Elevator Dark Horse Lager - Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus

sleazo

New York

3.75/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A_Pours a chocolate like brown which ranges through the spectrum from dark to milk when viewed against a light. A smallish tan head caps the brew. Retention is poor but the lace is fairly solid.

S_The nose is a nice blend of chocolate and a small dose of vegetal hops.

D_A smooth sweet liquid greets the tongue upon first sip followed by a burst of chocolate and caramel roasted malt. The finish is rather dry and speaks of light hopping. Some hints of hay in the aftertaste. There is also a bit of a metallic element as well that manages to detract from an otherwise tasty beer.

M_A thicker lager with just the right ammount of large bubbled carbonation.

D_The words, smooth and easy drinking come to mind as my glass quickly empties. A mostly clean tasting lager that is pretty tasty overall.

Thanks to csmiley for the opportunity to sample this.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2008 00:31:43 | More by sleazo

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

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

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

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

ndekke39

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Split a bomber of this with a good friend. Decanted into a pint glass.

A: Orangish-brown, light haze, thin white head. Seems pretty average for a dark lager.

S: Definite lager aromas. Very nutty, yeasty, rich dark malt aromas.

T: Definite nuttiness. A hint of something like popcorn. Strong maltiness overall. Clean finish.

M: A tad on the watery side. Very little carbonation.

D: A nice, drinkable lager. The first dark lager I think I've had. I'll definitely try this one again!

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2009 01:41:06 | More by ndekke39

MbpBugeye

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Poured into a pilsner glass. Big crazy head thats nearly out of control. The head retention is insane. Its like a meringue dolloped on top of this beer. The beer itself is a deep caramel color with lots of effervescence. The color is actually kinda strange looking.

S- Strange smell. Toasted malts, maybe some cornmeal, aluminum, and some cinnamon like spice.

T- Light flavor. Cinnamon, faint hops and biscuit malts.

M- Low carbonation, slick, heavy body. This is a lot heavier than I expected. Goes down well and is thirst quenching.

D- Pretty sessionable. Finishes clean and dry. Easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 04:07:14 | More by MbpBugeye

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

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

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

mashedpotatoes

Ohio

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

Above average brew. Gives off a floral smell with roasted malt character. Not quite as dark as the name suggests but does taste more like a schwarzbier than a lager. Mouthfeel is average and is on par with red/amber lagers with a bit more weight to it. Drinkability is fair given the well balanced nature of this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2008 00:21:37 | More by mashedpotatoes

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

nrbw23

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A- Pours a dark brownish red with a cream colored head and leaves no lacing.

S- Light roasted malts with hints of chocolate and a touch of a smokey smell.

T- Not too bad but nothing also to write home about. Kind of bland and follows the nose.

M- Lighter side of medium and nice carbonation.

D- Easy drinker for sure, not something out would go out and seek but then again I wouldn't turn it down either.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2010 08:36:22 | More by nrbw23

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a deep clear amber, with little over a finger of off-white colored head. Pretty good retention here, staying rich across the surface, with some nice patchy lace back. The aroma is some toasted bread and light notes of toffee and cocoa sweetness. I'm getting a bit of nuttiness too, as well as some spicy floral hops behind the other flavors. This isn't particulary robust in the nose at all.

The taste is tight toasted malt character, as well as some lighter chocolate roast and sweet caramel. The backend is fairly green tasting with citrus and a spicy bitterness. Pretty clean feel on the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, with a sharp and crisp feel. Overall refreshing presence for the most part.

This was decent. Definitely a little darker tasting than you would expect from a normal lager. I'm not sure how old this bottle was, but it seemed to have a bit of fade on it. I'd like to re-review in the future with a fresher sample.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2009 16:59:57 | More by Kegatron

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

BeerBelcher

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this on-tap at the Huntington Field ball-park in Columbus. While I was pleased to find an alternative to Bud Light, I can't say this beer is anything to get too excited about. Dark-brown body, light frothy head. Minimal aroma. Flavor was Newcastle-ish; some light toffee roastiness accompanied by wateriness. Not bad, but hardly terrific.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2009 17:17:12 | More by BeerBelcher