McNeills Humperdink

Brewed by McNeills Brewery
Style: Schwarzbier
Brattleboro, Vermont USA

Very very dark brown hue, almost no head, just an off-white ring. Aroma is nutty, extremely roasted, closing to charcoal even, chocolatey and plain bold, almost dirty bold. It doesn't appear too complex to me and such heavy roastiness sure as hell would hide any potential defaults. Flavor hints at coffee and dark chocolate, but it's really mostly about a rich roastiness which, paired with the slightly overcarbonated thin-medium body, leaves me a bit indifferent.

Pours a rich murky very dark brown with a thin short-lived tan head. Aroma of burnt black malts and some sourness. Flavor is semi-sweet with a hint of bready caramel maltiness, but this is mostly overcome by an underlying acidity and bitter finish. I don't think this is a bad bottle, because it just arrived at the store where I bought it. Not very true to style, although it goes down easy and has some positive attributes.

Dark fruit sweetening a malt so roasted it almost smells smoked...Quite bitter grass pierces through the maltiness and thin, fizzy body...An intense schwarzbier with that indelible McNeill's hop signature...

Dark clear brown with a thin off white head. Sweet caramel malt aroma with sulfur notes, which dissipears to leave some roasted notes. In mouth, sweet malt with light coffee notes, simple, a bit thin, but overall pretty good, considering the bottle is more than 6 months old. Enjoyed with Boutip.

I get berries and licorice and smokiness in the flavor of this medium-bodied beauty. I get a coca-cola appearance and a foamy head, and a slightly hoppy, bitter palate that lingers and lingers (but in a nice way). Don’t know how close this is to the ’typical’ schwartzbier, but it’s another quality addition to a line of beers that I predict (or at least hope) will soon be challenging the Rogues of the world.

Very dry roasted aroma with some notes of sweet chocolate. Opaque black body with shy, large-bubbled head that recedes to lasting cover with very nice lacing. Surprisingly fruity sweet flavour is eclipsed by dry roasted malt bitterness. Very dry and light body with decent, engaging carbonation. Bottle (City Market - Burlington - Oct 2004).

Poured a prunish/black color with a thin off white head that left light lacing on the glass. Aroma of chocolate, roast and various dried fruits. Taste of chocolate and more raisins, roasted coffee, and finishes with a dry hoppiness. A very enjoyable schwarz.

Early 2006 bomber? You can never be too sure with McNeill’s, but I did buy it at Winooski, and I don’t think this one ages that well, so it must be fairly fresh. Drunk on 4/27/06
When bottle conditioned and unfiltered beers go bad, they really go bad, but when they go "good", they do so equally as well. This one showed a ton of light chocolate brown head that was retained throughout the entire bottle, with lacing and all, up and down the glass. Lively bubbles still visible in the medium-dark, cola-brown liquid, with an auburn-ruby glow on the edges and high clarity from a settled out bottle and careful pour.
The nose takes a little while to build up steam, but once it’s warmed and breathed, the melanoidins, baker’s chocolate, strong roast character and balance of vibrant/piquant fruitiness and dry, British malt-like nuttiness is absolutely charming. Even some grassy/spicy hops thrown in for good measure, adding a layer of complexity on end, without disrupting the malt strength or harrying the fruitiness. Lacking is any real breadiness, and that is a great thing, as that quality too often builds up and over-dries the finish. One of the most complex aromas I’ve come across in a 4.5%abv beer. I didn’t find an unbalanced or domineering roastiness at all, nor any of the smokiness others have talked about, but just supple milk-chocolate sweetness and dark fruits, ending on spicy hops and light anise-infused coffee.
Supple maltiness is the key to the flavor, and is always difficult for me to not gush about. Smooth, nearly creamy and perfectly tempered by light vinousness and cola-like notes, leading to a very dry, light roasted bitterness on end and more fresh roasted coffee with ample cream. I expected the malt to recede as it warmed, fearing some nuttiness and roast astringency might take over, but it was anything but. An almost liqueurous-like cherry cordial chocolatiness (hyperbole, for sure, but it still made me think of it) emerges, with light traces of sweet cream, and then is suddenly snapped off, as the fine-bubbled carbonation clears the palate, leaving dry brown malts in its wake.
I could definitely believe that I just got a bottle in its absolute best shape, and perhaps it was also the right beer at the right time, but whatever the case, I can hardly rate it any less than what I experienced. Somehow lighter, more drinkable and bright (if you can use that in describing a schwarzbier) than your typical, more heavily malted, sweet schwarzbier. More like Kostritzer, I suppose, in that regard, but take Kostritzer, don’t filter it and serve it fresh and bottle conditioned and you are closer to this. Elegant....very elegant.