Dark Knife
Elysian Brewing Company

 

 

 

 

Appearance: Very dark amber, virtually black, with a moderate, slightly coarse tan head, which retains well, with thick lacing in an irregular ring about the glass wall.

Aroma: Notable black bread aroma, with bitter cocoa, cold coffee, pumpkin fruit, and ghostly cinnamon.

Taste: The taste begins with black bread and dark roasted malt, soon cold coffee, bitter cocoa, and earth present. Late in the taste, there is a mild wave of classic pumpkin pie spices, although these are restrained. Finishes with a faint hint of brown sugar.

Mouth feel: Full and pleasant, with a bit of zesty carbonation, early on in the sip.

Drinkability/notes: A really interesting example, not at all like the typical pumpkin ale. In Dark Knife the spices are quite restrained, rather than being over-the-top. Still, its quite good, and may be welcome to those unfortunate souls who find the classic spicy pumpkin ale to be a bit much.

Presentation: Packaged in a twenty-two ounce brown glass bomber with a pry-off crown, served in a Duvel goblet.

 

Interesting

Nov-26-2018

I picked up an older bottle, so may review may be affected. The color, head, and aroma were appropriate for a schwarzbier, but I didn't smell anything pumpkin. The flavor was disappointing, and the mouthfeel mostly watery. There were a few light notes of malt, bit that's it.

I'm hoping this is better fresh.

 

 

Bomber from Brewers Haven. Pour is right for the style, dark, black, skin of beige head. Aroma is amazing, roasty malts, chocolate, pumpkins (fruit, not spice). Taste is a bit more subdued than the nose, more of a straight forward schwarzbier, bitter and roasty. Seems thin, but aroma makes up for a lot.

Pours a dark cola colored brown. Thick two to three finger tan-head dissipates pretty steadily leaving just splotches of foam on top of the beer. Some residual lacing is left on the glass as the beer is consumed.

Aroma has notes of roasted dark malts, dark breads, a touch of coffee maybe? (not like a coffee beer, just a hint of coffee on the nose) and then pumpkin pie spices. Its really interesting - definitely retains the schwarzbier characteristics on the nose but then you get that blast of pumpkin spices to change it up.

Taste follows the nose with some dark bready malts, a touch of roasted malts, with notes of coffee; spicy hops on the back end, and a rolling cascade of pumpkin spice. Not getting much in the way of pumpkin itself - just the pie spices. There is a watery character to the flavors that I can't shake. Not quite sure why that is there, but its like it missing a more robust malt backbone or something.

Feel is light, kind of on the thin side for a schwarzbier. Really mild carbonation - almost under carbonated.

Overall this is an interesting beer - its got some issues, but beyond that I really love the use of a schwarzbier as a base for a pumpkin spice beer. I think it worked really well and as pumpkin beers go, I would put this in my top 5 or so just on preference alone.

 

Dark brown with a ruby tinge. Topped with a finger of dark beige head.

Smells of toffee, toasted malts, and pumpkin spice.

Tastes just like a Swartz bier with hints of pumpkin spice, and a tar, ashy finish.

Medium body with moderately high carbonation.

I got this in Salsaluto, and am drinking it in Redding, Nov 30th, 2019.

 

Looks mighty fine. Near pitch black, clean, and tipped by a coarsly foamed light tan frith with excellent retention and lacing.

Smells appropriate enough, and to my pleasure, less pumpkin influence than anticipated. Mostly toasted, almost burnt grain and some semi sweet chocolate and toasted bread, with just a touch of spice.

Flavor follows with a modest but noticeable pumpkin spice blend. Very toasty, bready, earthy notes.

Dry, clean, semi bitter feel overall. Moderate carbonation and very easy to drink

No shit, this might be one of the best "pumpkin" beers I've had. It is more schwarzbier than pumpkin beer, which is typically uncommon for the gimmicky seasonal offerings. Cheers.