Thursday, February 17, 2011

Review: Braustolz GmbH Black Art Premium Beer

As the name Braustolz GmbH indicates, what we have here is definitely a German beer!  I had never heard of this brewery or beer before, but while on a recent run to Martin Wine Cellar it caught my attention because it was something I'd never tried... and it was pretty cheap.  I don't remember the exact price and don't have the receipt on me, but I think it was under $2 for the bottle.  Can't beat that for a good one to check out and tick off the list!

By style, this one is a schwarzbier, which translates to "black beer" and is basically considered to be a dark lager.  They aren't strong in alcohol content or thick in body like an imperial stout, but malty, sessionable beers.  Popular examples include Sam Adams Black Lager, Shiner Black Lager, and Köstritzer Schwarzbier. 

I poured this one from an 11.2 ounce bottle into an imperial pint glass.  It's a deep red color with a ridiculous tan head... great retention and good lacing.  So far I'm impressed.  It has a good malt aroma with a slight metallic tinge to it. Smells like some black patent malt, and not much hops at all.

The taste is the same profile as the aroma... dark chocolate flavors come through, not bad at all. This one certainly tastes better than I expected. It's a little thin, but no bad aftertastes or funny things going on.

Easy to drink, a great price, definitely a pleasant surprise.  I'd recommend this one to anyone looking to try some good new beers without spending a lot of money on bombers that you aren't even sure you'll like.

My Rating: B+
BeerAdvocate: B

Schwarzbier on FoodistaSchwarzbier

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