Kulmbacher Mönchshof Schwarzbier

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

Bottle. White head. Black body. Weak malt aroma. Malt caramel flavor. Tickles your tongue. Not as sweet as expected.

Fresh 2005 bottle consumed on 12/31/2005. Deep maroon-auburn-hickory colored body with light violet tints, mostly clear and with an enormous white/off-white head, dense, creamy and very well-retained, providing ample lacing. Aroma begins with a light earthy barley, touches of very light roast and bits of berry skins. Arising quickly, and fully succeeding the previous notes, is a thick, creamy, almost honey dough flavor with light hints of chocolate-covered raisins intertwined with a dry, grassy and spicy German hoppiness. Very dry, it tugs at the heavy malts and seems to balance it well. As it warms, light plums and more earthiness emerge. The flavor is significantly sweet at first, but almost as quickly as the sweetness grows (cream, honey, graham crackers, light milk chocolate), a dry earthiness and hoppiness are felt, pulling the balance back towards the middle. The hops arent particularly flavorful, not that it would make much sense to add grassy/spicy notes to a chocolate/cookieish schwarzbier, but they do the job in drying out the flavor. I sort of agree with Bierkoning that it is more of a dunkel than a schwarz, or at least, it’s right on the border. For a schwarz, I would have liked to see a little more roast-derived tartness/vinousness and certainly some anise-like influences. Begins to get just a touch too sweet on the end, though you can’t deny the malts are wonderfully done. Medium-full body with a light spritzy, fairly tight carbonation and creamy-soft texture that makes for very easy drinking.

Malt forward aroma has light notes of caramel and roast with some breadiness and a mild, herbal hop note. Clear depp brown coloured body is topped by a very generous and lasting, creamy, fine bubbled, off white head that laces well. Thick bready malt flavour is joined by aromatic, floral and spicy hop flavours and some light roasted malt. Low to medium bitterness in the long dry finish with sweetness re-emerging. Medium body with rather lively carbonation that tingles on the tongue. Very enjoyable and very much to style. Tulip glass. Just above fridge temperature. Bottle (Half Time, Sep-05).

Impressed by this beer. Smooth and well done, this beer is understated but full in the mouth.

Deep red with a big creamy slightly off white head. Taste is a slight dissapointment not as Schwarzbier-y as i was expecting........decent enough.

Cool bottle poured black with a big thick creamy head and thick lacing. Aroma is chocolate and roasty coffee. Medium body with a thick creamy roasty chocolate flavor. Smooth easy drinking with a sweet smoaky finish.

Brown with dark ruby hue . Neat, presentable creamy head on top. Plenty of mocha chocolate aromas, medium sweet, roasted grain. Soft, medium bodied, with hints of carbonated choco . Soft rye bread finish. Dry roast. Very drinkable light Schwarz.

Thin head, decent lacing. Body is clear, crimson, medium bubbles. Light toffee and cocoa aroma. Taste is roasted, molassis, and just some hints of smoke. Bitter finish brings out more roasted malts and smoke. Well crafted, but as far as schwatzbiers go, this one isn’t that smokey or strong.