Let's Talk About Schwarzbier

I've only had the style a couple of times, I hope American craft brewers start making more versions so availability is no longer my excuse for not having more.

 

That is just how I think of it and it is a favorite style of mine. The black lager is a great beer to pair with lots of food. In fact the darker malts like things like olives, the richness of raisins and it can even go alongside the avocado in a heaping plate of nachos. I like to say that a lighter stout or schwarzbier can go where red wine will go as long as the beer is dry and not too hoppy or fruity. While the black lager will not go with the raw tomato it does go nicely with american style wings and the dark chinese condiments like oyster sauce. it's hop presence is what keeps it away from some kinds of cake although it depends on the cake. In fact it's the hops presence in that beer that puts it with every style of meat and game. You would serve it with pancakes even with fruit on them, bacon and eggs but not with eggs sans bacon. =)

 

Shiner has their Shiner Black, which is labeled here as a Schwarzbier "style", but I find it misses roast character you find in most. But this was my go to beer back in my wine days, it was a very easy drinking beer, and still is. I would say my go to Schwarzbier is Great Raft's Reasonably Corrupt, it is a great beer and delivers on the roast character, yet is easy to drink year round. If you ever get down to Louisiana, Arkansas or North Texas you should give it a try

 

cut and paste from the Bock thread:

As for Schwarzbier, I taste plenty of roasted malts. I prefer Titletown Dark Helmet over Sprecher Black Bavarian. Kostritzer is great too.

Utepils 2018 Moment Czech Style Dark Lager is good too. Lazy Monk Bohemian Dark Lager is one of my favorites, but it is a slightly different style of beer.

 

Black lagers are probably my favorite type of 'session' beer; I just wish there were more available.

My recent favorites seem to fall into the Czech Black Lager style, more than a Schwartzbier; the main difference being a bit more 'oomph' flavorwise, a bit more depth. But still, they have that finely woven tapestry of flavors with no rough edges, and enough elegance and complexity to be able to happily drink them all night long.

Specifically, Moonlight's Death and Taxes, and Catskill's Nightshine strike me as being in that category- very reminiscent of Herold Back Lager when it used to be available in the US.

 

During a recent visit to East Texas (Jefferson, Texas) I was in a bar that had both Shiner Bohemian Black Lager (bottles) and Great Raft's Reasonably Corrupt (draft) so I did a side-by-side tasting of these two beers. As you detailed above the Shiner beer was 'smoother' and less roasty but the Great Raft was a bot more bolder overall with a notable roast aspect. I enjoy drinking both of these beers but at that specific beer drinking experience I had a preference for Great Raft's Reasonably Corrupt. In all fairness I typically prefer draft vs. bottle/can so that aspect may have been in play as well.

Cheers!

 

I have a homebrewed Tmavý Ležák (Czech Dark Lager) conditioning in my basement right now. I have homebrewed this batch before.

How would you characterize the roast aspect/level of Utepils 2018 Moment Czech Style Dark Lager?

Cheers!

 

Kostritzer.

Rinse, repeat. The cans are the best.

Have to admit....Dark Helmet by Westbrook is a solid American choice.

 

Good question I drank the last can a few nights ago. I need to buy some more if I can find it. Might report back in a few days

 

I would appreciate it.

Cheers!

 

I'm still a big fan of Sprecher.

 

There is a nice write-up on Schwarzbier by Conrad Seidl in the Oxford Companion to Beer (see link below). One discussion topic from the write-up:

“Many are now made with dehusked roasted malts, allowing the beers to attain a very dark color and chocolaty flavors while avoiding the acidic bite usually associated with heavily roasted malt.”

Perhaps these are more of a ‘new school’ Schwarzbier?

I use Weyermann dehusked Carafa II in brewing my Tmavý Ležák and I can attest that dehusked roasted malts do indeed provide a differing character to the beer.

Cheers!

https://books.google.com/books?id=oWQdjnVo2B0C&pg=PA719&lpg=PA719&dq=Schwarzbier+Oxford+Companion&source=bl&ots=wnN1mRVkCY&sig=ZVaYbjQXDSYyk75d4u0gNKFd55c&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjE2sPl5YXaAhXNmuAKHd7tBKMQ6AEIQDAD#v=onepage&q=Schwarzbier Oxford Companion&f=false

 

I've only had one Schwarzbier, Xingu Black Beer, and really should try other examples because I didn't care much for that specific one. Xingu shares a problem with many Samuel Smith beers - the mineral water they brag about. The problem I have with them using mineral water is that the bitter mineral taste seriously detracts from the beer flavor IMHO.

 

Xingu, imho, is nothing special. You’re right, try something else, anything else.

 

Yes!! Black Lagers are a perfect session beer. They have (as you mentioned) the depth of flavor combined with the drinkability. More enjoyable, in my opinion, than a Session IPA.

 

I bought a 4 pack of Utepils, I also have Kostritzer in stock. So i did a head to head. The Utepils has plenty of roasted malt.

I will dig into my stock I might have a titletown or lazy monk buried in one of the beer fridges or root cellar.

 

Schwarzbier is super underrated. I'd like to try more examples of the style. Not only is Kostrizer delicious, but, at the beer store I work, I recommend Uinta Baba Black Lager to almost every customer at the make-your-own six pack.

 

First had it on draft at Capital Ale House in Midlothian Virginia. Kostritzer is the standard for schwarzbier, one of the world's truly great beers.

 

Ah, the black sheep of the lager family. Sorry, couldn't resist. I don't go out of my way to acquire them but never turn one down.