Dark Element - Element Brewing Company

hudsonvalleyslim

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Tasted this at Redbones in Somerville, cask-conditioned. They catagorized it as a schwarzbier ale. I believe traditional schwarzbier is lagered, but what the hey. These Element folks seem to be mad scientists. Who brew fine beer. The cask has got to be a different animal from the bottled brew reviewed. Not sure but I think much lighter alcohol.

Twas excellent, a malty brew with more hop presence than schwarzbiers I've had. I met a German brewer last month who said, "Americans are crazy with the hops." And we are.

Appearance was a dark brown, lacing beautifully as it slowly disappeared. Malty fer sure, maybe a tad roasty, and full-bodied. I DO like my schwarzbiers! (And cask ales as well.) Though, as I said, not really a trad schwarzbier. Mighty fine ale - get to Redbones before it kicks.

PS - Just found this on their webpage:

DARK MATTER
This New American Black Ale, our strongest signature beer, has the malt profile of a Schwartz Beer (German Black Lager) and the floral characteristics of an IPA. Saturated in hops, this intrepid style offers smooth dark toffee flavor without the roasted bitterness.

Serving type: cask

08-29-2010 00:49:03 | More by hudsonvalleyslim

metter98

New York

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very dark brown in color (black when viewed from afar). It poured with a half finger high dense beige head that has excellent retention properties and consistently left a thin head covering the surface.
S: Moderate aromas of dark malts are present in the nose along with some hints of roasted malts.
T: The taste is similar to the smell but is a little more complex with additional hints of toffee and a light to moderate amount of bitterness. The finish has some bits of roasted malts.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: I thought that the toffee-like flavors of this beer were quite interesting, and these might have been accentuated a little by this beer being aged for eight months.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2013 18:40:46 | More by metter98

smithj4

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

06-16-2013 18:23:42 | More by smithj4

zenarkist

Connecticut

4.5/5  rDev +10%

06-13-2013 01:34:42 | More by zenarkist

SheLaLa

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10%

06-04-2013 17:32:48 | More by SheLaLa

WreckingBrew

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10%

06-04-2013 00:34:43 | More by WreckingBrew

bluerabbit

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

06-02-2013 13:40:20 | More by bluerabbit

Davepoolesque

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.2%

06-01-2013 16:05:56 | More by Davepoolesque

kaelingirl

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-28-2013 22:07:00 | More by kaelingirl

ebarnesster

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-22-2013 20:14:08 | More by ebarnesster

boonejag75

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-18-2013 21:34:25 | More by boonejag75

jayhunter357

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-17-2013 23:00:03 | More by jayhunter357

In_Control_Mike

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-17-2013 22:59:33 | More by In_Control_Mike

gdub

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-16-2013 14:25:08 | More by gdub

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

04-29-2013 06:23:43 | More by Kelp

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.56/5  rDev -13%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Really A shwartz beer, a black beer and not a black IPA, freshly acquired by Peter FM. Roasty but not a black IPA, some hops but also some sourness in the finish. Lagerish in texture. Lacy on dark body.OK drinkability. Roast over hops is the smell.A little disappointing for the marketing, with a nicely wrapped bottle.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2013 12:19:02 | More by northyorksammy

sirjobin

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

03-23-2013 01:18:34 | More by sirjobin

Teddy-Pickles

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

03-22-2013 23:06:07 | More by Teddy-Pickles

muskiesman

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.2%

03-02-2013 02:06:00 | More by muskiesman

dphillips

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev -2.2%

02-16-2013 01:56:05 | More by dphillips

dtx00

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.2%

01-12-2013 22:52:34 | More by dtx00

TheLostGringo

Connecticut

3.03/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Seen some of these Element Brewing Co. Beers on the shelf for the last year and have for some reason yet to have one, so tonight is the night.

Poured into a wide-mouth tulip glass and served at basement temperature. Feb 09, 2012 bottle date.

A: looks fairly dark at first glance but held up to light reveals more of a mahogany color. A nice couple of inches of head that slowly disepates into the beverage.

S: Getting mostly toffee and Pumpernickel perhaps a hint of hops, but not a lot.

T: Overly sweet, very malt forward, perhaps some bitterness in the finish from the hops but not sure if I am imagining it because it is suppose to be there.

O: Drinkable I guess, tastes more like a strong-ale then a combination of a Schwartz/IPA. Not something I would seek out again but drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 02:07:07 | More by TheLostGringo

innuendobrewskiman63

New York

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

12-10-2012 11:45:31 | More by innuendobrewskiman63

brentk56

North Carolina

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: The fudge brown pour is capped by a rocky tan head; very nice persistance and some webs of lace linger on the pint glass

Smell: Black bread and chocolate in the forefront, with some piney hops in the back

Taste: Black bread and chocolate, building with caramel flavors; the hops arrive in the middle and, after the swallow, balancing out the sweeter aspect, though the beer ultimately tilts malt forward

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate carbonation

Overall: This bottle had been in the back of the fridge for a while so I guess a fresher bottle would be hoppier; still, an impressive beer

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 21:25:40 | More by brentk56

kjfinnerty

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +10%

11-19-2012 22:54:35 | More by kjfinnerty