The Fifth Horseman
Side A Brewing - Public House

great beer, cool art on the pint can, darker than the vast majority of these, that lean brownish red, this one is fully black except for the very edges in the light, short khaki head on it, eggshell to satin luster, deeper than most and instantly appealing to me, even mysterious, unexpectedly dark, which is kind of the theme of this, as both the aroma and the flavor start and end with high roast and the bitterness that comes with it, thus more intense than the standard for this style, not at all unpleasant, just something a little bit different, which is cool. this leans a touch german to me in places, maybe the lager yeast, maybe some of the lighter grains in this mix, and as such has a sort of robust schwarzbier personality on initial impression to my senses, roast like that, maybe even more so, less the traditional brown personality of a european dark lager generally speaking. i also get perceptible lager yeast in aroma and flavor, dark leather, hearth bread, dark soil and minerality, some definitely lingering bitterness, enough to limit drinkability, but i guess only slightly, and this is fuller feeling for its abv, thats for sure. dry which is nice, complex on the grain side, good espresso, cocoa, light smoke, and pizza crust gone a little too long in the ooni. good carbonation, long aftertaste, nicely lagered, a significantly more robust take on the style than i think i was expecting, it stands out, quality is there, neat approach here but probably not for everyone...

Taster at brewery. Near black pour, light beige foamy head. Roasty aroma, cola. Taste adds some sweetness, which is a bit out of place for this style.

draught
Creamy, ivory head. Yes it is truly black, being a schwarzbier, and opaque to boot. Moderate amount of dark roasted grains, for the aroma. Plenty of dark roasted grains with a rather smooth edge, and a little caramelized, really dark toasted malt flavor, with the body being lighter than a stout. Good, sustaining and smooth, roasty toasty finish. The best version of this beer style I have ever had so far.