Barbarossa Double Dark Lager - Christian Moerlein Brewing Company

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Single bottle poured into a shaker pint glass. While there are batch/date codes on the bottle, I can't interpret any of them, or at least it's not obvious to me what it means.

Appearance: Brown with red hints on the table, clear dark orange with ruby red highlights when held up to the light with plenty of visible carbonation coming up through the glass. Thin light tan ring of foam around the edge of the glass, with some thin wisps of foam across the top. This was despite a vigorous pour to get a good head - nope - this one is not persistent. Lacing is minimal - thin strands at the edge that sink back down the glass wall.

Smell: When cold, this reminds me a bit of a doppelbock with some serious dark fruit smells, but as it warms up, those smells get muted and are replaced with some toasted malt and hints of toffee. The smells coming off the beer are stronger when the beer is cold and first poured - they dissipated with time and warmer temperatures. The smells are good, I just wish they were stronger.

Taste: Definite toffee flavor and roasted malts, followed by a faint crisp hop middle and an end which I swear tastes like warm grape nuts cereal. Well...there is roasted barley in this beer isn't there? I rather like the finish.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation on the tongue, just right in thickness and smoothness, but otherwise nothing special.

Drinkability: Went very well with a meal (BBQ sloppy joes and fries) and I could easily have one ore two of these by themselves. The taste is interesting and grows on me with every sip.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2010 22:25:10 | More by damndirtyape

Rdc67

Kentucky

4/5  rDev +7.2%

05-22-2013 19:04:09 | More by Rdc67

norinco

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

05-20-2013 22:20:14 | More by norinco

Bill235

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

05-09-2013 21:29:10 | More by Bill235

sywalters

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

04-07-2013 22:10:23 | More by sywalters

Chris77McGrath

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +13.9%

03-23-2013 13:33:18 | More by Chris77McGrath

screamking

Ohio

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz bottle poured into pint glass.

Appearance-pours dark red-brown with minimal head, no lacing to be found. 3

Aroma-sweet smelling with a slight hint of roasted malts. Some small plum smells but mostly just a typical lager aroma. 3.5

Taste-sweet malts right up front, some mild dark fruits, a little vanillia, brown sugar, not bad at all for a dark lager. 4

Feel-light bodied, drinkable as hell, a little watery, coats well but doesn't linger. 3.75

Overall-this is a great session beer and it doesn't taste half bad to boot. This would be a good beer to give to someone who doesn't drink much craft. The flavors could be stronger but for a lager they are better than most. 3.75

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 01:52:49 | More by screamking

ajanesz

Kentucky

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

03-05-2013 03:11:40 | More by ajanesz

davemathews68

Ohio

4/5  rDev +7.2%

02-25-2013 01:06:30 | More by davemathews68

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

3.91/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a clear stein. Beautiful clear, dark coppery color with a massive majestic bloom of a head. On the nose I get nice bready malty goodness. No fruity notes or spice. Just bread, toffee, and perhaps a hint of cocoa.

The flavor is all about malt. Nice sweet malty flavors abound. The feel is a bit thin, but the flavor is pretty nice. There is a slight lemony kiss of hops at the finish, but the predominant flavors are bread, nuts, and toffee. Very nice.

Overall, a nice dark lager. I prefer a bit more chewiness in the feel and a spicy instead of a citrus-like note on the finish, but this is a nice, traditional lager. If you must have lots of hops, look elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 22:01:14 | More by deadonhisfeet

bonkers

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got as part of a botmc. Pours a ruby brown, big head, Los of lacing. the aroma is light, biscuity. the favors are subtle, grassy,biscuity, clean finish. The beer is light in body, good carbonation. It is a good representation of the style, great session beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 19:02:42 | More by bonkers

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev +0.5%

01-31-2013 20:26:55 | More by RedneckBeerz

Ford

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%

01-26-2013 03:23:01 | More by Ford

ChuckSchick

3/5  rDev -19.6%

01-25-2013 13:51:20 | More by ChuckSchick

alexipa

Colorado

4/5  rDev +7.2%

01-23-2013 04:32:27 | More by alexipa

helgrind

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +7.2%

01-14-2013 17:02:52 | More by helgrind

Tomhet

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a frosted mug because I can. The color is a dark brown that reveals a nice amber tinge when held up to light. A fairly large two-finger tannish head dissipates rather quickly but leaves some very nice creamy looking lacing. Given that I'm very unfamiliar with this style, the smell doesn't seem too nuanced to me; there's the typical lager smell with a heavy bready malt backbone supported by some sweet sugary notes that I hesitate to call "cinnamon" given the slightly saccharine bent to it. Still smells fairly good.

Taste offers a surprisingly nice kick right from the outset with that sweet breadiness omnipresent in the aroma that works every part of the tongue from start to finish. The only sort of hop bitterness comes through in the middle with a very earthy, slightly grassy taste, though it's frankly too mild to be of any considerable note. Body is medium and the finish is very smooth. Given my inexperience with the style, I can't say much other than that it's very tasty, though everything seems simply par for the course. Definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 06:20:45 | More by Tomhet

Eriehle

Florida

4/5  rDev +7.2%

12-28-2012 00:16:13 | More by Eriehle

Lukass

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +20.6%

12-22-2012 17:56:32 | More by Lukass

McNealc31

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

pours a deep brown with ruby edges. Sweet caramel and roasted malt dominate the aroma. Smooth and creamy, with caramel, roasted malt, and a bit of bittersweet chocolate. Perhaps a touch of smoke, too, but definitely not enough to make this a Schwarzbier.

Tasty and balanced, and with just 5% ABV, you can enjoy Barabarossa all day

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2012 02:05:19 | More by McNealc31

bigred9080

2.5/5  rDev -33%

12-09-2012 20:40:25 | More by bigred9080

JimmyFlatRock

Ohio

3/5  rDev -19.6%

12-03-2012 23:51:39 | More by JimmyFlatRock

bucketofheads

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +13.9%

12-02-2012 17:18:36 | More by bucketofheads

jaidenjb

Ohio

3/5  rDev -19.6%

11-11-2012 00:43:00 | More by jaidenjb

CoryJHarber

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -12.9%

10-22-2012 16:37:12 | More by CoryJHarber