Gordon Biersch Schwarzbier

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Schwarzbier
Palo Alto, California USA

Draft @ Gordon Biersch downtown DC next to the Spy Museum Dark mahogany, ruby. Light head, some lacing. Nose is sweet, roasty, nice sweet fruity character. The flavor is balanced. Nearly aleish but good.

On tap. Dark amber coloured with a small head. Roasted maltyness with a slight dryness and hoppyness. Nice and round aftertaste.

Had on tap at the New Orleans location. Like its name states in German, it is a black beer. Pours dark with a nice head. My favorite of the beers at this brewpub.

On tap at DC location. Color is a cola-like dark brown. Supports a thin off-white head with fairly good durability. No lacing. A restrained aroma of roasted malt, toffee and some chocolate. Mouthfeel was light and spritzy with a slightly watery texture in the finish. Clean, uncomplicated and mildly sweet flavors of dark roasted malt, burnt toast, chocolate, mocha and caramel. Shows a nice balance between the sweeter malts and more bitter, acidic roasted malt contributions. A simple and refreshing beer which is a nice rendidtion of the style.

My last Gordon Biersch of the day and finally a winner for me. Dark, dark copper appearance, almost black. Light chocolatey aroma, very inviting. Light bodied slightly dry taste of roasted chocolate. Very smooth. Very large lacing from top to bottom of the empty pint. Beautiful brew.

Sampled at the Broomfield, CO location. Beer was a clear, very dark ash-brown color with a small, mostly and quickly diminishing head. The aroma was malty with moderate notes of roasted grain, chocolate, light note of molasses; Hoppy with a moderate note of herb; Miscellaneous notes of trace smoke, aspen bark, light notes of licorice and coriander. The flavor was moderately to heavily sweet, lightly acidic with a short, lightly sweet finish. The body is light, the texture was watery and the carbonation was lively.

Draft at the San Jose brewery. This one has a little color--medium amber and even a hint of tan in the head. There’s roast/toast in the nose (though not much), and some in the finish, too. Not overly gifted with body or carb, and not super-flavorful, but at least you could tell it from their pilsner in a blind tasting.

On tap, DC location, 2006 RBSG pubcrawl. Pours a dark brown, similar to cola, under a small fizzy off-white head. Aroma is roasty with a little chocolate malt and light coffee. Flavor is nicely chocolaty and dry with a little coffee on the finish. Mouthfeel is fairly thin with a watery fizzy texture. A pretty good Schwarzbier, dry and crisp flavor and refreshingly light. A very good choice for a steaming hot summer day.