Elevator Dark Horse Lager - Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus

hustlesworth

Ohio

3.81/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- dark chestnut brown with golden amber highlights. Decent creamy beige head and wavy lace.

S- roasty dark malts with hints of coffee and cocoa. There's also a tiny whiff of chocolate mousse and leafy hop aroma.

T- bigger on flavor than aroma. Smooth cocoa and coffee with just the right amount of roasted bitterness. Hop presence is mild to almost absent, but lends an earthy edge in the finish. Notes of soil, wood, and stone and a mild tartness.

MF- medium full body with zesty carbonation. Definite roasted grainy feel on the palate. Wholesome and filling.

D- I didn't expect much from this one, but I'm pleasantly surprised. A tasty flavorful brew that I could definitely drink more than one of.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 01:32:12 | More by hustlesworth

Brenden

Ohio

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Notes are from last weekend; this beer serves as my first ever from Elevator.

It's not thick and heavy-looking, but it is dark, edging toward black and stopping at dark brown as some of light peeks through the edges and it shows a little medium brown through the body when held to the light. A creamy tan head sits at just over a finger tall, retains itself well, and leaves a goodly amount of patchy lacing as the beer falls.
The roast has some interesting character on the nose, toasty and lightly charred but with no astringent character of off notes. A bit of raw dark cocoa lays underneath all the way, balanced by a light touch of caramel. Some tangy citrus adds another element to the overall aroma.
There's an underlying grains note that's appropriate for the style while shying away from being the main component. It keeps from getting "steely," as many of the style do. There's a light nuttiness underneath that mingles with the roast and citrus well in the flavor. Again, there here are no off notes to this beer, showing itself to be skillfully brewed. True, the Euro Dark is the weakest style of the dark beers, but this beer is a great take on it.
At first, before I've identified the style, it's from the feel that I definitely notice this isn't an American bruiser of any kind, nor is it in porter or stout territory. It isn't bland, though, and its crispness and moderate carbonation keep it going while it doesn't lack smoothness, so that even as a light to medium-bodied dark lager, it works.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2012 19:03:18 | More by Brenden

JohnnyMc

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is the first beer I have tried from this brewery.

It pours out pretty dark, almost black which is unusual for a Lager.

The aroma is very malty with a subtle hint of chocolate and roasted flavors.

This is the best tasting Lager I have ever had. It starts out very malt heavy and then blends into a roasted flavor with a heavy emphasis on chocolate.

It's medium bodied for a Lager and once again, it's the best Lager I have ever had from any brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 02:51:41 | More by JohnnyMc

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Boy, for a Euro Dark Lager, this had more character than I'd expect - especially in the aroma. Really nice nutty character with a bit of caramel (not sweet) and pushing toast to roast (which will show up again in flavor). Quite a nice aroma for a lager - more robust than most, esp. for a lower alcohol beverage.
Darker color, but holding the deep cooper color and off-white head that settles out quickly. Not bad looking, just not a classic lager.
Flavor not quite as enjoyable as as aroma - but still a rather flavorful lager. My group who shared this guessed that it was fermented at warmer temps based upon the most robust profile of flavors. Many of the same characteristics as the aroma, just more subdued than the former. Especially as it warmed the toast to roast become more of the later than former, but still never at excess or unbalanced.
Closer to an ale feel with a little bigger body and lacking a clear lager cleanliness or crispness.
Still an enjoyable beer with bold flavor unexpected from a lager. Best Euro lager I can remember. :0)
Thanks Chuck.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2012 04:04:41 | More by garymuchow

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.28/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from the bottle into a pilsner glass

A- Poured a dark brown with red hues. I can see some carbonation through the dark color. Big frothy head leaves big glass coating lace

S- Floral notes, light chocolate, very clean smelling lager aroma

T- Big sweet milk chocolate, big roasty coffee notes, vanilla, biscuity/cracker flavor, some floral notes, and earthy notes. Really great tasting beer with great balance of flavors.

M-Rich creamy mouthfeel up front and through the middle, high carbonation, finishes dry

O- A very flavorful roasty and sweet lager that drinks like a milk stout/porter/oatmeal stout hybrid. Great creamy mouthfeel and very sessionable. This would be a staple in my fridge if I could get this beer around Cleveland.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 02:53:36 | More by Hoptometrist

TuffNut87

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a very enjoyable beer. It had very little head or lacing in a pint glass. Smells good and taste improves as it warms a bit. Smooth with toasty, coffee-like flavor. Pairs better with food than porter, but has a flavor that is similar. I was glad to discover Elevator Brewing since it a local brewery. Columbus Brewing's regular offerings are good but more for hop enthusiasts.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 02:10:05 | More by TuffNut87

nubz77

West Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Being a lager, this is a very crisp beer. It has a slick oily look with excellent lacing.

The smell is somewhat subdued but a little sulfur is noticeable at the fringe with a little bit of caramel. The taste is similar with roasted malts, caramel, and a tiny amount of chocolate. Maybe even vanilla? Not a very sweet beer at all, but that's to be expected.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 15:50:37 | More by nubz77

mdvatab

Indiana

4.35/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Received as another great extra from cosmonick. (Cheers!)

Aroma: Getting a sweet apple note at the beginning, followed by Honey Nut Cheerios, and then a bit of minty hop in the background.

Appearance: Wow--lots of foam! A pour down the side of the glass quickly results in 4 fingers of light tan head. The foam settles to a very nice two-finger collar, which stays til the very end of the glass, like a milkshake, a cappucino, or a pint of Guinness. Lacing is nice and sudsy. Oh, yeah, and the body of the beer is a dark amber with decent clarity. Fine streams of effervesence are visible through the side of the glass. (The most I've written about a beer's appearance in a while!)

Flavor: Nice, sweet cereal grain, followed by an apple note here as well. A subtle hoppy bitterness provides balance, and stays there through the finish. There's also a very light mineral quality to the beer. Again, overall, the sweetness from the malt is very well-balanced in this one.

Mouthfeel: Crisp carbonation, as one would expect from the clues given by the beer's appearance. The body is medium-light.

Overall: Actually, one of the best dark lagers I've had. EXTREMELY sessionable, but, at the same time, not boring. Would love to get my hands on a 6pk of this!

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2011 11:16:49 | More by mdvatab

nukem5

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Brought to me in a pint glass with a very dark color and a nice tan foam cap.

S: Malty and big lots of malts perfectly blended with a good balance of hop.

T: Sweet and malty mostly great as my desert beer...lol

M: Medium bodied to light with a good carbonation level.

O: Overall I would definly have this again loved it and all I tasted there.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2011 01:49:24 | More by nukem5

Fitwitchik

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle to a pint glass.

Esthetically pleasing very dark amber/cocoa colour. Tall creamy head that nicely laced down the sides of the glass as the brew was consumed.

The scent flowed of malty caramel. Pleasing but not spectacular

Taste of malty sweetness was subtly nice. Definite caramel & slight chocolate was appealing. Hops finished nicely quiet. Impressive for this usual non lager fan.

Overall a not too shabby dark larger. Actually contemplating another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 00:23:11 | More by Fitwitchik

zimm421

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass. Appears a dark brown color with a decent off-white head. The color isn't overly dark and there is some light that comes through.

The nose is pretty good. Good roasted malts, a little yeasty and some hints of chocolate. The taste is similar, not overpowering, and the roasted malts are more prevalent, as well as good hints of chocolate again. There is a nice balance as well with a slight hop bite on the tongue.

The mouthfeel is a little thinner than I expected but it makes it easy drinking and very enjoyable. The carbonation is just right with a slight sting on the palate. Overall, this is an easy drinking, flavorful lager. Things came together pretty well here; another solid offering from Elevator.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 00:52:38 | More by zimm421

tjacobs610

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very dark in color with a reddish hue as well. Very thin head, around 2 inches that is a tannish white color. Not much retention to speak of but it does have decent lacing.

S: Very malty and sweet smelling. Has a citrusy aroma along with a hint of chocolate

T: Has a malty sweetness right away, followed by a chocolate and bitter ending. Has a very balanced taste that also contains hints of bread and caramel

M: Very light and creamy feel, goes down very easy and is also very sessionable. Has a great mix of flavor and carbonation to the point where the carbonation is almost unnoticeable

O:Very good beer overall. It has great color and taste and a fairly good aroma as well. This beer is definitely one that you can drink an entire 6-pack of on a hot summer day

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2011 08:14:17 | More by tjacobs610

BigDRS

Ohio

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

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. Bottle has no freshness date.

Color is a deep copper/amber. I get about a finger of tan head. Very little lacing.

Lots of malty character on the nose. There's some coffee, bread, brown sugar, and toffee notes as well.

Taste has a lot of sweetness up front with a bit of a cocoa/chocolate in the finish. This is surprisingly balanced. The cocoa flavor lingers for a while after each sip.

Mouthfeel is good, but not great. This goes down pretty easy, and at just over 5% ABV I could down a few of these in a session no problem.

Overall this is a pretty nice brew. They boast on the label that it won a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival and I can see why.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2011 04:08:45 | More by BigDRS

Wildman

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured a clear very dark amber color and formed a nice foamy light tan head that coated the glass with lace as it subsided. An aroma of malts, breads and lightly of chocolate. The flavor was of malt, chocolate and bread. The body is fairly light and the finish slightly sweet. Not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2011 21:17:40 | More by Wildman

DoctorDog

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 12 oz bottle into a standard pint glass. Thanks to pop's garage refrigerator for passing this one into my stomach.

A- Dark coppery/brown. Pours with <1 finger of off white head, which settles quickly into an island of bubbles.

S- Toasty, with a light caramel malt sweetness.

T- Bready, slightly toasty malty sweetness dominates. Restrained hops and minimal bitterness.

M- Moderate carbonation. Medium-light feel.

O- Decent. Pleasant easy drinker....nothing to wow, but nothing offensive. A brew that you could kick a few of these back without much effort.

Future outlook: A pleasant easy drinking beer...but not really in line with my preferences, and not something I will likely seek out in the future.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 04:14:17 | More by DoctorDog

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, 5.3% abv. Pours a dark amber color, with a brown tint. White head holds well for a few minutes.

Faint roasted grain in the nose, along with some earthy hops. Not very much at play here.

Darker malt, slightly roasty with a hint of chocolate, without the sweetness. Dry and slightly astringent at the finish, with some earthy bitterness.

Lighter body, but not overly fizzy. Alcohol is a non-factor here. Overall, not terribly interesting but without any major flaws. This would be easy to drink a lot of.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2011 22:38:03 | More by Bierguy5

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Molten copper with pumpkin accents and plenty of uprushing bubbles. The carbonation destination is two fingers of khaki hued foam that is developing large divots in its upper surface as it slowly shrinks. Thick streamers of lace look good too.

This offering is more properly thought of as an American brown lager. Besides, last time I checked, Columbus is not in Europe. Loads of brown bready malt are a pleasant surprise and instantly earn this pony a good score.

Dark Horse Lager is not short on flavor, which is the first major point in its favor. Sweet and bitter balance is right in the fun zone as well. My EB & DH experience is still on the low end, but it's obvious that these guys know what the hell they're doing.

Flavors include toasted brown bread, steely caramel, cocoa powder and strong iced tea. This must be a fresh bottle because the finish is impressively tight/clean, with a healthy nip of hops. Too bad most Euro dark lagers don't taste this good.

There are no complaints about the mouthfeel either. It's easily big enough and has a well-calibrated combination of creaminess and stinging bubbles. Borderline buzzy to start turns into 'keeps your attention' lively by mid-bottle.

Elevator Dark Horse Lager is solid beer from the gate to the backstretch to the finish line. Even though it uses lager yeast, it's really more of an American brown ale than anything else. Forget being a dark horse, this stuff is a favorite.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 12:50:40 | More by BuckeyeNation

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to csmiley for the chance to try this one. Poured into a pint glass this brew appears a clear amber brown color with a finger of quickly dissolving lightly tanned head. Some streaks of lace cling along the glass.

The aroma of this brew is sweet caramelized malt smelling with a bit of buttery notes. Some brown sugary suggestions are also evident along with a minor level of citrus hop scent. A faint chocolate malt suggestion is also evident as the brew warms.

The taste is a sweet mixture upfront tasting of a combination of caramel and chocolate malts with a hint of brown sugar. The sweetness fades to some buttery diacetyl notes, contrasted by a mild herbal hoppy bitterness and an increasing alcohol flavor and warmth brings up the rear.

Medium bodied with modest carbonation. For a brew at just over 5% abv the alcohol is quite pronounced but plays off with a nice subtle fruity flavor that meshes well with the other flavors. It is quite drinkable but a little too sweet for my liking and at times the buttery notes just dont blend well with the other flavors. As the brew warms, it picks up a bit of a light roasted quality about the malt that lingers in the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 03:06:03 | More by stakem

JayQue

Virginia

3.65/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Not a bad lager. Pours a dark amber color with a cream color head - average retention and good lacing - rings around the glass.

Smell is mild and malty.

Tastes pretty good. Toasted malt and sweet malt with a minimum hop presence other than to cut the sweetness.

Mouthfeel is good. Plenty rich for the style, light and crisp.

Drinkability is good. Slides down easy and has enough flavor to warrant making it a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2010 19:01:52 | More by JayQue

Spider889

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had for the first time tonight at Claddagh of all places. I always saw "lager" on the label and just assumed I wouldn't like it.

Came dark. Not exactly black, more the color of weak watery coffee - dark brown and blackish in the center. No head but left minimal lace.

Smelled decent. Malty, slightly bready and lightly toasted.

Taste was great! Reminded me of how much diversity you can still find in a lager, and also steamed up some visions of homebrewing a lager this winter possibly. Nice and robust for the style, dark and roasty, with some spicy/earthy hops on the finish.

Medium bodied for a lager. slightly dry but overall a very smooth and easy drinking beer. I am slowly becoming sold that I need to be paying more attention to Elevator, and next time I see this in stores I'll probably come home with some.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2010 02:02:48 | More by Spider889

jrallen34

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap into a pint glass...Pours a pretty ugly watered down coca-cola with a light white head, ok retention and lacing...The aroma is light, almost dead, I can pull a little roasted malt and toffee...The taste is light but refreshing, light roast, caramel, and tofee. Super easy to drink.

This is good dark lager, try it.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2010 18:01:58 | More by jrallen34

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass on 7/28/10

Medium brown color; not quite cola but close. It has nice clarity though; no haziness. One & a half fingers of foam has dropped to a thin layer. Minimal lace.

Simple aroma of toasted bread, earthy hops & musty yeast undertones.

Subtle earthy hop notes hit upfront & give way to a full malt profile. Sporting only a vague sweetness, there are notes of toasted dark bread, a hint of biscuit & even some dark sugars. No frills, but it tastes pretty good.

Leaning towards full bodied. Carbonation seems right around where it should be; not overly fussy. Residuals of toasted malt with a lingering bitterness.

Not too shabby. Dark Horse is straightforward & plays it safe. Certainly nothing wrong with that. Still, with other quality beers available locally (from Elevator & others), this won't end up in any sort of regular rotation.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2010 21:19:16 | More by Ryan011235

goblue3509

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear dark brown color with a faint head that gives way to very little lacing. The aroma is nice, a caramel malt with some breadiness and some biscuit present. The taste is of a caramel malt backbone with a nice taste of toast and biscuits. There is also a hint of dark fruits present. The mouthfeel is overly carbonated. It is a little too much going on in the mouth. The drinkability is very good, a nice smooth flavor with a nice taste. There is a nice enough balance to keep you wanting more. The mouthfeel is a little bit distracting though.

Serving type: on-tap

07-23-2010 20:16:47 | More by goblue3509

chiefydawg

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Dark amber, very clear body with muted but adequate carbonation and a thin, white, short-lived head. Not much lace.

Nice Munichy maltiness up front in the nose, bringing almost a tad of fruit (NOT from the yeast or hops though). Faint German-smelling hop aroma, clean yeast. Wisp of smoke and roast.

Tanned toast, some rich homemade biscuit crust. Hint of dark fruit and burnt caramel. But the hop is more prevalent than expected and imposes itself. Not bitter, but balanced with some earthy, apple peel taste, keeping it malty but in check. Clean lager taste with a touch of refreshing sulfur. Sweet but not cloying at all.

Nice, medium mouthfeel is quite inviting. Quite drinkable and clean-finishing for being malt-based and having low carbonation. This bottle may not survive the review!

Loves me a semi-local Dark Lager, man. Quite a treat the more I think of it. Truthfully reminds me of a darker, well-made Oktoberfest with extra late hope additions.

Note: the beer did not survive this review.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2010 02:32:32 | More by chiefydawg

Traquairlover

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks to ne0m00re for this bottle.

12-oz bottle poured into a pilsner.

A = Nice dark caramel with good clarity. I really like the color, but I'm split on the appearance by the fact that there is an almost complete lack of head, a small amount of bubbling at first that was similar to Coke and then nothing.

S = This smells really nice, like whole wheat sourdough uncooked bread dough, a bit of earthy hops. Very nice.

T = Good balance but a little less oomph than I had hoped for after the smell. There is a constant level of bitterness without any strong hops flavors and a good bready flavor at first, but this thins out a bit as it hits midpalate and light flavors of burnt toast appear. All in all it's good, but not great.

M = Carbonation is soft in terms of feel. It doesn't sting. But it is far too strong in terms of amount. A small drink starts to expand in the mouth until it is in danger of spurting out unless a larger swallow than intended is performed on an emergency basis. Body is very light, mouthcoating is adequate for the beer, but a little light.

D = This is an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2010 15:26:44 | More by Traquairlover