Klosterbräu Schwärzla - Brauerei-Gaststätte Klosterbräu

MattSweatshirt

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fluffy light tan head. Body is dark red in the light.
Toasted malt and some hop in the nose.
More of the same as in the nose with lots of hop and toasted malt but there's also a hint of something verging on smoke. Seems like I'm getting slight alcohol notes which seems weird at such a low abv.
Lots of carbonation and a medium body.
I thought it was a great Schwarzbier. Easy to put back with some krautspaetzle.

Serving type: on-tap

12-21-2012 07:32:11 | More by MattSweatshirt

herrburgess

South Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +11.4%

05-28-2013 13:03:19 | More by herrburgess

spycow

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

01-14-2013 01:54:09 | More by spycow

kojevergas

California

2.63/5  rDev -34.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Served on-draught into a .5L stein. Reviewed from notes taken Summer 2011 at Klosterbrau. 4.9% ABV confirmed. Cost was 2.70 euro.

A: Pours a half finger head of light khaki-tan colour, nice cream, and decent thickness - but poor retention. It's hard to discern the colour in the stein, but it seems to be caramel.

Sm: A light strength caramel aroma.

T: Caramelized malt - especially on the finish. Sorely misses nuttiness, which would complement the choice of malts nicely here. Crappy and simple. Overreliant on its mediocre barley foundation for flavour. Weak. Hopping is floral at best and minimal in presence. There's just nothing going on here. Balanced poorly, with flavour lacking in the second act. This plateau remains even through what should be the climax. Built alright, I guess.

Mf: Smooth and wet; standard fare. Sort of suits the flavour, but is far from custom-tailored to them.

Dr: Pedestrian as hell. Drinks okay, but it's pretty low ABV. Price is average by German standards. Only hardcore fans of the style need apply.

C-

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2012 01:38:06 | More by kojevergas

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

5.2%ABV Flip-top, half-litre bottleBBD 19 Jan 2013: poured into an Abbot Ale glass tankard @ home on 21 Nov 2012.

Large pop as I opened the bottle, the beer wanted to get out: the glass filled with tanned foam and only half the actual beer left the bottle before my glass almost overflowed with the huge head I'd produced.

Once everything had calmed down a bit I poured the remaining beer into my glass and had a good sniff: toasted/roasted bread/biscuity malt esters in the smell. The taste was also mostly of malts, I found some toffee flavours before stronger dark chocolate and mildly hoppy finish rounded off each sip.

This is one of the better brews I've had in this style: more depth of flavour and body strength from start to finish.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 12:45:24 | More by BlackHaddock

whatsgoody

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

11-16-2012 22:49:35 | More by whatsgoody

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.4/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Half litre serving in a willibecher at Klosterbrau, Bamberg

Klosterbrau schwarzla

A- Stout black body with very light getting through showing some ruby highlights with excellent clarity. Off white head produces average retention and lacing.

S- Milk chocolate, treacle, sultana cake

T - Light smoke and dark chocolate with toasted malt coming through mellowing with a cake sweetness. Finish is clean with a lingering light hop note.

M - Medium carbonation and body

D - Extremely tasty with superb aroma. Enjoyed very much.

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2012 20:54:53 | More by seanyfo

crisis44

New York

4.25/5  rDev +5.2%

06-01-2012 22:50:49 | More by crisis44

nlriehl87

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1%

02-17-2012 22:49:23 | More by nlriehl87

kinolust

Tennessee

3.5/5  rDev -13.4%

02-11-2012 20:08:25 | More by kinolust

stevoj

Germany

4.15/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a nice fluffy foamy head into German lager glass. Head remained, leaving ample lacing on the glass. A deep, dark coffee brown, almost no light gets throughthis one. A hearty malty smell followed by some nice roast grain flavor, with no bite or bitterness on the tongue. Zehr lecker!

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 18:10:37 | More by stevoj

alalvarez75

New York

5/5  rDev +23.8%

12-12-2011 19:51:53 | More by alalvarez75

pixieskid

France

4/5  rDev -1%

11-26-2011 09:54:15 | More by pixieskid

shwami

Germany

3.9/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a German ceramic tankard from Kloster Kreuzberg.

A: Pretty, dark brown brew with a fluffy, creamy head on the pour.

S: The aroma is faintly smoky and sweet smelling of greenery and roasty malt.

T: Great typical schwarzbier roasty taste, made complex by the smokey caramel back story. Pleasant and interesting.

M: Barely carbonated and slick on the tongue. Somewhat unexpected from a schwarzbier when compared to Kostritzer.

D: Pretty good, particularly since it incorporates a slight touch of local Bamberg smoke as a subtle surprise. I could enjoy this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 19:43:47 | More by shwami

skypup

Germany

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

Purchased one bottle from Kaufmann in Bamberg.

.5L bottle served in a Schwarzbier glass.

A- Nearly black, dark brown hues in the light; three finger tan head, had to pour in two steps. decent retention and lots of lacing.

S- Roasted malts, nearly sweet toffee notes.

T- Roasted sweet malt, touches of coffee and bitter chocolate lingers on the tongue.

M- full bodied, medium cabonation.

D- This is a great beer. Retains my opinion as an excellent beer in the bottle and at the tap. Served with hard cheese and crackers made a great pairing.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 18:22:54 | More by skypup

bark

Sweden

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

The colour is deep brown-red, almost like Coca-Cola. The liquid is clear. The finger thick head is pale brown. No lacing occurs.

The smell is light and fresh with some dry, roasted barley.

The taste is quite light, too. Dry roasted malty flavours. The aftertaste adds a crispy bitterness and a hint of caramel. It is overall very clean.

The carbonation is strong with lots of creamy small bubbles. The liquid is very smooth.

A schwarzbier with clean and balanced flavours. Not the most complex one I have had, though.

Serving type: on-tap

08-31-2011 19:59:09 | More by bark

Domingo

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Another unique tasting beer from Klosterbrau. Poured at their brewery/pub in 06/11.
A nearly black brown beer with a small but consistent amount of foam.
This is a schwarzbier with some definite roasty and sweet molasses notes going on, but it also has a whiff of smoke even though it doesn’t actually use any smoked malts (that I know). Little bits of chocolate and liquorice, pop up here and there, too. Like most other beers in town, they’re also not skimping on the hops. While clearly a lager, it reminds me a bit of the flavor profile for a strong sweet stout.
While other dark beers in town tend to lean more in the dunkel or some kind of hybrid direction, this one’s a real schwarzbier at heart. It's a fine one, too. That smokiness is a terrific addition to the roasty and sweet flavors.
Good stuff, and much like their Braunbier, a beer worth going back for in a town with a million options.
If you're only in Bamberg for a day, I'd put this on a list of beers you *have* to try along with Keeseman Herren Pils, Spezial Rauchbier, and Mahr's Ungespundetes.

Serving type: on-tap

06-30-2011 20:47:33 | More by Domingo

CampusCrew

Florida

4.13/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

had at the brewery. one of the best black laf=gers ive had

appearance: deep dark brown, lackig had retention

smell: bif coffee, dark, carmael, chocolate

taste: Coffee, carmelized malt, dark rich flavors, great, malt backbone

mouthfeel: medium bodied but heavy for style, good carbonation

drinkability: well balanced, equally drinkable lager.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 15:36:16 | More by CampusCrew

crnipeter

Slovenia

4.05/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

500 ml, BB reads 11. February 2011, into tulip.
Impenetrable to light yet clear, dark brown, nearly black body with garnet highlights, topped by medium, semi-stable tan head.Aroma is rich Munich-like malt, aromatic sweetness and dark chocolate from roasted malt. Clear malty flavor with some metallic oxidation, coffee and dark chocolate from roasted malt. The chocolaty sensation lasts into the finish while aftertaste is roast and hoppy bitterness. Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation and smooth, creamy texture.
No burnt notes and clean lager character with complete absence of fruity esters.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2010 01:42:22 | More by crnipeter

jmhart

Georgia

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

On tap from Klosterbrau in Bamberg.

Deep dark brown with a almond head that dissipates quickly without much residual.

Cinnamon and hints of cocoa with some floral hops on the nose.

Toasted nuts and caramel are the first things you taste, but the floral hops finish the beer out and linger in the mouth.

Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Bold enough to support the flavors and thick enough to linger. Not much bite

Highly drinkable. Full bodied with full flavor, but remarkably smooth and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2010 23:00:53 | More by jmhart

philipquarles

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

500ml swing-top BBE March 12 09 (seven months ago). Opens with a bang and pours dark brown/black with a large light beige head. Nice lacing. Smells of sweet roasty malt with some caramel. Light diacetyl and a bit of oxidation. These two come out even more in the flavor, but the nice roasty character that's supposed to be there is not lost. Sweet over all, with some chocolate notes. Very full, creamy body that's quite impressive for the ABV. This would be a very nice beer fresh, I'm sure, so I tried not to let the off-flavors affect the rating.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2009 00:09:44 | More by philipquarles

Windigstadt

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Nearly pitch black; thick off-white head.
S- Hints of smoke and coffee; just a slight herbal spiciness.
T- A roasty, malty bitterness up front with a slight sweet tang. The roast flavors give way to a hop bitterness in the finish with virtually no malt backbone in between. Hints of licorice and coffee give this nice complexity for a lager.
M- A little fuller than your typical Schwarzbier.
D- It drinks like a big beer, much more so than it's 4.9% ABV would lend you to expect.

Overall: This is a very flavorful Schwarzbier. My personal criticisms are that I would like it to have a little more malt in the middle while toning down the roast malts just a little. Still, not a bad beer by any means.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2007 21:26:46 | More by Windigstadt

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.38/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from the brewery, kept refridgerated, best before 27 04 06.

A: Black, pours a huge, creamy off-white (almost tan) head. Pour retention, but initially it leaves a little lace.

S: Malty (bread & nut), molases, a little mocha, hint of floral/grassy/spicy hop flavours (a light blend of continental, nobel hops?).

T: Only slightly bitter, with a little roasted/burnt malt. Quite malty, bread, molases, slight fruityness. Pleasant (but light) nobel hop flavours (a little grass & spice).

M: Moderate, malty body (surprising for its strength), moderate carbonation. Very smooth & pleasant.

D: Very drinkable.

There's so much good beer in Bamberg, but if you're ever there, do yourself a favour & give this one a try!

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2006 00:50:49 | More by Derek

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This beer poured a very, very dark brown (almost black) color, with reddish highlights near the edges. The foam was creamy and light brown in color and settled slowly while clinging to the glass. The smell was sweet malt with notes of caramel. The taste was malty and not sweet with low hoppiness, though the hops did come out a bit in the finish. The mouthfeel was dry with medium-full body and strong carbonation, and it was relatively clean overall. This was a good dunkel bier.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2006 06:51:51 | More by UncleJimbo

paterlodie

Belgium

3.95/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Best before 27-04-05. Poors out good with not too much head but whats there stays quiet good. Color of foam is yellowish and beercolor is almost black.Nose is malty; lots of roast and also some cara and probably munichmalts there. Just litle and decent yeastaromecomplet the smell. Taste is like a schwarzbier should taste; burnt, sweetmalty and litle metallic. Nice combination and aftertaste is just a hop and roast thing. Also well balanced. Mouthfeel is impressive for a just 4.9 %ABV beer and the drinkability of that beer is cause of the low alcohol also good. Great beer but could have just a litle more alcohol in my vieuw.

Serving type: on-tap

02-16-2005 16:13:47 | More by paterlodie