5 O'clock Shadow Double Black Lager - Grand Teton Brewing Co.

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Stella glass. 2012 vintage, though I'm not sure that this is something you'd want to age anyway.

3.5 A: Black color. Two and a half fingers of creamy/frothy light brown head. Retention is decent and only the shortest of rings of lacing is left.

3.5 S: Dry roastiness and cocoa powder. As it warms up, this gets maltier and maltier. There's not much else in the nose. It's clean and refined, but simple and pleasant.

3.5 T: There's a hell of a lot more flavor than the nose led on. Potent roastiness, good amount of chocolate, a light caramel, and a moderate neutral lager maltiness. Despite the maltiness, the roast is still stronger than I'd prefer, but not by much. Definitely tasty though.

3.5 M: Medium body. Good moderate carbonation. Mildly creamy. Good enough here.

4.0 D: Tasty beer. Initially the roastiness is unbalanced with the rest of the beer, but after the palate grows accustomed to it, it turns out to be in perfect harmony.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 17:10:11 | More by DavoleBomb

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.55/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours an effervescent mahogany with 2 fingers of khaki colored head very good head retention & lacing

S: Charred grain & carob

T: Follows the nose, some cocoa & coffee grinds, plus dryness up front. Faint chicory notes as this warms, along with woody hops, slight persimmon & praline flavor present as well, plus more carob & just bit of anise & black currant with boozey undertones. Finishes fruitty with some boozey raisin notes & smokeyness

MF: Medium bodied, firm carbonation, skews sweeter than most Schwartzbiers, a bit hot too

An interesting take on the style, a touch too big & sweet for me, but worth a try

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 14:36:37 | More by russpowell

laituegonflable

Australia

3.48/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown colour, beige head with sparse, frothy bubbling. Slightly uneven, with thin lace on the glass. Head is crafty, frothy goodness. Looks natural and pleasant.

Burnt and nutty on the nose - charry roast malt notes with walnuts, coffee grounds and a touch of carob. Standard, but also fairly blaring, one-track dark beer aroma.

Taste is roastier, with a burnt bitterness lingering from the mid-palate. Spent coffee grounds, bitter cocoa plus some pepperberry, carbon and coriander notes late. Maybe could use some more body; a bit thin, so the roast is fairly harsh. Decent crack at the style, but I don't think it recommends more schwarzbiers to me.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 10:48:58 | More by laituegonflable

KDawg

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

poured from 750 into a pilsner glass. Pours a dark chocolate color with a frothy head

Very pungent with aromas of coffee, dark chocolate, toffee, and loads of roasted malts. Good depth on the aromas as well

medium bodied with a smooth feel, but the flavors overpower a bit. The flavors of roasted malts, coffee, and dark chocolate aren't out of whack, but they feel like they are fighting for attention a slight bit

I think I would've liked more balanced and nuance to this. It's certainly a big schwarzbier and doesn't aim for balance as much as blunt force on the flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 20:42:29 | More by KDawg