Four More from Lakefront (WI)

The remaining four from my Lakefront 8-pack are darker beers, except for the India Pale Ale.

IPA: The strongest beer of the lot at 7% while the rest are between 5% and 6%. This also proves to be the best of the bunch. It's not a West Coast hop bomb, but more of a balanced English-style IPA. Big aroma comes through as soon as you pop the cap. Hazy pale orange, nice trail of foam left down the side of the glass. Taste-wise, it's not the punchiest of the style in terms of hops, but puts forth a nice balance of biscuity malts and citrus and floral hops. Doesn't feel like its  ABV. 

Eastside Dark Lager: "A rich, dark lager like the ones Milwaukee's founding fathers might have enjoyed on the old Eastside." Wikipedia describes Milwaukee's East side as "a mix of hipsters, hippies, college students and young professionals." Was the old East side different? Regardless, this is a dark lager, but not a rich enough one for me. Any roasty coffee or chocolate elements are muted. 

Instead, it's a bit metallic. Better than macro lagers (blah, blah, blah) but that's about it.

Riverwest Stein Beer: Riverwest is another Milwaukee neighborhood, and I appreciate the brewery's effort in tapping into it's local scene. I did not drink this lager out of a stein, but out of a regular lager glass. It's lighter than Eastside Dark, a chestnut colored beer. The taste is primarily caramel, and then maybe woody hops which keep it from being too sweet.  Alas, it's somewhat watery. Still better than Eastside Dark, but not a memorable lager.

Fuel Cafe Coffee Flavored Stout: When I cracked this open, I sensed that sour salami smell I had found in the lighter beers. Fortunately, any such taste was covered up. This pours pitch black with a red-beige head that fizzes away quickly. The coffee is there as promised. It's actually fairly hard to down, maybe due less to its richness than to a mild astringency in the finish. If you really like coffee stout, give this one a try.

Overall for me, a pretty unimpressive variety pack from Lakefront. I'd drink the IPA again and maybe the Cherry Lager, but that's about it. Was there an issue of freshness? All bottles were dated from later August, which is only three months. That doesn't preclude the possibility of poor handling, but that still doesn't change the fact that for me these weren't all that great. 

Three More from Saranac

The other three from Saranac's Adirondack Trail Mix:

Brown Ale: Clear brown with a red/orange tinge. The label boasts of "Pacific Northwest hops," and I think I can smell them. So this isn't a British Brown. To it's credit, it isn't a bland one either. A touch of chocolate malt, a decent hop presence, and a dry finish. But also an over-carbonated body and kind of a rough taste. Eh.

Black & Tan: I've often had the suspicion that Saranac produces some of their myriad beers by mixing existing ones. No secret about the Black & Tan, a mixture of their Amber Lager and seasonal Irish Stout (which, as Wikipedia explains, would technically make this a Half and Half). From a bottle, you don't get the cool layered effect as with a true Black and Tan. So what do you get? A lighter stout, I suppose. It's roastiness is cut by caramel sweetness from the lager. Overall, the malts and hops don't really blend, and it tastes like the sort of experimental beer mix you'd create at home with the remnants of various six packs. Still, it's pretty intersting and worth a try.

Black Forest: "Bavarian Style Beer." It never comes out and says it's a schwarzbier on the label, but I think that's what it is, more or less. I don't think it strives for German authenticity though (the Black Forest isn't even in Bavaria) . It's very dark brown and ruby colored. Even accepting that this is a lager, the body is too light. In fact, the entire initial taste is too light and mineral water-ish for me, more treble than bass. At the end, a light roasted flavor comes through, which is great, but overall I don't like this as much as some others do. Sam Adams makes a better American black lager, while Sprecher makes one that is much richer and roastier.

So the Pale Ale is the star of this sixer for me, and probably the only one I'd seek out again.

Trader José Dark Lager (MEX)

Trader Joe's Dark Premium Dark Lager is made in Mexico -- thus, Trader "José" -- and is pretty clearly modeled on Negra Modelo. This sets certain levels of expectations for the beer that work in TJ's favor.

This is basically a fairly light-bodied beer that wouldn't work in October, but that's not what they're trying to do. I would like a higher hop level to match the caramel sweetness. If it warms too much, it seems to develop some off flavors. But this is too negative.

What I like best about it are the roasty, cocoa-ish notes that come through at the end. It's ultimately a clean, refreshing summer brew that is also quite tasty. Maybe I was selling Trader Joe's short (they don't even have stores around here, so I don't know), but I liked this considerably more than I thought I would.

Zötler Bier Korbinian Dunkel (GER)

From what I gather, Privat Brauerei Zötler -- which has been around for more than 500 years -- has only recently begun exporting to the US. It's part of Craft Brewers of Bavaria, an "an export consortium of five of Bavaria’s top craft breweries," from which I recall seeing one or two other products (Lammsbrau Organic) at my local retailer. It's nice to see the website brag about its Cold-Track system, promising to protect the beer from heat and light during the long journey from Germany. At less than $7 a four-pack, Zötler is still reasonably priced for an import.

Korbinian Dunkel is pretty straightforward for the style. Toffee-like malts, a handful of hops, with some roasted coffee in the finish. It's a very smooth drinking beer, a bit on the light side for the style, but that's not a problem for me during the summer. Nice dunkel.

Negra Modelo (MEX)

How do you like that beer? You know, they brought German Burgermeisters over here back in about 18 hundred and something. Who knows? Long time ago. Some of the best beer in the world comes from Mexico.
-Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

In fact, it doesn't, Benny, but it is true about the German (or Austrian) connection to Mexican beer. Negra Modelo is, IMO, probably the nest Mexican beer readily available in the US. Still, this isn't a dark lager to match the best of Vienna. It looks pretty: clear amber rather than pale yellow. And there's both more malt and more hops than in a Corona or Pacifica. Still, it's pretty light, and buried beneath too much carbonation. At the end, you can just barely taste some roasted coffee maltiness. There isn't enough, though. Then again, a proper Vienna lager probably wouldn't suit Chile Rellenos or an afternoon at the beach.

Sprecher Mai Bock/Black Bavarian (WIS)

I hadn't seen anything from this Milwaukee based brewer before, so I wonder if they just began distributing to Western New York. They are evidently more renowned for their soda than for their beer. The 16-ounce bottles ($8.50 a 4-pack) have twist off caps, unusual for a craft brewer, but unlike macro bottles, they're really hard to open.

Mai Bock: This is a seasonal brew, a robust pale lager. It pours a lightly hazy orange-yellow with a weak head. Overall, it's a bit more malty than hoppy, although there's definite bitterness along with the bready sweetness. The neck label claims a "distinctive flowery aroma and a crisp hop flavor," which is mostly correct, though I'm not sure if it comes across as entirely crisp. It has a rich body, nice soft carbonation, and a very long aftertaste. I like this beer a good deal, but it might not win over lager skeptics. It's probably more suitable for early, cool spring than for sunny May days.


Black Bavarian: Another lager, this appears to be one of their most respected offerings. I like schwarzbiers a lot, with Sam Adams providing my current favorite. Sprecher's take is smokier. It starts out sweet, has some spiciness and bitterness, but is quickly overtaken by pretty heavy roasted malts. It reminds me a bit of Saranac Chocolate Amber Lager in that respect, or perhaps some stouts I've had. I'm not enthralled with smokiness, which is a strike against Sprecher for me. On the plus side, it has the same appealing soft carbonation as the Mai Bock. Black Bavarian is a well-made beer, and I think it's a question of what you're looking for.

Mahr's Brau Jubelfestbier (GER)

"The only true craft beers imported from Germany come from the tiny Mahr’s brewery in Bamberg," says the Shelton Brothers website. If it's true that it's a bit late to be drinking festbiers, it's also true that this isn't an ordinary festbier.

This offering comes in one of those elaborately capped 500 ml bottles and gives a good pop when opened. It's translucent but very dark brown, the darkest of any Oktoberfest lager, perhaps. So is this a schwarbier? Well, it doesn't have the same level of porter-like roasty coffee or chocolate. That's there in smaller doses. The hops are noticeable, adding an earthiness and slight bitterness. Overall, it's pretty balanced between malt and hops, and finishes fairly dry and crisp. The body is a tad too light I think, and there's fairly active carbonation (thus, the initial loud pop).

At 4.9% ABV, it would be very drinkable but for the price ($4+). No doubt, this would be better in Franconia, and maybe even a little fresher in the bottle a few months ago. As a festbier, it's an interesting change of pace, but no law says you can't drink the tastier and more affordbale Sam Adams Black Lager or a nice dunkel for Oktoberfest. Still, this is good enough that I'll want to try others from the brewery.

Dixie Blackened Voodoo Lager (LA)

This is another one new to my local retailer, although I'm not sure if this simply means new since Katrina. As this downbeat AP report details, the long-time New Orleans brewery was apparently struggling before the hurricane battered them. I suppose it's a good sign that they're currently available in western New York.

Based on the name, I thought Blackened Voodoo was a black lager and was planning on having a head-to-head comparison between it and Orlio. Ratebeer indeed classifies it as a schwarzbier, but Beer Advocate calls it a Munich dunkel. Neither seems spot on. It pours coppery-brown with an off-white head. Smells like an ordinary lager. Somewhat light-bodied and pretty fizzy, Blackened Voodoo tastes only slightly sweet and slightly bitter. On the plus side, it doesn't really have any "off" flavors that I can detect. It's fairly crisp, and I can see downing several of these with spicy food.

Among all the fine craft beers out there, this doesn't stand out. Of course, Dixie isn't really a craft brewery, but an old regional brand just trying to hang on. Sympathy for the brewery might push this into the "worth a try" category

Orlio Organic Black Lager (VT)

I'd never seen this before in my area, and at the time I bought it, was unaware that it was made by a subsidiary of Magic Hat. Orlio brews three organics: a year-round common ale, an IPA for summer, and this black lager for winter. The brewer describes this as:

A rich medium-bodied black lager whose sweet deep malt flavor is balanced by a moderate hop bite and roasted malt tartness that create notes of bitter chocolate and a slight lingering sweetness.

It pours very dark. Only when holding it up to light can I see my fingers on the other side, along with shades of red. The initial waft of aroma reminds me of pork rinds -- not what you'd like to advertise for an organic beer -- but really that's just roastiness and maybe smokiness. The body is fairly rich with restrained carbonation. The taste is what you'd expect from a nice schwarzbier. Roasted malts, more coffee than chocolate to me. It leans more toward sweet than dry or bitter, and the above description of "lingering sweetness" is accurate.

I don't like this quite as much as Sam Adams' take on the style, but I'd still recommend this for those who like the style or for those seeking all things organic. The truth is, that organic beer is closer to, say, organic apples than organic hot dogs. There's no particular reason its quality should suffer.

Saranac Belgian Ale/Chocolate Amber Lager

Saranac's 12 Beers of Winter has two each of six beers and costs around a buck a beer (before tax and deposit). Knowing this brewery, I don't expect these beers to blow me away in terms of quality (though it would be nice if one did). They will be approached more in the spirit of "oooh, let me try this one next!"


Belgian Ale: The label describes this as a "Belgian Style Ale." I understand that there are rules saying that you have to call it "-style" unless it's actually made in Belgium, but apparently the beer name itself can be "Belgian Ale."

This pours crystal clear, somewhere between amber and copper. I got a decent head out of it and a malty, spicy nose. It's not a textbook Belgian. It's over-fizzed, as are most Saranac beers (that's what the people like). This cuts into the flavor a bit. It's more spicy/herbal and even hoppy than fruity sweet. The finish is on the dry, crisp side of things. I can't pick out any of the fruit subtleties here, such as dark cherries or plums, and in this case I don't think the fault is mine. Still, this is a half decent beer. It's a Belgian for those to whom the word "Belgian" doesn't bring pre-existing expectations.

Chocolate Amber Lager: This one is categorized by the online rating sites as a dunkel. It was bottled two days earlier than the Belgian Ale: 2677 vs. 2697, which as the website helpfully explains, is September 24th rather than the 26th. This baby pours really dark, nearly black. Holding it up to the light reveals just a tinge of red around the corners, and still can't see my fingers on the other side. It doesn't have much aroma, though.

Again, this has too many bubbles for my taste, but the body is heavier than the Belgian Ale's. It's a bit slick going down. The chocolate is dark and bitter, not sweet, and heavily roasted, almost to the point of being burnt or smoky. I actually coughed at first, like a kid puffing his first cigarette. I didn't expect this to be a sweet chocolate syrup -- and wouldn't want it to be that -- but I do think the chocolate aspect is a bit too faint. There's also some coffee in there. Chocolate Amber Lager is more or less in the same ballpark as Beligan Ale in terms of quality, but gains points for being different.

Einbecker Schwarzbier (GER)

Fresh off my happy experience with Sam Adams' Black Lager, I figured I'd try another beer in the style. The Einbecker actually turned out to be very different. My reaction was that this seemed more like a dark lager than a black one, and it turns out ratebeer.com has it listed as a dunkel. The same beer has been labeled both ways, 11.2 ounce bottle says Schwarzbier on the label.

It pours a clear burnt umber with an off-white head. There isn't a lot of aroma, but what 's present isn't very sweet. The body is on the thin side with a healthy dose of fine bubbles. Taste-wise, it's much less sweet than the Sam Adams, with no chocolate and less roastiness in general. It's still more malty than hoppy, and perhaps slightly nutty, but has a clean, dry finish the Sam Adams lacked.

I prefer the Sam Adams overall, although that may be influenced by the fact that I paid half as much per bottle (an on-sale six-pack versus a loose single exagerrates the price difference). Which one you prefer will depend on your tolerance for sweetness. Even then, the Einbecker strikes me as unexceptional.

Samuel Adams Black Lager (MA)

There aren't a ton of Schwarzbiers around. Here in New York, Saranac makes one. There's Xingu from Brazil, the classic Franconian Kulmbacher Mönchshof, and a handful of others. The style can be viewed as a lager version of stout, or perhaps one step up the ladder beyond dunkel.

The Sam Adams certainly looks like a stout, though perhaps with more light passing through. It even has a nice fluffy beige head. The taste is malty and roasted, with some hints of chocolate. Based on what I've read about the style, this one is a bit on the sweet side and has a lower hop presence (i.e., practically none). Not that the style is ever hoppy or bitter, but some descriptions talk about a dry or crisp lager finish, which I didn't really detect. Compared with a stout, there is (of course) a huge difference in body. The Sam Adams is still pretty creamy -- medium bodied with moderate carbonation -- but isn't quite the same as a Guinness milkshake.

Facile comparisons to stout aside, I really like this. It certainly is one of the tastier lagers I've had, and would a great smooth-drinking session beer. Now I want to try one of the classic German Schwarzbiers.

Food note: the German Beer Institute suggests using black lager as a substitute for white wine in fondue. I'll have to try that too.