Köstritzer Schwarzbier - Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei GmbH & Co.

zerk

California

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep amber brown... almost black, with a thin head. Aroma of sweet and roasted malt. Flavors are malt sweetness upfront, with some very mild coffee-like notes, as well as flavors of pumpernickle bread, and a touch of hop bitterness to round out the flavor nicely. Thin to medium body, with a slightly rough mouthfeel. This is a very easy drinking bier. Prosit!

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2002 13:58:04 | More by zerk

cokes

Wisconsin

3/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Deep ruby-purple-black body. Tan head has a good deal of stickiness.
Black malts on the nose with notes of roastedness.
Similarly, the taste is a battle between the tar-like black malts and the somewhat subdued roastedness. Sweetness is minimal. Hopping is next to invisible. Taste profile is fairly slight, but lingers with residual black maltiness, and some charred earth flavors.
Weak, uninspired body does not help things. Stops short of being watery, but way too thin anyway. Medium to high levels of carbonation seem somewhat out of wack. Once the carbonated settles out, the beer just dies.
I love the style, but this one is not a favorite.

Serving type: on-tap

10-27-2002 00:12:04 | More by cokes

Todd

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

0.5l serving in a custom branded glass -- basically weissebier style, but with a handle. A pitch black beer with a clumpy tan cream head -- plenty of stick and good retention. Aroma was more or less clean, with a touch of buttery diacetyl poking through.

Fairly malty, earthy, with hints of caramel and a background char flavour. Light on the malt sweetness. Hops lend a touch of sour to the mix and aid in creating a semi-astringent flavour.

Had this at "Conmux" in East Berlin, but also throughout Berlin at various bars and cafes. It's without a doubt one of the more popular Schwarzbiers available in Berlin, and one of the most tasty. It was so nice to see this hard to find and underrated style. Highly drinkable. Highly recommened.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2002 06:50:13 | More by Todd

ADR

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Almost opaque black, a little brown light transmission at the bottom. Good 1/2 inch tan head that rises on a hard pour. Sweet malted milk aroma. Caramel and slight nutty flavors, approaches a chocolate milk in mouthfeel -- less than medium-bodied but low carbonation gives a nice impression. Little sense of hops and a slight fade to wateriness at the finish. All-in-all, very drinkable and completely pleasant. Maybe my tongue wanted to be challenged just a little more.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2002 08:47:19 | More by ADR

ryanocerus

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The dark ruby/near black color and huge caramel head are very inviting. The smell is malt and bread crumbs, but faint. The taste is slight roasted, big malt and slight toffee with a faint hops presence to balance. The mouthfeel is very smooth, but a bit thin. Since this is my favorite, it is hard for me to stay impartial, but this is very drinkable. I had to save this for my mug club entry and I revisit it every chance I get.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2002 20:25:04 | More by ryanocerus

BeerAngel

Texas

3.65/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark almost black laced with garnet on the edges with a tan 2 finger head. The smell is that of sweet malt and a bread-like aroma. Very smooth flavor that reveals a light roasted malt and a very slight bit of maybe coffee. The very thin mouthfeel is finished off with a semi-dry taste with still a clean, thin finish. Very lightly hopped and pretty smooth overall. A pretty good non-offensive beer to perhaps turn someone on to dark beers without shocking the taste buds. Prosit!

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2002 13:04:16 | More by BeerAngel

Sigmund

Norway

3.83/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

"Das Schwarze mit der blonden Seele." Fairly weak but decent aroma, smells like German Schwarzbrot. Roasted malt flavour with coffee and burnt toast. A bit watery mouthfeel (is that what the brewers describe as the "blonde soul"?) By all means, this is a very drinkable Schwarzbier, but the style unfortunately seems to lack the rich velvety mouthfeel of a stout or a Baltic porter.

Serving type: can

09-21-2002 05:37:29 | More by Sigmund

BeerManDan

California

3.9/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A nice clean lager. Ample flavor with roasted malty taste along with a mild bitterness, but, not over powering. This is in line of a German Lager. Nice black color and a little of the thick side when pouring. Pleasant drink even on a hot day or just sitting around shooting the bull!

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2002 15:20:55 | More by BeerManDan

pbrian

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was good, clean fun. Looks good in glass, black with ruby edges, rocky tan head, nice lacing. I liked the interplay of slightly roasted malts, noble hops, and a clean lagered feeling. Classic example of style.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2002 06:57:54 | More by pbrian

EagleTalon

Arkansas

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Good beer. Dry, roasty and "lagery". Dry finish. Ruby color and nice permanent head. Some "lace". Smells of typical German lager. Signature German dry finish. A very good beer. May the "Schwarz" be with you! American brewers often can't replicate this style very well. Having a Köstritzer is the way to go.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2002 12:25:21 | More by EagleTalon

brakspear

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Rocky tan head that lingers and laces down glass topping pure nearly-black color -- looks great in glass; aroma mild with hints of coffee in background, hop aroma not noticeable at first. taste: mild...biscuity flavors perched on top chocolate followed by mild hop bitterness; full-bodied but without cloying maltiness. Very good beer. I imagine it would be a fantastic with a steak or roast beef!

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2002 16:42:36 | More by brakspear

Jason

Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: 12 oz brown long neck bottle, no freshness date but there is a description of the beer at the neck of the bottle.

Appearance: A bit rocky in the head department with a lovely lacing effect down the glass. A couple of shades lighter than pitch black.

Smell: Slight roasted and sweet malty aroma, smells of creamed coffee in a faintly sweet way. Quite clean also.

Taste: High smoothness with a deep medium level carbonation, hints of dark bread like a pumpernickel or whole grain is layered thick on the taste buds. Hop bitterness is mild with a bitterness that holds its own for balancing the beer. Mild roasted malt character with hints of carob, chicory and bread crust. Malt sweetness is there but stay to a minimum and does not go to a cloying level at all. Alcohol is meek and barely noticeable, slightly dry finish is doused with a clean graininess and hints of spicy hop.

Notes: I like this beer a lot, not just because this is one of my favourite style but because it keeps it real with flavours that are a bit complex yet not to the point of taking away from actually putting one down if not a few. A damn good pick for the style.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2002 12:07:17 | More by Jason

jreitman

California

3/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Dark brown and only slight transparent with a white head. Despite the inability to see through it, high carbonation was evident on the sides of the glass. Overall I found the beer to be quite watery and the flavor profile pretty, for lack of a better word, blah.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2002 18:44:48 | More by jreitman

BillyBrew

Maine

4.13/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another good Schwarzbier. Another nearly-black colorur and enourmous, tan, foamy head, but does not maintain as well as others (but still great). Pleasant, not-overly sweet, toffee sent, big and black malt. Great sweet-malt, but not as roasted as others. Not bitter, but balanced. Lighter body than other Schwarzbeirs, but still smooth. Another great Schwarzbier, but a slighty watery import. Definately drink and enjoy, experience the Schwarzbiers. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2002 17:03:02 | More by BillyBrew

mattmaples

Oregon

3.78/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is an easy drinkin' black lager. Light lager body and clean flavor. Light bitterness and roasty malt flavor that lingers slightly. Could have used a little more dark raosted flavor to puss it into the 4.0 range but it looked and smelled good. All and all a good Schwarz.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2002 21:11:56 | More by mattmaples

WilliamPhilaPa

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +12%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a most excellent dark bronze color, with an appealing ruby tint and a nice almost beige head. There are faint malt aromas on the nose. The flavors consisted of malt, toasted dark bread, grains, lightly hopped, herbs…all balanced well for a moderately sweet / clean taste on the palate. Mouth feel and body are slightly thin/watery but smooth. Overall a very enjoyable black lager.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2002 10:48:15 | More by WilliamPhilaPa

Andy

Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thick tan creamy head. Black with ruby hints. Sweet complex alcohol nose. Blackberry currant. Initially sweet then smoky, chocolatey and coffee like. At once dark and creamy.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2002 19:12:02 | More by Andy

marc77

California

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Mild darkly roasted grain notes in aroma along w/ rich dark Munich malt as well. Deep garnet clear hue and topped by a beautiful thick & dense tan head. Contrary to the appearance, roasted grain flavors are clean and light. Grassy Hersbrucker hop flavor. Hop bitterness does a good balance of balancing the residual sweetness and the beer is thus balanced all around. Finishes dry w/ pleasant roasty notes on the back of the tongue. Quite flavorful and very drinkable. Keep in mind I've been drinking Utah beer for the past couple days.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2002 04:06:08 | More by marc77

Bighuge

Minnesota

2.6/5  rDev -33.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Even though this is a "black beer", the beer isn't black. Rather dark ruby. A full rocky beige head. Some slight caramel tones and milk chocolate on the nose. There's a soapy taste in this beer. It has a light to medium body. I perceive some bitterness, albeit not a pleasurable one. There are some very slight roasted and chocolate tones. Very uniteresting beer. Compared to one of the only other Schwarzbiers I've had, Sprecher Black Bavarian, this beer is not even in the same universe.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2002 22:28:07 | More by Bighuge

Jordan

California

3.05/5  rDev -22%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Slight burnt malt and caramel flavor. Had to deduct points for it has a slight metallic ring on my palate. (this is a no-no) Sweet on the nose. A mellow and enjoyable drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2001 23:55:49 | More by Jordan

Brent

Kentucky

2.85/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Very mild, with subdued roasted malt aroma and flavor. Aroma was slighty metallic, and there was a trace of metal in the flavor as well, but it was not prominent. Not particularly impressive.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2001 10:07:29 | More by Brent