Beer Review: Guinness Brewing's Black Lager, Is A Consider It
Ok. Picture this. You’re at your first High School / College beer-themed party. What was your first beer? For this writer it was, if you can believe it, Olympia light-lager. True, this was not the complete name on the can, but it was an Olympia.
Now fast forward a bit and you’re in a bar somewhere, maybe hanging with your friends, or maybe your girlfriend / boyfriend. What was your first Stout? For this writer it was Guinness Irish Dry Stout. Unfortunately during those years it was served in a 16oz ‘Pint’ but it was still a Guinness, complete with its signature head. Back then it was much bitter before the brewery got people wise to Nitrogen.
So it makes me smile the prospect of trying yet another beer from the brewery that gave me my favorite Irish Stout.
Brewery Description
Guinness Black Lager is a new lager that perfectly combines the refreshing taste of lager with the unique character and flavor of Guinness.
The Guinness Master Brewers have used the finest lager hops, yeast and traditional cold brewing methods, with their signature roasted barley, to create a truly original black lager with deliciously distinctive flavor and deeply refreshing taste.
· Appearance: Deep black color.
· Ingredients: Guinness’ signature roasted barley, malted barley, the choicest Saaz and Cascade hops, unique Guinness lager yeast and water.
· ABV: 4.5%
· Serve: Best enjoyed ice cold straight from the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Aroma: Gentle floral and fruity notes balance nicely with hints of roast.
Flavor: Light and crisp from the start, quickly revealing a subtle sweet malt and roast character with a pleasant slight hop finish that invites the next sip. Overall, a taste that is uniquely flavorful yet deeply refreshing.
Palate: Lively mouth-feel that is crisp and clean.
Suggested Style Guidelines from the Brewers Association
These very dark brown to black beers have a mild roasted malt character without the associated bitterness. This is not a full bodied beer, but rather a moderate body gently enhances malt flavor and aroma with low to moderate levels of sweetness. Hop bitterness is low to medium in character. Noble-type hop flavor and aroma should be low but perceptible. There should be no fruity esters. Diacetyl should not be perceived
Poured from 12 ounces Black Lager settles in the glass in the manner in which you would expect. Even under strong light there is hardly any clarity through all that blackness. Resting (only temporarily) is a two inches of head. But unfortunately just as quickly as it formed the cap of white disappears leaving no lace behind.
Emerging from its 12 ounce bottle Guinness Black Lager appears unassuming with an overall appearance of darkness. Resting in the glass a strong inch and a half of head appears before quickly receding leaving little lace behind.
Aromatics range from roasted sweet coffee to toffee and bits of barley. Sipping one gets definite roasted barley, burnt toffee, mild hop bitterness vibe that is signature of the Guinness beers. Overall Black Lager is a light to medium mouthfeel and there is a very subtle stickiness.
Our Thoughts.
You Should Consider It. When compared to the heavily favored Kostrizer from Germany or even regionals Full Sail Session Black or Heater Allen Schwarz, it's close. However don't take our word on this one, try one for yourself.
Cheers
Thoughts by your Colleagues
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/209/57285
http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/guinness-premium-beer/121755/
In accordance with new FTC regulations regarding bloggers and endorsements, the aforementioned company has provided me a free sample that was used for research prior to writing this review.
About the photo’s author
Paul “Fruit Trees” Orchard, is an amateur craft beer enthusiast and amateur photographer. Throughout the many years in craft beer he is always carrying a camera (smartphone, digital, traditional) and is invites you to see that beer can also be exciting even if you can’t drink the photo.
