Schwarzbier
Altstadt Brewery

A very nice American knock off version that seems pretty true to style. It's dark for winter and fall, but a nice and smooth, crisp lager for summer and spring. Seriously, an all year drinking beer

 

 

 

RB transfer

 

 

12oz bottle poured in a Pilsner glass.
LOOK The beer is a very dark brown with 2.5 fingers of tan head. Retention is average leaving a fairly thin layer of foam. It's a great looking beer.
SMELL Strength of the smell is medium. The smell is roasty, bready, a little spicy, clean, and there's a bit of grassy hops.
TASTE The strength of the taste is medium. That taste follows the smell but it's more dynamic, there's a touch of sweetness, and a little yeast. It's so well balanced that I have to focus a lot more to pick out the flavors. The extreme balance makes the perceived bitterness higher than it is. I'm impressed.
FEEL It's somewhat less than medium in thickness. carbonation is medium and astringency is low.
OVERALL It's so easy drinking and balanced that I missed the Subtleties in flavor when I drank a few bottles in about a week. It's another outstanding beer from Altstadt.

Best Black Ale I’ve tried. Will definitely buy again.

 

 

A: Pours a dark brown, nearly black. Ruby highlights around the edges. A one finger light tan head forms with good retention and lace.
S: A nuanced and aromatic nose. Roast, light coffee, toffee. The roast becomes more toasted and baked bread, like waking into a bakery.
T: The roast is up front for sure. Some grainy quality, light coffee, toffee,baked bread. Not a lot of hop character, but as I can't find any indication of a date it might just be a bit faded. Though no worries, the malt character is very satisfying.
M/O: A light to medium body. Crisp carbonation that is super clean. There is some sweetness here, but finishes dry. Really easy to drink, and in big gulps at that.

Everything is subtle and nuanced, as any one thing here out of balance will make this overbearing. It walks that great malty tight rope really well. It is almost impossible to tell freshness with this brewery, so I'm just going off of what I can perceive. And it is really good, and holds up. Well done.

Great tasting beer; dark color with rich malty taste, coffee notes. Smooth and carbonated. Not as heavy as a stout, but just slightly heavier than your standard lager. Delicious.

Drank 2/6/24
Pour is crystal clear deep brown / ruby red with a fluffy, lasting lightly khaki head. Good retention and lacing.
Nose is roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, caramel, toffee.
Taste is smooth, subtle notes of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee. Appropriately, not nearly as in your face as an english porter, but similar vein. Not roasted malt bitterness Followed by caramel / toffee and toasted bread. Very easy to drink. Pleasant sweetness, certainly not cloying.

This rich, dark, malty brew is downright excellent. It's positively beautiful to look at in the glass.

The malt forward and Rock solid base is accented with coffee, toffee, a tinge of roasty, and an excellent selection of herbal and earthy hops, which are proportioned perfectly.

Drinkability is off the charts.

A sweetness makes it almost dessert like, but it's not cloying or overwhelming, and there's also a subtle bit of dryness on the finish that gives this thirst quenching, oh so satisfying brew a remarkable complexity.

Overall, this is one of the best made beers on the shelves in any style, anywhere. Why didn't I try it sooner? Oh how I've wasted my life! Do yourself a favor and pick up a twelvesky of this one. You could even go with a case, cold turkey. You won't be disappointed.

Appearance: Clear, dark brown with ruby highlights. Mousse-like khaki color head with excellent retention.

Aroma: Malt forward, grains, roasted malt. Herbal hops.

Flavor: grains, roasted malt, mild coffee note. No burnt flavor. Spicy hops. Moderate to low bitterness. Low sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, Soft but drying at the end. Moderate length finish.

Overall: Visually perfect. Clear with a thick, mousse-like head that lasts. Spot on for the style. Gives you malt forward dark roasted malt flavors and aromas but no harsh burnt flavors (like a stout or American Porter) in an easy drinking format. Bitterness provides balance & builds but never overwhelms. No flaws. World class, won't find many better in this style.

 

Served on tap in a stein
Appearance – The beer is served a dark brown color with a one finger head of very lightly tan tinted foam. The head has a good level of retention, with it slowly fading over time to leave a moderate level of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is strongest of a roasted malt and light caramel smell mixed with a bit of a molasses and some char. Along with these aromas comes light notes of cocoa and a touch of vanilla.
Taste – The taste begins with a light carmal malt flavor mixed with a nice bit of roasted malt and some flavors of toast and a light oatmeal flavor. Along with these flavors comes a touch of cocoa and coffee, both of which grow slightly stronger as the sweetness fades a bit. These flavors take the taste to the end, leaving one with a nice, semi-sweet and very smooth taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is medium in thickness, with a nice creamy feel and a lower carbonation level. For the style and the tastes, the feel is great and makes for a nice smooth sipper.
Overall – A rather tasty and flavorful brew that is super approachable, making it a very nice, dark, more session style brew.