Lady Of Avalon - Ninkasi Brewing Company

Matthew

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Concordia Ale House. A very dark brown close to black beer with a khaki colored head.
The aroma consists of light chocolate, some roasted barley, and some nutty mainly walnut character. There is a tinge of citrusy hop but very reserved for most other Ninkasi beers I've been lucky to try.
Roasted and nutty character up front to match the nose, with a grainy backdrop with some earthy hop balance though the hop is subtle.
Good carbonation and solid viscosity for the style.
An easy drinking good tasting beer from Ninkasi. This is a brewery with a lot of potential.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2007 08:21:42 | More by Matthew

ngeunit1

California

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a fairly dark brown-ruby color with a finger of frothy off white head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of roasted malts with hints of cocoa and coffee, a bit of vanilla and nuttiness, some earthy hops, and some lager esters.

T - Starts off with a mix of roasted dark malts with some chocolate coming through and a bit of vanilla. Through the middle, some coffee comes through with some earthy hops and a hint of black licorice. The finish is a mix of roasted dark malts, cocoa, coffee, earthy hops, a touch of vanilla, and some lager esters.

M - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a dry, sweet, and astringent finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice smooth dark lager with good over balance and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 05:05:59 | More by ngeunit1

flagmantho

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: dark brown with a light haze and a light effervescence. Head is a thin finger of frothy tan foam. Not bad, but not exactly "schwarz".

Smell: rich malty flavor with lots of caramelly, toasty and nutty character. I like it.

Taste: flavor starts off with the toasty malt, and then is rounded out by chocolate and dark fruity elements. Bitterness is very low. There's a nice complexity here and it is smooth and delightful.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a good level of well-integrated carbonation and a nice creaminess. I like it.

Overall: drinkable with a good, engaging complexity of flavor. I'd definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2012 23:44:12 | More by flagmantho

beertunes

Washington

3.83/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in straight pint glass. Poured a clean, clear dark brown/light black color with about 1/2 inch of off-white head that had low retention and no lacing.

The aroma had a nice grain base and a crisp hop presence. The taste was similar, good, earthy malts accentuated by a bold dose of tangy hops.

The body was good, crisp, smooth and with a bit of a lingering hop bite. Drinkability was very good, you could easily have several of these tasty brews. Overall, a very nice take on the style. I don't know how often this brew makes away from the brewery, but you should try it if you ever see it.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2012 21:17:49 | More by beertunes

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.73/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a dark mahogany amber with a half finger light tan head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of light toasted malt, slightly nutty and earthy. Flavor follows aroma with light toasted malt, nuts and a very tame hop finish. Flavor is pleasant, but attenuated. Decent medium body. Somewhat subdued for a schwarzvbier, but Ninkasi is labeling this as a dark lager and it seems appropriate to the style they were making. Glad I tried it, but a bit light in flavor to rush back to.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 01:37:44 | More by LiquidAmber

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

3.73/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into standard pint glass.

A: agressive sidepour gets no head and a sad little cap. very clear mahogany color. Quite attractive reddish brown nectar. Not much visible carbonation.

S: toasty at first followed by some astringent notes. Hops are ther but just for balance, not a big hit of them like I expect from everything Ninkasi does.

T: follows nose, lightly toasty, a little astringent, and balanced. So far so good. A little bit of alcohol burn on the way down. Surprising from a 5.00% brew.

M: lighter than it looks and crisp. not familliar with the style but its good.

O: I would say this is a hit, not sure how it compares to other munich dark lagers but who care it is tasty.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 08:07:53 | More by N3rdM3t4l

Beerenauslese

California

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Body is translucent dark reddish brown, with a white foamy head that dissipates quickly to a ring, leaving scant lacing on the glass.

Smells lightly roasted malt, nutty, and sweet. Not all that much going on there.

Foundation of a lager, but with some dark malt lending some light coffee and a little caramelized malt sweetness. I am also tasting some roasted walnuts. There is a little mild hoppy bitterness in the finish. Decent tasting, although not very complex.

Body is light and has low carbonation, producing a flatish mouthfeel.

A decent tasting black lager that is drinkable but not extraordinary.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 00:41:39 | More by Beerenauslese

Hoptometrist

Oregon

3.33/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served from the bottle into a pilsner glass

A- Poured a dark ruby brown color with a huge frothy off-white head that left spectacular thick glass coating lace

S- Big roasted coffee and lager fruitiness in the nose. Some vanilla like notes. Not very complex but the aroma is great

T- Lots of lager fruitiness, some nice roasted coffee notes, brown sugar, pretty watery on the finish though

M- Smooth, medium carbonation,medium body, finishes semi-dry

O- Really nice aroma and easy to drink lager. The flavor was a little watery though

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 03:04:30 | More by Hoptometrist

Reidrover

Oregon

3/5  rDev -18.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz single from "Lifesource" Salem . $1.79 Deep amber , maybe brown with ruby accents beer, with a large thick,frothy light tan coloured head. not much aroma to talk off what there is is milk chocolate and weak coffee.. Flavour is slightly more chocolate and coffee, slightly roasty in character. Mouthfeel is OK for style, nothing to go crazy over Altogether kinda boring, i think the extra lagering took any character it might have had away.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 17:38:59 | More by Reidrover

vkv822

Oregon

2.65/5  rDev -27.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12oz : tulip

Clear, dark amber-red when held to the light, appears almost black-black cherry when not held to light. Foamy, very light tan head, dissipates to leave a thin film.

Lightly sweet, roasty malts. Soft, faint aroma overall.

Again, the flavors are fairly subdued overall, but consist of faint roasty malts, some nutty, lightly earthy hops.

Medium-light body with low carbonation.

Body and carbonation was a bit too low for my liking, and the flavor profiles , while enjoyable, were a little too subdued overall. I know this style is not known for big, robust flavor, but even held to those expectations, just a bit too subdued overall.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 08:28:50 | More by vkv822