Faust Schwarzviertler
Brauhaus Faust-Miltenberger

Faust SchwarzviertlerFaust Schwarzviertler
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From:
Brauhaus Faust-Miltenberger
 
Germany
Style:
Munich Dunkel
Ranked #22
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
89
Ranked #10,662
Avg:
4.07 | pDev: 7.86%
Reviews:
6
Ratings:
14
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jun 23, 2023
Added:
Aug 11, 2007
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4 by GedH from England

Jun 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4 by BeerWasp from Germany

Feb 27, 2021
 
Rated: 3.9 by nickfl from Florida

Oct 31, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Amedlin18 from North Carolina

Dec 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4.46 by Dentist666 from Russian Federation

Oct 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by kscaldef from Oregon

Aug 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by coxm from California

Apr 14, 2013
Photo of boddhitree
Reviewed by boddhitree from Germany

4.77/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Today's contestant is their Schwartzviertler Dunkel. [As an aside, I noticed Brauerei Faust finally updated their website to acknowledge the existence of their specialty beers, as well as having their own online shop now, where you can get their "Rare Beers" from them cheaper than from Biershop Bayern.]

On the back label:

"Fiery, dark beer specialty with selective special malts. Roast malts aromatic with light smokey caramel and bitter chocolate notes. Full-bodied drink with a dry finish."

I'm not so wild about the statement of ingredients which lists hop extracts. I don't care what other breweries, craft or otherwise, use, but to me this is selling out for profit. Also notice the best buy date is July 3, 2013, only 6 months from now.

Let's see if their hype stands up to reality. I read about it the Schwarzviertler Dunkel in this month's Brew Your Own, which doesn't have an online link, yet, but probably will after their next month's issue comes out. All I could find is their blurb for the article:

"The Faust Brewery in Miltenberg, Germany brews a “shady” dark lager, similar to a dunkel, but employing some unusual techniques and ingredients."

They published a recipe for this beer, which some dude with a blog tried his hand at brewing, and he posts the recipe for 5 gals:

20 ounces Munich Malt
9 ounces Smoked Malt
3 ounces Carafa III Malt
6.6 pound Munich liquid malt extract
1 ounce Perle hops (8.9% alpha acid)
White Labs 833 German Bock Yeast

In the BYO article, they say the name Schwarzviertler comes from the fact that is the name of the neighborhood brewery, which sits under sandstone cliff, not allowing the sun to get in, hence the "shady" above. Schwarz = black, Viertel = neighborhood/quarter, so Schwarzviertler = someone/thing who comes from the "black neighborhood." In Miltenberg, which I've visited a few times over the years, and is only 50 minutes by car from FfM, this basically is a picturesque, narrow road of old, 400 or less years old, Fachwerkhaüser, or half-timbered houses, about
a mile long.

The color is dark brown amber with lots of red tints. The color is not as dark as I expected, but it's fun to look through. Aroma is full of malts, Müncher and Pils malts with caramel and a little hops.
The taste... wow! Malty with Pils taste but so much more. A tiny hint of smoke and some sweet, somewhat chocolatey aftertaste. Bitterness is there, not so much from hops, but it's still there. It's not too thin, either. It's got a great mouth-feel, giving a cozy, lovely feel over the tongue. Overall, a lovely, very complex beer.

The only disappointment is that my girlfriend likes this beer so much that I have to open another bottle just to finish this taste-test. Again, wow... it's sweet, with light chocolate hints, malts and a bit of smoke, but not the majority taste, with just enough hop bitterness to balance it well. It doesn't taste at all like a Pils at all, but it doesn't taste like like an ale, but really close. I love this beer and I hope everyone gets to chance to drink it.

The regular beers from Faust may not be world beaters, but the Schwarzviertler is a really unique beer. It's worth ordering or finding a bottle and experiencing this wonderful beer.
Jan 27, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by damngoode from Indiana

Nov 13, 2012
Photo of StJamesGate
Reviewed by StJamesGate from New York

4.14/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Clear nut brown with bouncy tan foam that pits. Big aggressive nose - red currants and apples, dark rye bread and lots of smoky roast, with a sour caramel thing underneath.
Clean dark grain like black German bread with toffee and nut notes, a bit of smoke, with strong hops presence in the form of grass and winter spice to finish.
Light to medium, lively, smooth, slight cling.

Much more depth and complexity than I'm used to from this style. Definitely can taste the wrestling match between caramel and darker malts. Hops aren't shy, either, and the slight smokiness recalls Schlenkerla.

Maybe the best example of the style I've tasted.
Apr 28, 2012
Photo of stevoj
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho

3.57/5  rDev -12.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Nice rich aroma of roast grains, taste of chocolate and coffee. Color is deep brown with thin skin of a beige head. Lingering bitterness remains on the palate. A very good example of the style.
Jan 17, 2012
Photo of futurefjp
Reviewed by futurefjp from England

3.92/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is an amazing brewery that has suddenly surfaced in North Bar, Leeds and I am suitably impressed by the presentation. I feel this brew lacks a little depth, but as a whole it holds its own in its own context and I think I shouldn't pair the word Dunkel together with Dunkel as a generic term?

But the one thing you need to hear is how good their waters are...

Its like the thing that holds together all the brew/Brau.

As of Xmas season 2011: North bar has
Dunkel, Naturturb and Festbier...worthy of £15, defo!
Dec 14, 2011
Photo of mactrail
Reviewed by mactrail from Washington

3.67/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Modest dark lager.

Golden brown color with nice carbonation. Surprisingly low on malt flavors for the dunkel lager style. Predominant watery taste and feel in the mouth. Some hints of dark roasted malt. A bit woody with vegetable type flavors. Nice fragrance in the nose. The subtle flavors are enhanced by just a bit of hoppy bitterness.

Beautiful label on all the Faust products but what's inside this bottle is a plain beer.
May 11, 2010
Photo of Freshie
Reviewed by Freshie from Massachusetts

4.28/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Beautiful, swing-top bottle. I believe there is a description of the lager on the label, but seeing as I cannot read German, I can't tell you much about the info on the label.

The color is gorgeous. Light maroon, clear, with slightly tan head. Many bubbles rise to the surface.

The aroma is roasted malt, with a very faint sweetness.

The taste is full bodied, with rich malt, and light hop spice coming as you drink. The sweet malt character out does the hops, but this imbalance works for the best. A bit smoky in the after taste.

Very good bier!
Sep 24, 2007
Faust Schwarzviertler from Brauhaus Faust-Miltenberger
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 14 ratings