tasty beer with simple yet complex flavors and a clean finish. I would like a steady supply of this lager, as it would make for a fantastic camping beer. Thank you, Mr. Barber, for sending it to me.

Tall can dated 11/14/23 picked up at the brewery. Also had a pint on draft at Kaiser Tiger. This is really good stuff but maybe my expectations were too high as it didn’t blow me away like their Pilsner and a few other lagers they make. Cloudy deep amber color. Aroma and flavor are a bit sweeter than they should be and even a bit funky. Not as rich and roasty as I had hoped. Finish is sadly a bit cloying. Bummer. It’s good but there are too many better examples even in the US to consider this to be the 9th best (current ranking).

16oz can, date stickered 111823
L: very persistent beige head caps a rusty colored beer
S: bread crust, caramelized grain, chocolate, herbal/earthy hops, lager yeast
T: follows the nose with notes of grain, caramel, bread crust, chocolate, slight roast, mineral water; hops are herbal, grassy, and earthy
F: medium body, ample carbonation, dry, clean, and balanced finish
O: I knew I wanted to get my hands on this beer this fall. I knew it would be good, but it was better than expected

Pours a rich mahogany brown color, unfiltered body, and a creamy light tan head that lingers as a cap on the beer and provides moderate lacing. Beautiful beer. The nose is a mix of chocolate, wheat bread, and roasty char. I am drooling.

The chocolate and roasty malt flavors are forward and exquisite, with the wheat bread flavor at the back of the palate, providing a smooth finish that is world class, IMHO.

The mouthfeel is medium and on the crisper side, but soft enough to allow the malty flavors to shine. This is absolutely delicious and so well executed. Just a pleasure to drink.

 

 

 

 

 

Deep rich dark brown, relatively cloudy; subtle off white head. No lacing, ok retention.

Interestingly enough the first thing I notice in the aroma is a sourdough like twang. Followed up with lightly browned bread; light chocolate syrup and maybe even a root beer like smell.

Taste mostly shows the lightly browned bread; that root beer likeness and the chocolate note in the aftertaste.

Light body; a very nice carbonation, soft and creamy feel to it. Very drinkable, finish is noticeably clean. Notice the same sourdough like acidity in the feel, it is very minimal but there and noticeable.

Awe, man that's good. It's a full flavored lager. The description on the menu is pretty accurate, not really getting the coffee flavor though. More of the bready notes. Overall I like the malt forward flavors.