UPDATED: MAR 10, 2021 Fizzy dark brown with a generous tan head. Malty nose. Rich and medium bodied. Sweet with a little bitterness and tang. Caramel and a whiff of vanilla. Best enjoyed closer to room temperature.

UPDATED: OCT 16, 2020 Chocolate flavor with hints of coffee and dark fruits are the main driving forces here. Medium body. Low carbonation. Smooth beer. I like it.

UPDATED: SEP 21, 2020 12oz bottle from Beers of Europe, King’s Lynn and drunk on 17/11/2010. Pleasant dark lager with a malty, toasty and fennel nose. Nice body and treacle, grain and toasted bread flavours.

12 oz bottle served in pint glass (from 2010 notes). A - pours clear dark brown with nearly black color in glass. Ample and thick light brown head. aroma - sweet malt; more similar to a Belgian dubbel than expected. T - nice sequence of mellow flavors, with detectable hops in finish. Feel. nice smooth and full feel; good carbonation level Overall: goes down easy, but hindered by an aroma that is only modestly attractive.

Very dark (almost black) ruby red color. Head faded away unusually fast for a 5.3% ABV, even with an aggressive pour. Aroma/taste: bready, malty with toffee chestnuts and licorice notes.

(12oz bottle) AROMA: light smokey malt, dark grainy bread, APPEARANCE: medium dark brown, touch red, light coffee colored head, not too thick, just a bit or residual oily tracing. TASTE: roasted corn, some chocolate, seeds/nuts PALATE: medium body, bright/crisp, some chocolate richness/bitterness in the middle, cleansing, fresh, simple/clean finish, minimal residual. OVERALL: a nice fresh feel with average richness, not too complex, straightforward and drinkable.

Bottle at home. Pours clear dark brown, brown head, not persistent. Sweet roasted malts, passito wine, caramel, nuts, raisin. Simple sweet light roasted malts, brown sugar.

Bottle. Pours a ruby brown with a massive off-white head that dissipates to a clumpy film. Some lacing on the glass. Muted aromas of gingerbread, dark fruit and a bit of toffee. Upfront flavors of German yeast, plum, cocoa, citrus, cola and bready tones. Mildly hoppy with a long, malty finish. Medium carbonation. Lively mouthfeel with a slight oiliness that coats the tongue. As a craft beer, this isn’t much of a standout, but as a traditional German schwarzbier, this is pretty good.

Beer of the month club. Deep dark brown with mahogany highlights, two-finger tan head and nice lace. Aromas of toast, caramel, ash and faint citrus. Taste is similar, as roasted malts up front are supported by solid caramel base and highlighted by a dry bitterness. Medium body, lively carbonation, prickly mouthfeel and a very dry finish.

12oz bottle thanks to ditmir. Pours out dark brown almost black topped with a tan head. Nose is light smoke roast malts chocolate and some fruit notes. Taste is more of the roast malts some light smoke and a chocolate.