Land Ho! Black Pilsner Style Lager (Devil's Backbone Collaboration) - Heavy Seas Beer

farrago

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Normal pour fills a third of a pint glass with dark brown microfoam, no larger bubbles at all, burns off swiftly with minor dimpling, like delicate whipped head of a latté, very little lacing and no stick to what’s there. The liquid is a spotless deep brown, not quite black, strong orange to yellow tint at the top and bottom of the glass, not really seeing many bubbles. Malty, roasty nose of caramel, mocha, molasses, caramelized brown sugar and raisin, cherry fruit, presents a peppery side too, as it warms there’s a leafiness too but nothing which really bespeaks a strong hops presence. Medium-bodied, the carbonation is stronger than expected after visual inspection, however, the mouth feel remains on the creamy side. Same high level of toast and roast, more like coffee and cocoa powder than sweeter caramel. Some vanilla bean or cola perhaps. At the same time lemon to sour orange citrus asserts itself and the leaf, grass element bolder as well. The texture is dry and the fruit more of a demure cherry, apple, golden raisin, fig. Leaves a lot of that malty roast behind as a residue. Not a lot of personality yet nothing which perturbs. Can’t say it leaves you yearning for more.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 22:21:13 | More by farrago

Suds

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer is black, with ruddy brown highlights when held to a light. The head is a small-bubbled foam, thick and tan. The aroma is clean...lots of bready malt. The taste is clean, some malt and a touch of hops. Reminiscently smokey...nothing over the top. Medium body. Drinkable and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2013 20:04:09 | More by Suds

OldTime

Georgia

4/5  rDev +6.1%

03-25-2013 02:26:34 | More by OldTime

surfrogue1

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

03-14-2013 02:26:56 | More by surfrogue1

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4/5  rDev +6.1%

03-02-2013 19:05:47 | More by Rhettroactive

Gavage

New Jersey

4.13/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: pours a dark brown color with a 1/2" head that falls to a spotty surface foam.

Smell: very mild aroma as a hint of chocolate and malt are all you can detect.

Taste: mild roasted tones with soft chocolate, grass, and a it of earthiness. Bitterness is moderate.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied. Lightly crisp from start to finish. Short lasting aftertaste.

Overall: this is a very drinkable beer that is refreshing. Definitely worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 18:54:21 | More by Gavage

runlikeakenyan

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

01-27-2013 12:38:15 | More by runlikeakenyan

yourefragile

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

01-23-2013 00:54:25 | More by yourefragile

Jspriest

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -13.8%

01-19-2013 02:49:44 | More by Jspriest

gregoryhersh

Texas

4/5  rDev +6.1%

01-13-2013 23:58:49 | More by gregoryhersh

tone77

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a brown 22 oz. bottle. Has a very dark brown, almost black color. Smell is mild, some hops, a bit of malt. Taste is roasted malts, some smoke, a bit of hops, very easy drinking. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 19:35:47 | More by tone77

tobelerone

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +6.1%

12-07-2012 05:10:32 | More by tobelerone

Theheroguy

Maryland

3.78/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Dark black in the center but brown around the edges of the glass.

Described as a black pilsner but the hop presence is minor.

Very light bodied and easy drinking. There is a noticeable malt flavor which sort of mingles with the hops to produce the stereotypical schwarzbier flavor.

I don't really like the fact that this is billed as a "black pilsner" its kind of misleading but the beer overall is very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 22:07:19 | More by Theheroguy

Bung

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz. Very dark brown pour, thin layer of white on top. Not much lacing or retention really.

Aroma, Hay like malt, a lot of herbal and grassy notes. Faint toasted nut.

Taste, the herbal hop notes of the pilsener counteract the toasted malt and molasses of the schwarz. Its not bad, but they don't necessarily work that well together. There is a little phenolic tinge. Finishes with more of the peaty and nutty roast. A little bit of chocolates as well.

Lighter body, pilsener carbonation. It's very interesting and drinks easily enough. But it just seems a bit conflicted.
Does improve as it warms, feels like it is on the verge of being something pretty nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 04:38:50 | More by Bung

JRBUSNA02

4/5  rDev +6.1%

11-16-2012 19:06:00 | More by JRBUSNA02

dsshuck

Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.1%

11-15-2012 22:20:28 | More by dsshuck

chinchill

South Carolina

3.78/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22 oz bottle served in a Unibroue snifter.

Creative hybrids once again stretch existing beer categories to the breaking point. For a schwarzbier, this is too highly carbonated, Very hoppy, and too light (dark brown rather than black). But it is just what one should expect in a "black pilsner". The black lager and pilsner play well together, but do not completely gel. Still, I liked the interplay of styles. There’s a good bit of dark malt in this beer as reflected in the nose and flavor. Better and stronger flavor than aroma. Hops are partially masked in the nose but nearly hold their own in tasting.

M: some nice dryness in the finish; medium body; (over?) lively carbonation.

O: A successful collaboration producing a nice combination of styles. Improves with warming; I recommend serving at the warmer schwarzbier range rather than the colder pilsner temperature.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 23:54:36 | More by chinchill

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Almost black in color, almost but instead is a really deep ruby garnet brown. An average size head sits on top lingers but fades to a color and no lacing.

Aroma to me like most pils and lagers is quite thin and in this case is quite the same but there is the sutle nuiance of roasted malts.

Taste is like the nose with a malty up front and some roasted malts in the back.
Drinks like a thin bodied porter and in all honesty is quite good. The aftertaste is abit harsh.
A desent beer but nothing really to hook you in.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 14:22:04 | More by micromaniac129

sendbeer

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

11-03-2012 14:28:29 | More by sendbeer

dunix

Vermont

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%

10-29-2012 15:00:13 | More by dunix

GFish

Virginia

4/5  rDev +6.1%

10-14-2012 21:19:59 | More by GFish

WesWes

New York

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a dark brown/black color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a dry, roasted scent along with a hint of caramel sweetness. The taste is decent. It has a bone dry, roasted flavor with a thin finish. The caramel malts add a bit of depth, but only add minimal malt sweetness. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium/full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a easy drinking black lager, although it could use an additional caramel malt presence.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 16:20:52 | More by WesWes

oline73

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown color with a mild layer of tan head. The head goes away completely almost right away.

Smell: Pils malt with some mild notes. There is a mild fruity note that reminds me of cherries. The roast is there, but it's in the background. Sweeter than I expected.

Taste: The flavor isn't very sweet. Pils malt and herbal notes show up here too. There is a bunch of roast, more than the smell. Just a touch of yeast, but the fruity notes from the smell don't really show up. The finish is bitter.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with carbonation that is pretty smooth. The finish is dry.

Overall: I thought this beer was a bit weird, but not unenjoyable. I would probably pass on having another.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 19:22:14 | More by oline73

djre4orm

Virginia

2.5/5  rDev -33.7%

10-04-2012 16:46:39 | More by djre4orm

n2185

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +6.1%

09-23-2012 02:48:32 | More by n2185