Jump Seat Schwarzbier
Lancaster Brewing Company

 

In the most recent edition, the ABV has been reduced to an even 5%, rather than the original 5.5%. This time, it's two twelve ounce cans emptied into a clear glass liter mug. It all fits nicely, as there's almost no head. The color is almost as dark brown as most porters, opaque but somehow not completely as dense looking as a stout. There's a good mix of roasted malt and grains to smell. It tastes OK, but it's not rich, nor complex. The malt probably leads the taste. It's not sweet, but the bitterness than often comes from the roasting is absent at the beginning. Unfortunately, there's no significant hop flavor to bitter this at all. Even the mild smokiness present in some schwarzbiers is missing. There's no glass lacing and the head went missing quickly. Pouring out two cans is becoming fortuitous, for as the beer warms, it becomes more flavorful. Even the aroma picks up a little more of the roasted malt character. But, that improvement only goes a short way. This just isn't going to be very flavorful no matter what its temperature. It's understood that this style is nuanced and subtle in its attributes. But even with a better taste of the malt, this still drinks a little blandly and without much body. Maybe a little more alcohol would have helped.

 

 

 

Pours a dark brown color with copper edges and a half finger of head. The nose has definite notes of dark malt. The flavor was malty but a bit flat with a nice dry finish.

 

 

 

 

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a damn near black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of roasted malts, light smoke. Taste is the same, roasted malts, some smokiness, smooth and easy drinking. Feels medium/light bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.

 

 

 

 

Poured into a custom pint glass: color is dark brown, head is very light tan with fine bubbles, some lacing.

Smell is clean, light roast, touch of deeper malt, maybe toffee, leaning towards a brown ale in some ways but no fruitiness.

Taste is also very clean and crisp, great malt, roast, light toffee, cocoa and then some mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel is crisp, maybe a bit too carbonated from the bottle, lingering crispness.

Overall, a very good schwarzbier, great malt flavor and aroma.

good beer taste smooth going down nice dark color looks good in a glass

 

 

This was served chilled in a pint at the Harrisburg location on tap.

The color is like dark cola with deep brown shade with light copper hue at base with tan head and lasting retention. The smell is very nice with a slight roasted aroma with mild cocoa-like scent. The feel is silky and rich with light sweetness and mild roast with low bitterness and creamy yeast texture with semi dry finish.

The flavor has good malt depth with expressive roast yet not bitter in the malt quality with more of a cocoa-like smoothness and mild herbal hops with nutty malt roast in the back with a subtle caramel element in the semi-dry finish. Overall this is a quality Schwarz with smooth lager character I could drink this by the growler full.