Deadly Gardens
Widowmaker Brewing

 

Impressive frothy head. Very slow to recede and it leaves rings and blankets of lace behind. The color is mohaghany brown where only bright light will pass.

Brown toast aroma from the roasted barely malt.

The flavor mimics the smell with a bready, toasted taste. Slightly sweet with a low hop presence. A bit richer than most Czech dark lagers. The combination would rival any Czech offering. A nicely made beer.

 

 

Full pour in a proper mug at their Braintree spot. Super busy on a Saturday afternoon before a big snow storm. This is a pretty solid CDL. Not as roasty as many American versions, it actually has the slight funk and grainy character you find in European interpretations.

Canned on 8/2/23; consumed on 11/1/23

Pours a deep yet clear mahogany hue, sporting subtle maroon accents and topped with multiple fingers of silky, pale beige foam; great head retention leaves a finger of creamy cap, moderate, frothy collar, and a comprehensive coating of chunky, ringed lacing encircling the walls of the glass.

Aromas of malted grain waft into silky milk chocolate and coffee-toned roast, with an edge of minerality interwoven alongside lager yeast and tones of black bread crusts firming the back end of the bouquet.

Taste offers black bread and spent coffee grounds upfront, with a sweeter edge of flaked malt guiding towards hints of minerality over the mid-palate while tinges of roast and smoke finish.

Mouthfeel brings a medium-light body and choppy fluff of moderate-high carbonation, leaving a slight prickle and airy grit into mid-palate; a dry back end showcases a gentle roast, imparting a soft edge past the swallow.

Sweeter depth prods at cleaner, roastier underpinnings, detailing a more fundamental dark lager profile with bursts of malted, cocoa-rich vibrancy.

A Czech beer for the national day of czechia.

I love dark lager very much, but I'll happily admit I bought this one to keep the can with the incredible artwork that fits one of my favorite aesthetics.

16 oz can acclimated to 46°F and poured into a dimpled stein.

Pours an opaque dark brown that lacks saturation, like a coffee with milk added color. Instills @a 3.75 finger sudsy, khaki head, leaving moderate lacing and receding to a film.

Initial aroma is strong chocolate malt and strong roasted malt. Hops mingle, smelling dry and herby, and vegetal/skunky to a degree, but not unpleasant. I get a whiff low in the head (does that make sense? Like the floor of the nose? Idk how to describe it) that reminds me of oil, and it feels very welcome and fitting, not at all off putting. Smelling further I get roasty coffee. Overall very good, with a little grit, promising.

After agitating I get roasty malts, vegetal hops, and some coffee.

Initial taste before swallowing is coffee and a general roasty flavor with some beige and light green waves flickering through. Late in I get some lightly bitter chocolate.

After swallowing it's a fleeting glimpse of coffee followed by bitter chocolate malt. The bitterness then increases to what I personally consider high, resting on the back of the top of the tongue, back of the throat, and back of the floor of the mouth. Mostly a chocolate malt bitter, vaguely metallic like tin foil, although dry and slightly skunky hops start to peek through with time. It feels warm and dry. This bitterness fades but lasts into the finish. I can't discern whether or not it's from the bitter chocolate malt taste, but I get a vague umami from it, maaaaybe smoky or porky? More like something like Bragg's aminos or instant gravy or mushroom soy sauce is the closest I can compare it to anything, it fits right in.

Feel is that of plenty without overindulgence. It feels rich but not heavy. (not that I have a problem with a heavy beer.) An superbly smooth and substantial body is livened by a frothy carbonation, which rejuvenates upon agitation, leading to a somewhat slowed session, and a savored experience. - TLDR: rich, frothy, not over the top, goes down easy and well.

Overall, this is both good and solid. Dark lager is a weakness of mine but I really enjoyed this. I was a little let down by the smell, which was very promising, but not much, it still did a great job. Due to its solidity, feel, good quality, and relative simplicity, it strikes me as great for a session, a slow session, the "drinking multiple of the same beer and no other alcohol" sessions, and maybe even a long session!

Would happily buy again, IIRC it was inexpensive for a craft, and in addition to loving it, that makes it a good value for its price.

L: nearly black with ample tan head.
S: oat, malt, clean water.
T: Tons of roasted malts, almost a slight smoke flavor. Oats. Surprising amount of bitter hops, balanced by char and a slight hint of caramel sweetness.
O: kept my interest, enjoyable.

 

Tasted on 2/16/2023.

Poured expertly into half liter mug with 3 finger head. medium head retention with nice lacing.

Aroma: dark, chocolate, toasted caramel, slightly sweet, light and dry finish. Nice balanced hop taste.

A really nice dark czech lager

 

Canned 2022/01/31
Pours a tan frothy fizzy 1.5 finger head with moderate retention, mild lacing, clear but very dark mahogany to chestnut color

Mouse semi sweet malt, chocolate, little cocoa, vanilla, little toasty, caramel

Taste is less sweet, rich toasted slightly roasted malt, creamy semi sweet chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, little caramel and nougat, light hop bitterness, dry finish

Mouth is med bod, med higher frothy carb, soft lager

Overall not bad but doesn't really hit as a Czech dark lager