Duck-Rabbit Schwarzbier - The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Duckrabbit Schwarzbier pours a dark brownish black color. A small khaki colored head arises and falls like the tide.

Aroma is light of peat, roasted malts and burned toast.

Flavor is of roasted coffee beans. A real dark coffee presence is found throughout the beer. Dark malts hint at chocolate. Ghost like hop provides some bitterness.

Mouthfeel is full bodied and delectibly creamy.

Very solid offering here from Duck-Rabbit, a brewery semi-new to this area that fails to disappoint.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2009 15:52:52 | More by Stinkypuss

Proteus93

Virginia

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

Served on draft at Beer Run in Charlottesville.

A: Opaque black, just as I'd hope! Nice, slightly offpwhite head tops about a finger and a half tall. Nice looking, decently creamy, with a bitof a frothy quality to it. Several patches of lace paint the walls of the glass.

S + T: A nice coffee bean scent, and a straight iced coffee flavour to go with it - though it doesn't carry a lot of the chocolate or sweet notes that other styles often exhibit with the roasted malts. Nice and raw, the graininess is very clean and tasty.

M + D: Lighter in body, easy going and smooth drinking. This is a very nicely done beer, certainly accessible and easy to drink. I look forward to imbibing in many more of these as long as it lasts! Recommended drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

09-03-2009 00:34:34 | More by Proteus93

drabmuh

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Ah, a Schwarzbier. Served on draught at a local beer bar in the D.C. area. Dark, like black, in the pint glass. Thin brown head, the first smell I got Bock, the second I got porter. I could smell the malt, the alcohol (even though its low) and the smoke. Strong roasted malt character, I like this beer. Darks aren't my forte, but this was quite good. Smoke appears in the aftertaste, schwarzbiers are the porters of the lager world. Drink and enjoy, cheers.

Serving type: on-tap

08-26-2009 04:34:51 | More by drabmuh

rtratzlaff

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at Flying Saucer Raleigh.
The look is not quite opaque black in body with a tan head.
Aromas are roasted malt and hallertauer hop spice kick.
The flavor is some sweetness upfront followed by a sharp kick of roasted malt and dark roast coffee. Slightly acidic per style. Lighter mouthfeel with a sharpness from decent carbonation. I have tried about five other US brewed swarzbiers and this stands out as being much darker (DR style), less chocolate and more coffee, and a bit hoppier in the finish.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2009 18:37:45 | More by rtratzlaff

atsprings

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-tap at Flying Saucer served in a standard pint glass a dark almost opaque black with a decent head that diminishes to a ring and leaves slight lacing on the glass. The aroma is a decent amount of roasted malts, dried fruits, cocoa and slight coffee. The taste is a nice subtle blend of roasted malts with subtle yet present coffee, cocoa, and dried fruits with a decent hop backbone. The beer is quite light and refreshing, even on a hot summer day. This is a very respectable version of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

08-02-2009 03:18:22 | More by atsprings

jhamilton84

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I had this beer at the release party in Raleigh Flying Saucer. The coffee and caramel on the nose hits pretty well, and gives the illusion of being a big bold stout. Very black with a nice tan head that doesn't go away too quickly. The mouthfeel was very "thin" and I did not percieve it to be a big bodied beer. The taste was of coffee, caramel, and very crisp like a certain pilsners I've tasted. Overall, this beer was very good, and I was excited to be one of the first to try it at the Saucer in Raleigh North Carolina.

Serving type: on-tap

07-31-2009 21:53:57 | More by jhamilton84

cyclonece09

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a 14 oz "pint" glass. Pours a reddish black with a large light brown head. Smells of fruit notes in the dark roasted malt with very slight hints of chocolate. Tastes of dark roasted malt, slight caramel, and slight fruit taste, a little different. Beer is light bodied and sessionable, carbonation is perfect. Overall, an above average beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 23:07:52 | More by cyclonece09

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.64/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark brown to black with a decent head at pour the disappates to a little foam around the rim. Smell is sweet and chocolately. Flavor is dry up front and dark malty through the middle but converts to a nicely balanced chocolate taste on the finish. They really eeked a lot out of this sessionable but flavorful brew!

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 23:35:11 | More by Oakenator

hardy008

Minnesota

4.01/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours dark brown with a large foamy tan, with very nice retention and lacing. the aroma has dark roasted malt, cocoa, and some earth. The earth smell is almost like the inside of a cave.

Tastes like dark roasted malt, cocoa, and a little smoke. Somewhat sweet, with bitterness for balance provided by the dark roasted malt.

Light to medium bodied with average carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink. A nice beer for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 00:46:46 | More by hardy008

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

a very deep amber almost black in color with a finger of creme colored head. smells of roasted grains, chocolate, bready yeast. slightly fruity like cherries with lots of chocolate, and roasted grain flavor. has a nice tartness to it from the lager yeast. medium body, high carbonation.

a nice offering from this brewery.. they sure do like their dark beers!

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 05:47:50 | More by facundoCNB

Powderhornphil

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got this an an extra in a trade. Not my usual style, but it's pretty tasty.

Looks quite nice and black, lets some light around the edges. White fluffy head that leaves some very nice lacing.

Scents are gentle all around. Roast, coffee, chocolate malt.

Taste follows the nose with a clean flavor. A light chocolate malt appears on the finish.

Mouthfeel is very nice for the style and ABV.

Great to try this but I would not seek out again. Overall an enjoyable easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 01:47:03 | More by Powderhornphil

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a glass mug.

A: Nearly black (clear dark red-brown) with three-finger, off-white, creamy head that lasted a very long time. Good lacing.

S: Toasted malt and faint chocolate.

T: Light to moderate sweetness and light bitterness. Roasted malt and faint chocolate.

M: Light bodied with fizzy carbonation. Slightly dry and crisp.

O: Good black lager, but I'm not sure it's much better than the Sam Adams black lager. It looks pretty awesome in the glass.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 01:48:12 | More by SolipsismalCat

mvanaskie13

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a tall pilsner glass, color is dark brown to black with some amber edging; head is tan and dense and frothy, light lacing.

Smell is a wonderful blend of mild toasted malt, roasted malt and chocolatey malts - delicious.

Taste is clean, a little sweeter than most schwarzbiers, maybe closer to a stout but very clean finishing and only a bit of light fruitiness, but no excessive bitterness - smooth. Flavors start out roasty, blend to chocolate and finish a little thin and clean.

Mouthfeel is nearly exceptional, a bit of roasted bitterness, but other than that exceptional clean flavors and lighter lingering sweetness. Carbonation is not excessive, light lingering bitterness

Overall, a great, tasty brew - great roast presence, nice sweet balance and great smooth finish

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 23:36:28 | More by mvanaskie13

Kromes

Georgia

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear black with brown/red edges and a finger's width tan colored head that leaves rings of lace on the glass. Sweet roasted honey malt and chocolate aroma. Initial flavor is roasted malt with dark chocolate and a bit of sweet grain. Finishes sweet with a big roasted malt flavor and a touch of floral hop. Feel is light with good carbonation. A bit bitter from the roast, but mostly sweet. One of the best Schwarzbiers out there. This is a full flavored black lager.

Serving type: growler

09-02-2012 22:01:50 | More by Kromes

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Ive heard that awful I word thrown around about this one.

Pour is pitch black with a huge thick frothy light toffee-colored head.

I get alot of smooth coffee and chocolate on the nose, with a hint of light cherry that reminds me of the bottle of their Rabbid Duck I had.

The roasted malt comes out straight away, and I like that. Loads of powdered black chocolate and a bit of toasted coffee. But it competes with sour cherry from what I think is that awful "I" word. I like the base Schwarzbier. Its very toasted and roasted malt, and with no real body.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 17:10:23 | More by VncentLIFE

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.7/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an extremely dark brown/black with a small off-white head. Smells is a fantastic roasted malt and chocolate, but with a bit of something maybe cola-ish in there as well. It's really quite enticing! Flavor is amazing - to me, this is the best-tasting schwarzbier out there. It's got a very heavy roast going on, but it also manages not to be too bitter and has a great lightness to it that makes it incredibly drinkable. Mouthfeel is also quite fantastic, highly carbonated and light, which is just as it's supposed to be, goes perfectly with the roasty flavor. Overall, this is the best schwarzbier out there and right up there with Moonlight's Death & Taxes as the best dark lager in existence. To me, this is absolutely underrated style that incorporates the lightness/refreshing aspect of a lager with the roastiness of a stout/porter, and this beer does it better than any other.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 02:12:13 | More by starrdogg

mattpoin

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I'm always happy to see Duck-Rabbit coming out with new styles, especially since so few breweries are committed to dark beers year-round. The pour is gorgeous--as black as beer can get. The nose and taste aren't quite on par with the best schwarzbiers yet; the Einbecker Schwarzbier is much more robust and malty. Still, it's exciting to see an American brewery giving this style a go. Definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 01:14:20 | More by mattpoin

tdm168

North Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to jtd1969 for leaving this in my fridge.

A - pitch black with a huge, dense, brown head with great retention

S - roasted malt, faint chocolate, faint lager yeast, a hint of coffee

T - roasted malt, bitter, faint chocolate, lager yeast

M - crisp, well carbonated, medium bodied

This is a solid schwarzbier though it's a bit bitter and a little bitey. The chocolate and roasted malts give it a great flavor. It's highly drinkable and very enjoyable. I'll definitely have this again.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 23:20:01 | More by tdm168

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle date is illegible. But it's been refrigerated most of the time I've had it.

Pours very dark brown, black in the glass, and opaque except at the very edges. Half-finger of medium-tan head, gone in a flash, but some decent lacing.

Smell is quite smooth, with mellow citrus and smoky wood. The different components of the smell work really well together, forming an integrated whole that's hard for me to parse apart. Malty, slightly hoppy, dark, but airy and ethereal at the same time. If this beer were a fantasy character, it would be a happy dark sorcerer. Only complaint is that I'd like it to be more potent.

Taste is less integrated, and less interesting. A mix of slightly roasted malt with a hint of smoke, and some rather bland hops. Finishes mildly bitter.

Light-bodied, medium-low carbonation. On the flat side.

I was enthusiastic after the smell, but the taste let me down. Not bad, and among the more refreshing dark beers I've had. But not great.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 03:24:19 | More by zeledonia

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

4/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 355ml bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a dark black colour with a very mouth-watering and lovely brown head. Some good lacing too.

Smells dark and malty.

Tastes thick yet slightly watery. Fairly dark and burnt malts present too.

Overall a decent beer. Couldn't drink it in large quantiities though.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 19:06:13 | More by CwrwAmByth

Naugros

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was worried at first because it sounded and looked like I had poured a cola into the glass. A lot of sizzle and an active head with bursting microbubbles. But then it settled down I was able to pour more into the glass and raise the head well above the rim of the Duck-rabbit tulip I got in a BIF trade. As I continued to pour, the top of the head began to look the top of a soft-serve cone...coffee flavored. Absolutely awesome!

Roasted malts mixed with German hops make up the nose, smelling a little like a Baltic porter, for anyone not familiar with a schwarzbier. For anyone not familiar with a Baltic porter that means some dark fruits and a vinous quality amid roasted malts and a touch of hops. In this case the hops, being German, give off a bit of floral.

The taste is a bit disappointing, but still good. There's a metallic tang, like licking a penny...go ahead try it...you know you want to. But beneath that are the roasted malts and the hops. The copper tang lessens as the beer warms, but is still pretty distracting. This does not seem to often be an issue with this beer, so I'm assuming it is either this batch or this bottle. No one knows where metallic tastes comes from (even some think they know), but the only theory I could check was the bottle cap and it seemed fine.

The beer was a little over-carbonated, as I suspected from the initial pour, so there was a bit of tingle in the mouth, but it didn't lessen the body considerably.

I feel that this could be a phenomenal brew. I'll need to get another bottle to confirm that this is an anomaly. If I can, then I will surely change my score in the Taste category.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 03:51:17 | More by Naugros

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A 355ml bottle with a BB of Nov 2010! At least I think so - it's notched into the side of the label. Seems pretty damn old - I bought this just last week from a webshop. Oh well, here's hoping it tastes OK. I'm liking the labelling, although I reckon the duck is more of an albatross.

Poured into a Sam Smith's pint glass. Yeast sediment indicates conditioning with live yeast. Pitch black in colour - a deep brown when held to the light. Yields a massive head of creamy light brown foam with excellent retention; this lasts for ages before subsiding to a thick surface layer. Incredibly rich aroma of roasted malt with strong notes of coffee and hints of cocoa/chocolate, burnt grain and yeast.

Tastes of intense roasted malt with a bitter finish. Notes of coffee, burnt grain, cocoa, stewed hops and subtle earthy yeast. Has a dry, spicy quality. A powerful bitterness upon swallowing. Mouthfeel is smooth and tingly, with a spicy astrinency. Dries the palate. An aggressive aftertaste of roasted malt and bitter coffee.

Wow - fantastic! Not sure it quite matches the traditional style, but an excellent beer nonetheless. Roasted malt and coffee notes take your tastebuds hostage. A top notch brew - don't hesitate if you have the chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2012 23:48:58 | More by jazzyjeff13

Ruds

United Kingdom (England)

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 355ml bottle into a 'Pforzheimer Hausbrauerei' 0.3l handled glass.

Pours a 'light' black colour, chestnut brown when held to the light with a huuuuge frothy tan/off-white head. The head subsided after a few minutes but retained a good finger pretty much thereafter.

Dark roasted malts predominate on the nose with a hint of chocolate and caramel in the background.

Roasted malts again at the forefront of the flavours allied to a little chocolate, a little smoke, slightly sweet and a slightly - but not overpowering - bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is as good as any beer I've had of this style in Deutschland. Well balanced and just the right level of carbonation.

Overall a very decent Schwarzbier and one that I'd happily have again!

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 20:33:19 | More by Ruds

mdfb79

New York

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 01/27/12 notes. Got a bottle of this at Bier Baron in DC. 12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

a - Pours a dark amber color with two inches of off white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of caramel malts, roasted malts, nuts, light chocolate, and light coffee. Very nice.

t - Tastes of caramel malts, toffee, roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, light coffee, and nuts. Little mroe chocolate than the nose and some nice cream/vanilla; a step up from the nose.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Smooth and easy to drink.

o - Overall I thought this was a great schwarzbier. Lots of roasted and caramel notes to it, and creamy and easy to drink. Would certainly have it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 17:17:07 | More by mdfb79

Vec2267

Florida

4.28/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - black, with red tints when held up to the sun, 1/2 tan head which falls fast and coats the side of the glass nicely

S - smokey, peat, coffee

T - much the same as the smell, lots of smokey roasted flavors

M - medium in body, rich without the syrupy feel of some styles and low in alcohol

O - wonderful beer

I love this style, but have a hard time finding it. I occasionally find Palone, this is much better. Purchased at Bruisin' Ales in Asheville while on vacation last fall. One bottle made it home for the review.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 22:08:22 | More by Vec2267