Czech-Style Dark Lager 11° P
Wild Provisions Beer Project

Type: 16-oz. can
Reviewed as: Czech Dark Lager
Glass: Burgeon .5L pilsner glass
Price: n/a
From: n/a
Purchased: n/a; Received Oct. 23, 2021
Consumed: Oct. 28, 2021
Misc.: Canned on July 30, 2021 at 9:59 a.m. MT

Thanks, Nick!

Was lucky enough to get this beer and a bunch of others from Nick on a recent work trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado. Their website called this beer a “Czech-inspired dark lager or tmave (dark) is certainly malty but not overly sweet. The dark malt breadiness is balanced nicely with subtle dark fruit flavors and a slight spiciness from the Saaz hops.”

Poured a very dark color with two fingers of khaki-tan frothy head. Pretty calm underneath the head on the sides of the glass. Average watery lacing. Very bad retention. (Sight - 3.25)

Smelled nutty malt, Outback bread, wheat toast, cocoa and black pepper. Just as good from the can. (Smell - 4.25)

Taste wasn’t quite as good as the nose but still solid. In order got nutty malts, bitter coffee beans, cocoa, Outback bread, white toast, aspirin, black pepper and dark chocolate. (Taste - 4.00)

Medium body. Creamy texture. Lively carbonation. Long, bitter finish. (Feel - 4.00)

Liked this one. Outstanding overall for the style. (Overall - 4.00)

4.02 | 90 | A-

 

Bought two 16 ounce cans from Beer Drop. (How else does a Chicagoan get sustenance from a Colorado micro-startup?)

CSDL has typical Looks and could use a more active yeast for more lasting foam swirls. But I give high marks for Looks because its can is thoughtful, evoking a Czech early modernist style from the 20s (1920s, of course.) Smells are mostly malt and don't stimulate my imagination much except for some fig. But Tastes improve as CSDL warms as I prepare a lunch of T-Day leftovers. Balanced, sweet malts and drying herbs. Nicely medium-mouthed for a 4.2 ABV. (UnTappd lists 5.2.)

I give CSDL high OA marks because Wild Provisions is only 18 months old and any venture that starts during lockdown is all heart. Wild Provisions also seems to have a close relationship with 4 Noses, offering their more standard beers in Wild Provisions' very expensive-looking wood-featured taproom while the off-shoot does its thing with two large foeders; one dedicated interestingly to lagers and the other to the wild bacteria-coolship process. They also have a great-looking website for an 18 month old. All said, I enjoyed CSDL... but a revisit in a couple of years will be good for me to see their growth and I hope my next Wild Provisions will be a saison.