Schwarzbier
Portsmouth Brewery

SchwarzbierSchwarzbier
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From:
Portsmouth Brewery
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
Schwarzbier
ABV:
5%
Score:
86
Avg:
3.79 | pDev: 7.39%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
17
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 20, 2015
Added:
Jan 16, 2005
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
A black lager without the roasty character usually associated with a dark beer. Medium-bodied & quite drinkable.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Fettpopps:
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Rated by Fettpopps from Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

Apr 21, 2014
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by mklisz from New Hampshire

Aug 20, 2015
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Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut

3.81/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Draught @ Brewpub: This one poured an opaque black color with a hint of ruby. There was a wisp of a tan head and very little lacing. Nice nose! Some chocolate, citrus and a hint of roastiness. The taste is good. Medium bodied. Chocolate, roasted malts and a touch of citrus bitterness. No sweetness at all. A very nice schwarzbier.
Apr 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by NHhomebrewguy from New Hampshire

May 05, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by Syraquse from New York

Apr 07, 2014
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Reviewed by Kegatron from Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
22 oz bomber into a couple of glasses. Thanks go to Stakem for sharing this guy.

Pours black with a ½ finger of mocha head. This retains with some foamy edges, leaving back a decent looking cascade of spotty lacing down the sides of the glass. The aroma smells of green citrus, cocoa, and light coffee notes. Maybe a bit of an earthy herbal tone hangs on the edges of the nose. This is pretty straight forward.

The taste is roasted coffee, green citric hops, cocoa, and maybe a touch of sweeter caramel malts. Dry roast and a light citric bitterness linger in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a firm and crisp feel throughout. No complaints here.

This was decent, being a pretty cut-and-dry take on a Schwarzbier. This bottle had a bit of age on it which I think may have dulled things just a tad, but otherwise, this was pretty solid.
Jan 25, 2012
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Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

3.36/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bomber I picked up nearly a year ago during my visit to Portsmouth. Poured into a matching Portsmouth snifter, the brew appears black in color with a tan cap that's a finger strong. Leggy patterns of lace coat the glass. A light swirl revives a finger of froth back to the surface. Some ruby clarity is seen through the body when held to the light.

The smell includes citrus and sulfur. A bit of sweet raisony alcohol, roasty grain and licorice. There is a mineral inclusion present that is similar to many other takes on the style but this one is slightly less evident and integrates with the light hop inclusion. As the brew warms up, more of a chocolate malt scent evolves.

The taste is a bit raisony with alcohol and a bit of sweetness. The grain imparts a bit of burnt cocoa flavoring across the tongue. Mineral flavoring isnoresent through most of the profile mixed with sulfur and a light amount of caramel and butter. Not the best black lager I've tastes but surely not the worst either.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is crisp as easy drinking. Not bad for the style but not something I would go out of my way for either. In some small way I think I did this beer a disservice in waiting this long to drink it despite it being in the fridge the entire time.
Jan 23, 2012
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Reviewed by ThirstyBird from California

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks EnronCFO for the bottle!! Poured into my Portsmouth snifter of course.

This one pours a deep, deep chestnut brown with a tan head which falls to a ring and a whisp. Decent lacing.

Smells deep malty and roasty. Maybe a slight molasses and a hint of coffee. The taste follows the nose. With a nice sweet yet dry aftertaste. The toasty nature of the beverage is nicely balanced by it's sweetness.

Body is medium with a carbonation which is slightly prickly. Overall this is a tasty, solid brew. This has more flavor than the traditional German schwarzbiers that I've had but it's a nice American version.
May 11, 2011
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Reviewed by jakeaustin from Maine

4.18/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from the bomber into a pilsener glass. Color is a deep dark brown, with mahogany edges under direct light. About a 1/4 inch of foamy tan head forms and lingers for a while. Some thin lacing.

Smell is comprised of some coffee ice cream, roasted barley, and just a hint of cocoa. A nice smell, but a little muted.

Taste is very similar. Lots or roastiness, with some coffee. Each sip leaves the flavor of dry cocoa in your mouth, as well as a pronounced bitterness. There is also an underlying fruitiness, presumably from the yeast. Surprisingly complex, and very full flavored.

Smooth, almost creamy mouthfeel. Carbonation is on the high side, but perfect for style. Very enjoyable beer from a small brewery and a style that can be hard to find. I'd like to try this on tap next time they brew it.
Mar 26, 2011
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Reviewed by DavoleBomb from Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Poured into a pils glass. Big thanks to andrewinski1 for this.

4.0 A: Clear dark brown color. Three fingers of pillowy head with pretty good retention, but only a bit of lacing.

3.5 S: Mostly dry, dusty, and graiy with a moderate level of roast and char. Just a touch of apple fruitiness. Not bad.

4.0 T: The taste is a lot more interesting than the nose suggests. Not nearly as dry - indeed, there is good amount of nondescript malty sweetness. The sweetness is balanced by roasted and charred malt flavors. Overally, grainy and biscuity. Hops give an herbal and grassy vibe. Pretty good.

4.0 M: Lighter medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Reasonably creamy. Good here.

3.0 D: This isn't bad, but after a while the sweetness becomes a bit much despite the roastiness pounding the tongue. I'd drink this again though.
Mar 16, 2011
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Reviewed by DrinkingDrake from Massachusetts

3.72/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Poured into a pint glass from a 22oz bottle. A very dark brown with some thin off white head that dissipated rather quickly. A lot of chocolate and dark roasted malt in the nose with a sour fruit kick.
Very light body but with a large black malt overtone and some subtle chocolate notes. The sourness from the nose carries over giving it a sweet faintly fruity tang. The only thing that made this really drinkable was the light body compared to the dark malt character.
Mar 11, 2011
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Reviewed by Bendurgin from Maine

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a pint glass. The beers pours dark brown with about an inch of off white head. It settles down with runny lacing. The aroma is pretty good. Roasty cocoa with dark malts. Slight bitter aromas in the nose. Kind of a dary flavor to this. Slight cocoa with a deep malt profile. Not bad. The feel like good, kind of a lighter feel for a darker beer. Good soft carbonation. Probably one of the better the better drinking beers I've had in a while.
Mar 03, 2011
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Reviewed by Bierman9 from New Hampshire

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hit the pub today, treating my two daughters to lunch. Opted to lead off with yet another German offering from Herr Mott...

Got my imperial pint filled with a dense, opaque, deep dark brown liquid. Sitting on top was a decent layer of fine beige bubbles. The head thinned after not too long, but lacing was quite nice. Aroma was mild, but put forth some roasty, choco notes. Body was a standard, solid medium, with a fairly smooth crossing over the tongue.

Tasty stuff, here. A smidge of light sweetness leads off, with choco malts and light roasty characteristics present. There's a bit of cocoa here before things move into the slightly bitter stage. A hint of florality lurks here, in the somewhat dryish finish. A solid, pleasant offering. May the Schwarz be with you! Prosit!!

(Note: first review with the amended review weightings).

3.9
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

1313
Feb 27, 2011
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Reviewed by Schracky from New Hampshire

3.73/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I had this at the brewery yesterday. I saw the name and thought of Spaceballs. Anyway, it was darker than I expected, like a dark brown, almost black. It was very malty and a little sweet. It had nice carbonation and a pleasant aftertaste. I enjoyed this beer very much.
Feb 14, 2011
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Reviewed by PatandDavid from Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
My glass was cola color when served, and the head was a bit low. I still ended up with decent lacing in the glass. Sweet malty aroma. Initially very German in taste, finish does end up a bit grainy. Over-all a decent brew that I would get again, no problem.
Feb 21, 2005
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Reviewed by UncleJimbo from Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampled on tap at the brewpub.

This schwarzbier poured a very dark chestnut color with tan foam that settled. The smell was dark malt, but was mild. The taste was very malty with some roasted barley notes and light touch of Munich malt, and there was a very faint sweetness. The mouthfeel was smooth and malty with medium body and medium carbonation. The malty flavor lingered. This was a very nice and enjoyable beer.
Feb 14, 2005
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Reviewed by Truh from New Hampshire

4.27/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Told it was a 3-alarmer with this one on 1/15/2005. Bomber bought at the source poured twice in a shaker, one for me, and one for my brother.

Skein of initial head dilates to a carburetor image at top. Mahogany/burgundy hue, on the darker shade of things. Soapy, yet also a burnt malt smokiness on nose that is truly relaxing in its effect. Cranky smoke and garrulous malt character with a fronting of black pepper and caramel sweet, like a calling, lilting voice that whispers sweet nothings. Powerful offering that leaves me wanting.
Jan 16, 2005
Schwarzbier from Portsmouth Brewery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 17 ratings