Black Lager?

[macwilkin]

This is quite true, if has a name with and ending "ator" on the end it is usually a DoppeBock. Kostritzer Schwarzbier is one of the best representations of a Schwazrbier around. Brewed originally in East block Germany it is now part of the Unified Germany. Ive had a couple of six packs of the stuff and it is rich, roasty and delicious. It has a different roast flavor than a stout due to the lager yeast as opposed to the ale yeast. Ive seen the Guinness Black Lager on the shelf and that is so far where it has remained. Xingu bier from Brazil is another very tasty black beer that Im pretty sure employs a lager yeast. It isnt easy to find but is a wonderful dark beer to drink. Though not as full flavored yet a nice black bier is Fat Tire's 1554. With fall in the air a nice strong dopplebock, a good rich porter, a nice dry stout or if you can find it a Schwarzbier. When I brewed at a pub I made a few batches of Schwarzbier that people really enjoyed.

http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/Schwarzbier.html

Prost \_/

What do you think of Dixie's Blackened Voodoo from New Orleans, Paul? It is another "black lager".

T.

[brewerpaul]

What do you think of Dixie's Blackened Voodoo from New Orleans, Paul? It is another "black lager".

T.

Ive had a few of them, I dont even know if Dixie is still being brewed. It didnt seem the have the full flavor as the real Schwarzbier has. It did have a nice roasty flavor like 1554. When I was in New Orleans 3 months post Katrina the Dixie brewery had a 10 waterline stain on the outside walls. The brewery was being held together by hopes and dreams anyway so Katrina pretty much did it in. I dont know if they have reopened or are being contract brewed. If they are no longer around it gives my Dixie t-shirt that much more personal value to me. Oh Shiner has created an nice Schwarzbrier for all those Texas Shiner fans. I think it comes in the multi pack you can sometimes find in the stores. It has a good roasty rich flavor too.

Prost \_/

[J_Mimbs]

I must respectfully disagree with the statement and general consensus that American beer is bad. Although you did say most of the beer "sold" in America... We have some of the greatest microbrews in the world, that never would have existed without the mass produced swill.

Oh I love American microbrews. Its just that most of my friends drink swill. Bud Light and that ilk. I purposely didn't mean to say that most American beers were bad, just the popular crap that sells the most.

[Joshua]

Not having tried it, I really can't comment on the taste, but by the comments here it seems to be that people may be measuring it with the wrong yardstick... If it's a "lager" then don't expect it to taste like an ale, and certainly don't compare it to Guinness (even though it may be made by them) -- that's a completely different class of product. That would be akin to comparing a glass of Chilean Merlot wine to... a mug o' hot chocolate.

The brewing method for ales and lagers is somewhat different and results in different products as well. Having said that, I would be quite curious to see what this "black lager" tastes like, if I can get it in Japan...

I'm fairly familiar with the difference and I can tell you the guinness lager is watery and hollow, it is nothing like any black lager or darker colored lager I've ever had.

[macwilkin]

Ive had a few of them, I dont even know if Dixie is still being brewed. It didnt seem the have the full flavor as the real Schwarzbier has. It did have a nice roasty flavor like 1554. When I was in New Orleans 3 months post Katrina the Dixie brewery had a 10 waterline stain on the outside walls. The brewery was being held together by hopes and dreams anyway so Katrina pretty much did it in. I dont know if they have reopened or are being contract brewed. If they are no longer around it gives my Dixie t-shirt that much more personal value to me. Oh Shiner has created an nice Schwarzbrier for all those Texas Shiner fans. I think it comes in the multi pack you can sometimes find in the stores. It has a good roasty rich flavor too.

Prost \_/

I saw some not too long ago at the International Wine Center here in Springfield, which has a decent selection or beer, albeit not as good as they used to have -- evidently Dixie is brewing somewhere else, according to some friends in the Baton Rouge Scottish community. I'll have to ask them exactly where.

T.

[chewse]

In Texas, there are two microbreweries in particular that produce higher quality brews. The first one is Rahr and Sons out of Fort Worth. They produce small batches of various beers through out the year. They have some very good seasonal beers. The other brewery is significally larger but is still considered a microbrewery; Shiner. Shiner produces a black lager called Shiner Black. I like this beer a lot but some may consider it watered down when comparing it to stronger, thicker beers. To me, however, the Shiner Black from the tap at local pubs tends to be more full bodied when compared to the bottled Shiner Black.

[Rab]

I dont know how easy it will be for you guys to get hold of but check out what the boys at Brewdog have been up to, they're a craft brewery from Fraserborough in the NE of Scotland. They do a very nice black lager called zeitgiest as well as some really fabulous other beers plus some pretty mental stuff too.

[brewerpaul]

In Texas, there are two microbreweries in particular that produce higher quality brews. The first one is Rahr and Sons out of Fort Worth. They produce small batches of various beers through out the year. They have some very good seasonal beers. The other brewery is significally larger but is still considered a microbrewery; Shiner. Shiner produces a black lager called Shiner Black. I like this beer a lot but some may consider it watered down when comparing it to stronger, thicker beers. To me, however, the Shiner Black from the tap at local pubs tends to be more full bodied when compared to the bottled Shiner Black.

I dont know about Rahr and Sons brewery in Ft Worth but I do know about Shiner bier. Spoeztl Brewery, where Shiner is made, is typical of some of the German settlements in south and central Texas. When the Germans were brought into central Texas to settle, both sides of my family included, they built their towns in similar ways. Usually it meant building a church, a school and a shooting club. The later important so the men could maintain their aim while hunting game. Eventually towns grew and the Germans wanted their favorite beverage, bier. Often the townspeople would pool their funds to create a brewery, such as Spoetzl in Shiner Texas. This made it a town owned and operated venture. In 1909 Spoetzl was created by the German and Czechs people living in Shiner. They hired Kosmos Spoetzl in 1914 and rode the waves of prohibition, the buy outs of the regional breweries and the trends of mass produced swill. Now days Spoetzl produces some fine German styles of bier, and continue to produce seasonal biers true to the German taste. Their real resurgence as a brewery came with a huge marketing of Shiner Bock. Though not a true Bock by gravity, due to Texas brewing laws, it is a tasty Bock bier regardless. As they have explored the specialty and seasonal biers the have recreated weizen biers for summer, Kolsh biers and also their tasty Black Lager. The brewery is a treat to visit and is a huge part of Texas and brewing history, plus the free samples you can partake in make it more fun. The German brewing is reflected in many breweries in Texas and Mexico as more Germans settled. Both Dos Equis and Negra Modelo have amber biers that are actually Vienna lager styles. The most unfortunate part of Texas brewing history is the fact that Celis bier closed after Piere Celis retired. The wit bier and pale bock were outstanding. Here is to brewing culture the world over.....

Prost \_/

[tky58]

The only problem with Shiner, TX is that it is in the middle of nowhere between San Antonio and Houston. And, at least in the early '90's they had a wicked speed trap on I 10.
Still I loved Shiner Bock and wish I gould get it up her in Maine.

[azwildcat96]

This Shiner discussion caught my attention. I tried to find the black here in El Paso (I travel here frequently on business) over the past 3-4 weeks, and couldn't find it anywhere. I ended up seeing it at home in Arizona this past weekend, and bought it. Not bad, no better or worse than the Guinness Black Lager. But as far as Shiner goes, I've liked the 102 Double Wheat (which was seasonal to celebrate their 102 years brewing), and right now, as I type this, I'm having a Shiner Holiday Cheer "dark" ale with subtle flavors of peaches and pecans. I just saw they have a Light Blonde too...might have to try that next time.