Let's Talk About Schwarzbier

My wife says she saw it at our Meijer store today, so it may be shipped throughout the Meijer chain if one of those stores is closer to you than Binnys. At least I know it is available in Michigan. She didn't pick up any of it though, which means that I have to make a trip back there.

 

I had one Saturday and enjoyed it.

 

I enjoyed this one that I wrote a review for on New Beer Sunday a while back. I thought it had a nice roasted malt quality, but definitely had some chocolate as well.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-619.479327/page-3#post-5197662

I also really like Brooklyn's winter seasonal, Insulated Dark Lager, which should be out in a couple of months. Definitely worth trying.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/45/184617/

 

Anybody who can get Beach Haus from jersey their Winter Rental is a schwartzbier with huge malty chocolate sweetness. It almost feels like nitro as well but isn't.

The Sam Adam's black lager was very good and Brooklyn does my favorite

 

And it still is, you can obtain this beer in this fall's variety pack:

 

I would love to try the deschuttes/bell's collab. Did I miss the name somewhere?

Also, for the california peeps, Death and Taxes from Moonlight out of Santa Rosa is what they call a black lager that drinks a lot like the few other (american made) schwarzbiers I've tried. And they just started canning it this year, 4 pack of pints for 9.99 everytime I've seen it. Great deal for my money.

 

Any idea what's considered the upper limit of strength/gravity for a Kulmbach Export? I'm willing to bet that Neuzeller Kyritzer is even pushing those limits at 7.2%. Almost getting into Bock territory?

That Schell's beer sounds great by the way. Wish we got them by us, there are several of their beers that I would like to try.

 

It starts and ends with Kostritzer for my tastes. Saranac Black Forest is a good domestic option.

This is not a style that I feel the need to explore. Kostritzer is it, for me. And I love that fucking beer dearly.

I'll throw Smoke & Dagger in the mix too.

 

I used to like Einbecker Schwarzbier and keep it around when I sold it. Easy drinking, but very nice dark malts that aren't too sweet at all.

 

When it comes to discussing 'strength' of historical German lagers it can be a bit tricky since the German beers of the 1800's would have a much lower ADF (Apparent Degree of Fermentation) than what is achieved with contemporary malts.

Are you by any chance a member of the American Homebrewers Association? If so, you can read further on this topic in a great article written by Stan Hieronymus in the Sept/Oct 2018 issue of Zymurgy magazine. The article is entitled Brewing Historical Lagers and Ron Pattinson's name is mentioned a number of times within this article.

Cheers!

P.S. Another source of information is the1902 American Handy-Book of the Brewing, Malting and Auxiliary Trades by Wahl & Henius. On page 828 is listed the analysis of five different Kulmbacher beers which had ABW values which varied from 4.18 – 4.48 (which is an ABV of 5.23 – 5.6).


@Crusader

 

Definitely will.

 

A nice lil read on German Porter for schwarzbiere fans: https://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/13291/german-porter-part-one/

The Oxford Companion to Beer also touches on the little known style.

 

I am not an AHA member but I appreciate the heads up on the article. Looks like that 1902 book is available online as an e-book. Pretty cool, I'll definitely check it out.