Schell's Chimney Sweep - August Schell Brewing Company

Chucker17

South Dakota

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

01-27-2013 15:33:34 | More by Chucker17

mikeburd1128

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

05-10-2013 22:57:37 | More by mikeburd1128

jimmah120

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-09-2013 08:02:49 | More by jimmah120

gatornation

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

05-07-2013 15:44:29 | More by gatornation

bigpoppa67

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev +4.2%

05-04-2013 04:27:05 | More by bigpoppa67

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.06/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

From: France44 dot com
Date: Best by 04/12/2013
Glass: Tulip

Chimney Sweep is an excellent, sessionable black lager from Schell's that balances Munich and roasted malt with caramel and cracker-like bread. The hops only accentuate each flavor character, making this all the more enticing. With a fairly low ethanol content and pleasantly complex roasted-sweet character, Chimney Sweep is an excellent session beer for the fall through spring months.

Pours a generous 2cm head of khaki tan foam, retention at about two minutes, well above average. The head declines to a thin cap atop the body of the beer for the duration of the drink. Lacing is excellent, a sheet of beige foam wrapped around the entire inside of the glass. The body is very dark brown to black, with light bringing out slight amber brown highlights around the edges. Carbonation is not visible through the opaque beer, but it can be seen moving along the sides of the glass at fair quantity and pace.

Aroma is of moderate intensity, with scents of caramel, lightly roasted malt, and slight hints of smoke, all with a cracker and bread-like backbone. It's almost as if someone made saltines from dark and caramel malts. Quite nice for this highly sessionable dark lager.

The beer's flavors are best described by caramel, rich bread, slightly acrid roasted malt, light chocolate and smoke. Tasting opens with a nearly bock-like breadiness and sweetness of caramel malt, but one that's been influenced by chocolate, Munich, and smoked malt as well as all these malts lend their associated flavors to this lager. Mid-palate finds tastes of rich caramel malt, Munich malt, baker's chocolate, slightly acrid cracker-like flavors, and smoke. Slight European hop bitterness accentuates the light roast of the malt. Back of palate finds increased flavors of roasted and Munich malt, with underlying caramel and bread-like sweetness with continued mild bitterness. Aftertaste is quite substantial, though fading, of crackers and lightly roasted malt, actually quite delicious.

The body is medium-light in weight, with carbonation of medium intensity, leading to a surprisingly full, foamy, smooth, and creamy mouthfeel. Closes semi-dry with a bit of astringency from the dark malts and hops used.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 05:24:21 | More by falloutsnow

Seefeldt

Minnesota

1.75/5  rDev -54.4%

04-01-2013 22:58:45 | More by Seefeldt

bigbeers84

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

03-25-2013 03:52:13 | More by bigbeers84

TheSSG

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a big, soft head that is light tan that leaves nice lacing. Mostly smoke in the nose, a touch of the acidic schwarzbier in the back. Black. Starts acidic, with notes of chocolate, but a building smokey quality wells up from behind this. A touch of hop bitterness. The smoke flavor builds as the malt middle takes the center stage. As always, Schell's lagers are velvety smooth with great carbonation!

Overall, this is pretty good. It's a pretty good Schwarzbier, but the addition of the smoke makes me really enjoy it!

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 02:39:57 | More by TheSSG

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.84/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Dark copper brown with tan head.

Flavor is very smokey with notes of bacon and roasted malts. Some vanilla and chocolate.

Mouthfeel is smoked and roasted. Medium bodied with a bit high on the carbonation z ends dry but clean.

Great beer. Easy to drink. I love the smoke!

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:53:18 | More by mothman

Serick507

Minnesota

3.56/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75

Enjoyed from a bottle into a silo glass

A: Black right away, deep ruby/ amber in the light with one finger of a cream colored head and a small amount of bubbles

S: Roasted malts with a smokey charcoal grill tone

T: Classic Schell's malt forwardness,roasted malts, little bit of chocolate, and a nice smokiness like camp fire or cook outs.

M: light with less carbonation.

O: It's a good black lager, nice balance, not to smokey for my taste, would go great with a burger or brat. It's warm smokey, clean and dry. The mouth could be a little more for me and the flavor isn't so bold. But it's another solid well crafted beer from Schell's.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 04:59:46 | More by Serick507

Ish1

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +4.2%

02-27-2013 20:28:01 | More by Ish1

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Schell's Emerald Rye Lager, August Schell Brewing Company, New Ulm, Minnesota. Best by January 3, 2013. Beyond that, no other information. Gratefully, too, no gobbledgook.

So, then, let's crack 'er open. And see what we find.

First off, what's "emerald" about it? This is no green beer. It's poetic license, the green standing for hops, maybe? It's a clear, rich, amber brew, close to crimson. Sizeable, cream-toned head sits atop, leaving lace.

Aroma: Hops are here, and grow louder with time. Grassy, grapefruity, lime and lemon, …lovely, lovely stuff.

Taste: Spicy rye malt greets the tongue first, tasting like liquid pumpernickel. Which hops are hanging on top? Can't tell, don't know, but it's keeping things tasty. Some caramel malt flavors shine through, a trickle of cocoa, traces of toffee.
Medium-bodied, but fully flavored. Sturdy mouthfeel. Solid. Absolutely solid. Soft, malty finish, hops hang in there through it all, without sticking out or making a scene.

This one's a unique effort from August Schell. It fits no particular style, and doesn't try to …there's nothing to say but, "it is how it is." And it's sessional and delicious. That fits into their wheelhouse, as people like to say these days.

Mmmm, mmm, good beer and you can drink it.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 07:01:01 | More by feloniousmonk

bismarksays

Iowa

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%

02-25-2013 09:29:31 | More by bismarksays

darky

South Dakota

4.23/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: deep caramel brown, medium head

S: Lots of chocolate on the nose, smoke, with dare I say, a hint of very high-quality peppered beef jerky(!) -no joke...

T: Direct reflection of the nose; chocolate and dried peppered beef. This is my second try of this beer, and I gotta say, it's far better than first. Maybe it's because I'm using a pilsener glass instead of a basic pint, maybe it's because I'm consciously trying it again for the first time, either way, it's really showing it's true colors here. To clarify, the peppered beef comparison should not suggest that this beer is spiced, it's not. I just find it highly reminiscent of the smell and overall flavor of the finest beef jerky I've ever had with a wonderfully subtle smoke quality.

M: Full-bodied and creamy; plays well with the smokiness.

O: This is a perfect example of what Schell's is good at; making incredible lager beers that drink like ales. If you've never tried Schell's, this is an GREAT place to start.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 02:43:00 | More by darky

maximum12

Minnesota

1.8/5  rDev -53.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Always happy to pick up a single of a new Schell's beer to find out if it's the next Emerald Rye (i.e. excellent). 12 oz. bottle.

Pour is about 87% schwarz, with mit ein bisschen rot...I'm going to have to brush up on my German before I hit the Rhein this summer. Nose is interesting. The first wave is all smoke, campfire smoke to be specific, & to be even more specific, the precise smell that sticks in your clothes the next morning. Ham. Smoke masks anything else that might be hanging around.

Chimney Sweep is one of those smoked beers that leans right into the hog. Too much smoke turns this into a bacon-fest; I read the reviews & hoped most were accurate ("a touch of smoke") but this is like standing in the middle of a barn full of pigs. That are all on spits. While the barn is burning. Smoke overwhelms any other subtleties.

Not a fan of liquid smoke. A rare Schell's miss for me. Not a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 04:12:46 | More by maximum12

GeezLynn

Minnesota

4.2/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark brown body with an off-white head of suds. Good retention.
S: Rich malty aroma. Chocolate, licorice and lager yeast. Smells almost as good as some of my favorite doppelbocks.
T: In contrast to the sweeter (suggesting) nose, flavor packs an assertive initial smokeyness. Not rauchbeer level, but more than a hint. A big dose of black and roasted malts follow the smoke, ending with a bit of sweetness that seems to pick up as it warms.
M: Body is on the medium to heavy side with full, fine carbonation. Works well with the flavors. Despite sweetness, it still maintains a fairly dry feel.

Enjoying how this beer packs a dense load of flavors without being a huge, highly alcoholic imperial. A great beer in a style lacking for great, widely available options in the U.S. This is up there with Black Bavarian.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:57:02 | More by GeezLynn

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Wow is this a dark Schwarbier! Pitch black like a stout or imperial with a full inch of opaque colored head. Great sticky lacing too.

S - Smell is rather nice some mild roast and grains, yet it's much lighter than German counterparts.

T - Much more balanced with chocolate malts, some toasted grains, mild skunk (which is not that harsh) and some roasted malt giving it a mild smoky finish. Not great but not bad.

M - Much drier than I expected with a light to medium body.

Overall it's not that great but an above average take on the style. Worth picking up for a cheap Schwarbier.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 00:19:10 | More by DrDemento456

dunix

Vermont

4/5  rDev +4.2%

02-14-2013 20:15:43 | More by dunix

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.04/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Common Schell's lager aroma (it must be the water as it is unique and frequent). Darker malt aroma softly swirls around softly.
Attractive and classic looking lager. Brilliantly clear. Full rich dark head. Deep garnet colors. Nice.
Full malt flavor with hints of smokiness rolling through the palate. Mmmmm. Reasonably drying and holding a quite long finish (esp. for a lager). Just enough hop presence in both flavor and cutting of some of the sweetness.
Classically rich lager Schell's beer. Helps smooth this out, but does limit drinkability somewhat, although I could do two fairly easily. Soft and full carbonation.
This warms nicely too- the caramel flavors start to show through without any excess sweetness. Seems to hold some ale qualities, but clearly a lager, and an enjoyable one too.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 17:18:38 | More by garymuchow

Will96

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -8.9%

02-03-2013 03:11:41 | More by Will96

runfoodrun

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -15.4%

02-02-2013 04:56:30 | More by runfoodrun

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Very dark nut brown with decent clarity and visible effervescence. Pours a foamy two finger tan head.

Aroma: Smoke and charred oak. There may be other aromas here but the smoke covers them up.

Taste: Starts with a mellow mix of medium to dark malts with a bit of a bready flavor. There is some hop bitterness along with a slight grassy character. In the second half the bitterness increases and the flavor becomes very smokey. The finish is more of the same with a feeling like you've inhaled the fumes from a wet bonfire pit. It's an interesting flavor but there are other beers that achieve the same effect with more balance and a more refined smoke flavor. At 5.2% ABV it doesn't skimp on flavor, it is decently robust.

Mouthfeel: Just below medium in body with lots of carbonation that adds to the bitterness giving the palate a bit of a punch right before the finish. Average drinkability but the smokey flavor makes it a one and done scenario.

Final Thoughts: If it's offered as part of a variety six-pack or you can find one bottle it would be worth the purchase. However, I couldn't see myself drinking more than one of these in an evening. If you like smoked beers (and lagers) then this would be one to 'tick' for you. Would I drink it again? Doubtful.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 05:32:45 | More by JamesMN

AndyH

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

01-25-2013 02:01:01 | More by AndyH

Eric908

South Dakota

3.75/5  rDev -2.3%

01-13-2013 23:45:34 | More by Eric908