Buzzards Bay Black Lager - Buzzards Bay Brewing

ThirstyBird

Germany

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

A 1/2 inch light tan head falls away quickly to a small ring. Very dark brown with reddish hue.
S Dark malts
T Hops up front then sweet dark malt with a dry slightly bitter aftertaste. As it warms I get some cocoa flavor too.
M/F Lively carbonation yet smooth. Light body.
D This is a solid Schwarzbier. I am looking for the opportunity to try this one on tap.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2008 01:31:34 | More by ThirstyBird

t0rin0

California

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

11-15-2012 02:24:42 | More by t0rin0

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a VERY dark clear amber, topped with a finger of rich mocha froth. This sticks around with a thin but still robust looking retention, which leaves some heavy spotty lacing down the sides of the glass. I'm honestly not getting a whole lot out of the aroma but I would say that the hops mostly control thing with a floral, earthy, and citric character. I am getting some sweetness and roast from the chocolate malts but it's not nearly enough to leave me satisfied with this nose.

The taste fairs much better, with dry roasted chocolate malt and some lighter coffee flavors showing themselves the most. The hops are also fairly bold in this, giving this some leafy and green tasting bitterness. Finishes with lingering notes of earth and dry burnt malt. The mouthfeel is medium bodied overall with some crispness up front that then smoothes out towards the back of the palate. This is maybe a little light in spots and I'm also getting a touch of a chalky feel as well, which mostly clings to the chocolate flavors.

This was a bit ho-hum for a Schwarzbier, with the aroma in particular not really providing anything to get excited about. The flavor brought just enough to the table to help keep this mostly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2010 19:34:58 | More by Kegatron

colts9016

Idaho

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

I got this beer from TheManiacalOne, thank you. Poured into a pilsner glass.

Appearance: A one finger head that has some retention. The head is a light brown color that is creamy and foamy. The color of the beer is a dark brown color with dark garnet hues. The clarity of the beer is almost opaque. The head left some lacing.

Nose: A low malt aroma that has coffee, chocolate, a burnt character, and some some roastiness. There is some low hop aroma in the beer. There are some hints of diacetyles and subtle sweetness.

Taste: A medium to mild roasted malt, a hint of burnt character, and coffee. There is low diacetyles.

The mouth feel is smooth, creamy, and clean. The body of the beer is medium and a medium finish. This is a good beer and has all the characteristics of a good schwarzbier.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2010 00:35:11 | More by colts9016

gford217

Georgia

3.7/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle from shaebs99.

Pours dark, dark brown with hints of copper around the edges underneath a small thick cream-colored head. A hefty collar and spotty lacing linger for a while.

The aroma is heavily roasted black malts with hints of coffee and a light caramel sweetness way off behind the roastiness.

The taste is much more bitter than I was expecting and the toasted malts almost take on a metallic bitterness as the glass goes down. There is very little underlying sweetness, just toasty bitterness.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with strong carbonation and very smooth overall. It's just the metallic aftertaste that takes away from things.

This one smells great but the taste doesn't quite deliver the goods for me. Still good, but the lingering bitterness knocks this one down a notch for me.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2010 02:53:30 | More by gford217

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a dark brown, almost black, with a great rocky tan head that left tons of foam stuck to the sides of the glass.

Rockin smell here. I could smell it as I poured it into the pint. Coffee? More like burnt toast. Smoky edge here. Stick your nose in the pint, and you get smoke and a bit of bready/boiled grain elements. Terrific.

Smells better than it tastes. Thinner than expected, with bitter and burnt up front and nothing to follow. Malt is non-existent. They went for the charred flavor, and that's what they got.

On the thinner side, but because of the nature of the taste of the beer, it works. Any heavier and it would be bitter pill.

Saw this and grabbed a single, as I know the brewery is discontinuing this overall brand.Glad I just grabbed a single. This one is ok, but not great. A one trick pony. Great structure, great scent, but then everything falls apart (and when it comes to taste, it matters). Still, I'm glad I got to have it before they all disappear.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2009 23:59:58 | More by OtherShoe2

shivtim

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appropriately alliterative title... good for fall/winter.
Clear but dark brown. Hint of red. Tiny ring of a head sticks to the side.
Nose is strong roasted smoky malts. Hints of smoky meat. Pleasant.
Taste is heavy liquid smoke and some malts. One-noted, but a good note. Unfortunately, the mouthfeel is very watery.
Overall it's still interesting, but doesn't really come together.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2009 01:41:12 | More by shivtim

jeffthecheff

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer comes out dark brown from the glass, which turns to black in the glass with brown at the bottom. The head has a great formation with a creamy texture.

There is a slight roasty, burnt aroma along with some chocolate. Not distinctively ale or lager like. There is a slight dark malt aroma to it, probably crystal. You really have to swirl and stick your nose in the glass to detect most of this, aroma is pretty absent just from sipping.

The flavor has a very slight, burnt, roast to it but its not biting at all. Good, sweet malts that aren't too robust. Also has good earthy, hop bitterness on the finish that makes it a nice, simple schwarzbier.

The body is light as it should be, with moderate carbonation. The finish lingers a bit more than I like in a shwarzbier, it could be a tad dryer. The beer scores good for drinkability, it's light and simple, and something I would have again.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2009 01:45:51 | More by jeffthecheff

ClockworkOrange

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into my shaker glass. Appears a clear dark chestnut color with about a finger of light tan foam. Nose and flavor consist of roasted cereal grains, mild notes of bittersweet and milk chocolate, caramelized malt, some molasses and a hint of cocoa powder. Medium in both body and carbonation with a bitter slightly sour finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2009 18:59:26 | More by ClockworkOrange

WJVII

Wisconsin

4.13/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

BOM Sept. 2009
Poured into a pint glass this brew is dark brown leading to black with a thick coco colored head that had great staying time and lacing. The aroma is chocolaty and has a nice deep roasted malt smell. The taste is a little sweet, a little bitter (like unsweetened chocolate) and a nice hop finish. This has a nice balance and is not too heavy to drink a good few of these. Too bad only 2 come in the shipment!

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2009 23:21:10 | More by WJVII

mooseisloose

Florida

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I love black lagers. Let's give it a whirl. Smells lager-like not much standing out just some malts. Pours to a jet black with a tremendous head. Just traces of light get through the murky blackness. Taste is roasted malts in a clean lager-like setting. Has some sweetness as well combined with a sharp twang of bitterness that isn't dull but hits and moves on. Hopping seems to be centennials. Aftertaste is sweet and sour, lingers a bit then disappears finishing semi-clean. A tasty beer. A great job of taking a lager up a notch. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2009 23:06:47 | More by mooseisloose

cnally

Indiana

3/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Part of my often delicious Beer of the Month Club.

The appearance is dark dark brown, with red hints around the edges of the glass. An off-white head sticks a bit.

The aroma is a yeasty spicy nutty sort, very dirty smelling and pretty sour.

The flavor is undeniably bitter, hugely nutty and smoky. Like a porter, almost. But with the malt here, it is like burnt sugars and burnt almonds. But under all that is a very sweet finish.

Crisp and dry mouthfeel, biting and mean.

I think this could have been decent, but due to my expectations of this being a bit more mellow with the bitterness...turns out disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2009 01:12:58 | More by cnally

SpdKilz

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the BOTM Club

Appearance - Pours a very dark, chocolate color that shows through a bit of light when held up toward the sun streaming through the window. About a finger of head that quickly subsides and leaves decent lacing.

Smell - Bready, malty, coffee, chocolate, and molasses is what I smell. Nothing overpowering but a nice lingering smell of...honestly...the more I smell it seems like a iced coffee with chocolate. Not bad at all.

Taste - Immediately I can taste the bitter roasted coffee. This is followed by a dark chocolate taste that is not too sweet, and a maltieness. After the sip there is a lingering burnt bitterness taste which is not unpleasant by any means.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium bodied with nice carbonation that prickles the tongue.

Drinkability - Easy to drink though I do not think I would have a few of these in a row. Interesting style and an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2009 23:25:30 | More by SpdKilz

tzieser

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

I've had this one many times but never wrote a review for it...

pours a dark black color thats transparent when held up to the light. decent head that simmers into a very small lacing. pretty typical schwarzbier look

smells good. lots of bready malts, maybe some chocolate malt in the back. very slight roasted smell with some hop backbone

tastes great. the malts come up first, with some very subtle chocolate flavors. decent hop character in the back to keep things together. very good black lager.

drinkability is great. who said dark beers aren't drinkable?

overall- a great black lager. one of my favorites.

Serving type: growler

08-08-2009 14:05:23 | More by tzieser

u2carew

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A) Dark brown, nearly opaque. Pours with a active and tight head. Lacing is sticky and tight.
S) Bready. Light notes of chocolate and coffee.
T) Mild coffee taste. Grainy. Some smokiness. Light malty sweetness. Light hoppy bitterness in the end.
M) Medium bodied - although feels a bit thin. Gritty.
D) A nice schwarzbier. Not a stand out, but true to form.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2009 20:09:00 | More by u2carew

mountdew1

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into imperial pint glass. Color was a very dark opaque black with a thick creamy head. Head thined quickly, and left some lacings. Appeared very much like a stout. Aroma was sweet milk chocolate with some coffee undertones. Taste was slightly bitter, yet sweet, with a little bit of cream. Felt good in the mouth, coated well, not overly carbonated. Felt a bit bigger than the ABV is, went down well, but one to savor.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2009 23:07:05 | More by mountdew1

albern

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

The beer pours a very inky dark mahogany color with a rich creamy off white head with billowing laces and a nice retention. The nose is a bit musty, maybe some butter notes coming through, maybe some dried out florals, something not quite right in the nose.

The taste is not a pleaser for me. The beer has roasted and almost charred notes of dark malt, but there is no character or sweetness evident. There is too much coffee grind flavors, some burnt molasses in there as well, some bitter chocolate. The muted florals in the nose are just not present in the taste. There maybe a touch of smokiness, but it seems a bit artificial, almost like some smoked flavors were added after the fact. The beer is more creamy than crisp, but this isn't one I'm fond of. The mouthfeel is a bit drying, the aftertaste has that charred molasses lingering taste. I earlier reviewed this beer on-tap, and my impressions are equally uninspired from this brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2009 20:39:36 | More by albern

m1ked

California

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The 2nd of 2 growlers for the holiday weekend. I have not come across a lot of shwarzbiers(sp?) from craft brewers. I love PP midnight sessions though.

A- Looks black on the pour, but hold it up to the light, or sun, and you see some translucent garnet coke-a-cola edges. Brief 1/2" head that quickly fades to a wisp and a ring around the edge. If you look hard enough you can see some bubbles rising to the top in no hurry.

S- Roasty flavors of some coffee, dark chocolate, mollasses and some blueberry. All these flavots are very light though.

T- Starts off with a bitter roasted coffee flavor that quickly mellows out and reveals some of that bittersweet coffee. Throughout there seems to be a metallic note. A little hop bitter blip at the end.

M- Seems very light bodied to me. By the mere darkness of it, you'd think it would be heavier. My mind is playing tricks on me homey. Good carbonation.

D- This is a "light" dark beer. I actually really enjoy this for summer drinking. I get my dark beer fix, at a summer price.

Serving type: growler

07-05-2009 15:18:43 | More by m1ked

Jayli

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First - big thanks goes to TheManiacalOne for this one!
At first pour this beer looks black - holding it up to the light s hows more a a deep, deep dark mahogany that shines through the side of the glass. A light tan one finger head comes through on a decent pour with sticky lacing left on the pint glass. Nose is of sweet caramel malts with some chocolate mixed in. Hops are slightly present, a bit on the thin side but there. Taste is of chocolate, caramel, some molasses, very mild presence of hops. Mouthfeel is mildly carbonated, pretty smooth, medium body slightly creamy but found it a tad dry on the finish - certianly didn't deter from the beer. This is a nice beer to sit down with for an evening!

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2009 02:55:21 | More by Jayli

kmo1030

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a deep dark brown with a light khaki head that fades to a film.
the aroma has got dark malt, with fome darkyly fruity notes. a little like a porter for reference.
the taste has got more defined dark maltiness, bitter coffee, hints of malted chocolate. malty, but not too sweet. there is a balancing bitterness at the end slightly herbal and floral. there is also a touch of spiced anise. very remeniscent of an american porter.
the mouthfeel is appropriately medium with a moderately active, but delicate carbonation.
the drinkability is good, it's well balanced with some dark malty flavor that stays mellow. beer doesn't always have to be over the top, this beer is a reminder why.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2009 00:50:16 | More by kmo1030

jwc215

New Jersey

3.2/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks to donkeyrunner for this one.

Pours black with a thin tan head that descends to a fine layer. Some spotted lacing sticks.

The smell is of a touch of molasses with sour notes - in a prune/fig way. Ashy, and a bit soapy, something is "off". Interesting, but I have a feeling that this wasn't quite intended to be this way. No freshness date - but, it seems more of a slight "infection" problem, anyway - can't be sure. It has a "black" character, but something "odd" underneath.

The taste, fortunately, is better than the aroma. While some sour notes are there, and some burny ashiness, there's also a dark maltiness. A slight touch of metallic bitterness mixes in with the sweetness. There's a smoky touch in the finish.

The feel is on the light side of medium.

The nose threw this off for me, impacting things down the line, including the drinkability. Something not quite right, here. Hopefully, I'll have this again in the future, to see if this batch was just a bit off or not.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2009 03:51:36 | More by jwc215

gfreed

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Looks like Coke, smells a bit like a porter and tastes great. Poured it with a large head that hung around forever and got rather craggy before it eventually settled down for the ride to the bottom of the glass. Has a lightly toasted aroma; in fact, there's less toast in the taste than in the smell. Like other good lagers it has hints of lemon and orange but this one twists things with the roasted malt. Nonetheless, it's happily uncomplicated and easy to drink. It has the bite of a copper ale and the smoothness and light carbonation of a good porter-- definitely a good find. Let it warm up before drinking.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2008 00:02:34 | More by gfreed

brentk56

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a cola brown color with a pale beige cap that sits firmly atop the liquid and delivers an interesting pattern of lace

Smell: Strong aroma of roasted malt, with a subtle smoke tone

Taste: Opens very roasty, with a slightly sweet chocolate aspect; by mid-palate, a nice herbacious bitter flavor develops; after the swallow, the malts resume their dominance with a lot of chocolate and roasty flavor, with a touch of smoke on the end

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with prickly carbonation

Drinkability: A fine stab at the style, with some subtle flavor characteristics that make it easy and interesting to drink

Thanks, TheManiacalOne, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2008 18:04:48 | More by brentk56

EPICAC

Massachusetts

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

Pours a dark black with brown tints at the edges. Topped by a thin, sudsy, beige head that fades to a bubbly film. The aroma is roasted malts, coffee and a bit of breadiness.

Lightly sweet, chocolate notes upfront over a dark roasty backbone with a bit of roasted and hop bitterness in the finish. Moderate carbonation, medium- bodied. Roasted grains give the beer a bit of husky dryness.

Decently flavorful. Nice, but not terribly complex.

Serving type: on-tap

12-10-2008 22:16:44 | More by EPICAC

Nipitato

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Purchased a bottle at Julio's in Westborough, MA.

A: Very dark brown topped with a thin off white head.

S: Caramel sweetness. Roastiness is strong. Beyond that relatively clear.

T: Appropriate roastiness. Bitter but not chocolate like. Bitterness lingers. Some sulfur quality.

MF: Dry. medium mouthfeel. Moderate carbonation.

D, notes: A sweet and bitter schwarz. Pretty drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2008 17:51:58 | More by Nipitato