Unknown Beast
DSSOLVR
- From:
- DSSOLVR
- North Carolina, United States
- Style:
- Schwarzbier
Ranked #62 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 88
Ranked #18,293 - Avg:
- 3.97 | pDev: 7.56%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 8
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 06, 2025
- Added:
- Jan 13, 2021
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
SCORE
88
Very Good
88
Very Good
What’s that noise?! Is it a spooky monster?! Is it some wild beast?! NOPE! “Unknown Beast” is everyone’s favorite style: German Schwarzbier! Oh, heeeeyyy!
We started things off with a base of Riverbend Pilsner, gently layered in some Munich, Toasted Oats, Roasted Wheat, and a few other lil’ Specialty secrets before hopping it with Hallertauer Mittelfruh throughout the boil and smashing it full of Northern Brewer in the Whirlpool. We implemented our traditional German Lager treatment otherwise: slow and cold fermentation, spunding for 100% natural carbonation, and a long rest in a Horizontal Lagering Tank.
It starts off with notes of roasty Cacao, sweet Hazelnut, toasted Wheat bread, and just a hint of dem beans. Got me thinkin’ ‘bout dem beans...uh, right...then this finishes with the extra clean, crisp, and dry character we strive for. Don’t let the appearance of this beast fool you, it’s easily one of our favorite Lager offerings to date, and maintains that high level of crushability you’ve come to expect from our Chippy Boi™ Lager Program.
We started things off with a base of Riverbend Pilsner, gently layered in some Munich, Toasted Oats, Roasted Wheat, and a few other lil’ Specialty secrets before hopping it with Hallertauer Mittelfruh throughout the boil and smashing it full of Northern Brewer in the Whirlpool. We implemented our traditional German Lager treatment otherwise: slow and cold fermentation, spunding for 100% natural carbonation, and a long rest in a Horizontal Lagering Tank.
It starts off with notes of roasty Cacao, sweet Hazelnut, toasted Wheat bread, and just a hint of dem beans. Got me thinkin’ ‘bout dem beans...uh, right...then this finishes with the extra clean, crisp, and dry character we strive for. Don’t let the appearance of this beast fool you, it’s easily one of our favorite Lager offerings to date, and maintains that high level of crushability you’ve come to expect from our Chippy Boi™ Lager Program.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by wmeckley44 from Tennessee
4.28/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.28/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
No date on can, into a Barrique pils glass.
Pours jet black with good mahogany foam. Aroma is deep nutty malts and richness, some dark chocolate and a little hazelnut coffee. Flavor is heavy on the hazelnut and raw cocoa, lots of rich malts and lightly burnt toast. Low bitterness up front but with a deep espresso finish. This one trends a little less savory than I find some schwarzbiers, which I attribute to the lower base bitterness and slightly higher body. Some good red fruits as well. Feel is good, a little thicker and less carbonated than I expected, but still easy to drink and very refreshing.
Overall, a tasty fall lager. Dark and rich enough for a colder evening, but still thirst quenching and light enough if the day was hot. I think I just really like schwarzbier.
Nov 06, 2025Pours jet black with good mahogany foam. Aroma is deep nutty malts and richness, some dark chocolate and a little hazelnut coffee. Flavor is heavy on the hazelnut and raw cocoa, lots of rich malts and lightly burnt toast. Low bitterness up front but with a deep espresso finish. This one trends a little less savory than I find some schwarzbiers, which I attribute to the lower base bitterness and slightly higher body. Some good red fruits as well. Feel is good, a little thicker and less carbonated than I expected, but still easy to drink and very refreshing.
Overall, a tasty fall lager. Dark and rich enough for a colder evening, but still thirst quenching and light enough if the day was hot. I think I just really like schwarzbier.
Reviewed by chinchill from South Carolina
3.62/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.62/5 rDev -8.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16 oz undated can ($3.59) from the Appalachian Vintner in Asheville, NC.
Appearance. Near black body with a good size, thick beige head that has very good retention.
The aroma has more hops than expected but the flavor is still appropriately malty.
Apr 24, 2025Appearance. Near black body with a good size, thick beige head that has very good retention.
The aroma has more hops than expected but the flavor is still appropriately malty.
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina
4.2/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.2/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Picked up a single from the Hot Spot gas station cooler on Brevard Road on 11-26-24 for $3.49. No canning date; consumed 1-6-2025. Cold stored since purchase.
Beer poured black with a near perfect tan head that has serious hang time.
Nose is nice, getting notes of toasted bread, coffee, and a hint of chocolate.
Taste is very nice, the moderate malt base is toasted bread, with a touch of coffee and chocolate. FInishes wonderfully balanced.
Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, very smooth on the front end but oddly thinnish on the back end.
Overall, this is a really flavorful brew, i would definitely pick up a pack if i see one in the wild!
Jan 06, 2025Beer poured black with a near perfect tan head that has serious hang time.
Nose is nice, getting notes of toasted bread, coffee, and a hint of chocolate.
Taste is very nice, the moderate malt base is toasted bread, with a touch of coffee and chocolate. FInishes wonderfully balanced.
Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied, very smooth on the front end but oddly thinnish on the back end.
Overall, this is a really flavorful brew, i would definitely pick up a pack if i see one in the wild!
Rated by nick_perry from North Carolina
4/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Dry. Good carbonation. Pumpernickel bread notes. Slight earthy hop profile.
Apr 14, 2023
Reviewed by Parmesan from Colorado
3.68/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.68/5 rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
L: Pours a dark brown blackish color with a medium creamy tan head that dissipates quickly but leaves some on top and some thick lacing on the glass.
S: Roasted malt, a strong mineral note, notes of chocolate and a bit of nuttiness.
F: A strong earthy nuttiness, roasted malt and a bit of cacao a decently strong bitterness, good but doesn't fully seem to meld together.
F: Smooth and drinkable
O: The taste seems a bit disjointed but overall this is a solid scwarzbier.
Apr 17, 2022S: Roasted malt, a strong mineral note, notes of chocolate and a bit of nuttiness.
F: A strong earthy nuttiness, roasted malt and a bit of cacao a decently strong bitterness, good but doesn't fully seem to meld together.
F: Smooth and drinkable
O: The taste seems a bit disjointed but overall this is a solid scwarzbier.
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois
3.09/5 rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.09/5 rDev -22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
first beer from this brewery usually like schwarzbier - this one was rather strong taste after a half can was buning the throat -
Feb 15, 2022
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado
4.08/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.08/5 rDev +2.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Deep, dark brown body, clear on the pour yet opaque in the glass; thick, sudsy head, light tan in color. Outstanding aroma; light to moderate grain char and bitter chocolate. Fine dark malt taste; elements of milk chocolate with a slight grain char bitterness. Medium mouthfeel; smooth and glassy; velvety residual sugar note that lends to an overall sweet feel; a very slight dryness at the tail end of the finish.
This is a well-rounded schwarzbier, robust and complex with a nice heavy lager smoothness.
Pouring temperature: °F; canning data: unknown
Feb 07, 2022This is a well-rounded schwarzbier, robust and complex with a nice heavy lager smoothness.
Pouring temperature: °F; canning data: unknown
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
4.23/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Had on tap as a "milk pour". Medium black with a huge frothy tan foam head with tons of lacing, but will say could have cut the head a bit with more time devoted to the pour, but I digress. Almost burnt toast, smoky earth, dark cocoa and sweeter roasted nuts in the nose. Taste has more graininess underneath the dark tones, nuts are not sweet here, malts have decent roast through out, nice work. Feel is "milky", sorry couldn't resist, in seriousness it is frothy, earthy, malty and lightly roasted in feel, lighter bodied and soft.
Dec 16, 2021
Reviewed by Reef from South Carolina
4.16/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.16/5 rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On tap at Craft & Draft, Columbia SC
Pours dark ebony with one finger of beige head, lacing curtains, full cap.
Toasted malt, cocoa aromas
Rich dark malt, cocoa, light nutty flavors
Full coating mouthfeel and flavor for the ABV. Fine schwartzbier.
Jan 20, 2021Pours dark ebony with one finger of beige head, lacing curtains, full cap.
Toasted malt, cocoa aromas
Rich dark malt, cocoa, light nutty flavors
Full coating mouthfeel and flavor for the ABV. Fine schwartzbier.
Reviewed by puck1225 from Texas
4.19/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.19/5 rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This is an excellent Schwartzbier with a nice rich flavor and feel.
Poured from a can purchased at the brewery into a tulip glass. Dark brown color with with excellent head and lacing. Earthy, dark toast smell and taste. Nice rich feel to the beer. A bit of chocolate. Really like this beer!
Jan 13, 2021Poured from a can purchased at the brewery into a tulip glass. Dark brown color with with excellent head and lacing. Earthy, dark toast smell and taste. Nice rich feel to the beer. A bit of chocolate. Really like this beer!
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