Kulmbacher Mönchshof Schwarzbier

Brewed by Kulmbacher Brauerei (Schörghuber)
Style: Schwarzbier
Kulmbach, Germany

Smells of bitter veggie soup..? Yeah I don’t know. Dark brown color, lacing head. Tastes as it smells. Malty, bitters, veggies, very unique.

Tap. Very espresso-like in the nose, a bit of cooked vegetable, roasted malts. Coffee, cereal (raw oatmeal) and some metallic flavours, a bit sour and salty in the finish. Decent, not great.

Bottle. Head was large creamy like and off-white which mostly lasted. Some good lacing was to be found in glass. Colour was ruby like. Aroma was light chocolate, coffee, toasted, wood, smoke. Medium bodied with a soft carbonation. Moderated sweet with light notes of bitterness. Slightly sweet finish. Nice and drinkable.

Pours dark brown with a thin, tan head. Smells of roasted malt. Not a bad, caramel, coffee, smoky flavor. Really thin body. Not cloyingly sweet, but not too bad.

Pours a dark brown with hint of amber, big fluffy white head. Malty, toasted, dark chocolate. Mouth is espresso, chocolate and toffee maltiness. Some hops there, which carry through into the finish, to give a not-too-sweet, not-too-bitter finish. OK, just a bit too fizzy.

Poured a dark brown/amber color with great clarity, large off white head that quickly fades with good lacing. Great roasted malt aroma of bitter sweet choclate and coffee. Taste is the same with a slight caramel flavor and a well balanced hop bitterness. This beer is too easy to drink.

Deep ruby brown color, but light and clear enough to see through. About two inches of off-white head. Minimal spotty lacing. Roasted malt in the aroma. Nice roasted malt flavor too, but a little bit of toffee sweetness in there too. Lightly hopped. More roasted goodness in the aftertaste - but light. Smooth medium body, softly carbonated, and consistent in flavor. Not quite a pils (as the bottle calls it), but then again, not a stout or porter either by any means.

Clear walnut with some deep garnet. Very large, very fine slightly sticky light brown head settles slowly to a complete rocky cap leaving nice lacing. Touch of toffee leads over dark, slightly husky chocolate. Just a touch of roastiness as well. There’s a solid malty goodness lurking below to support it all. Complex, interesting, and well-balanced. Heavy side of medium in the mouth with excellent rich malt of the bready sort. Roast and chocolate notes are there, as well as a touch of dried cherry fruitiness. Complexity, interest and balance again. Excellent soft, filling mouthfeel - seems to get into every crack and crevice of the mouth. Great length with a touch of spicy bitterness at the death that simply begs you to take another sip. Drinkable? This is one of the magic brews that simply disappears from the glass leaving only a lingering smile. Genius beer. Easily abused, and nowhere near the same experience when it is. Please buy from a reputable retailer.