Moonlight Death and Taxes Black

Brewed by Moonlight Brewing Company
Style: Schwarzbier
Fulton, California USA

On Tap. Drank along side the new Stone 12. Pours with a black body covered by a small, light brown head. Great Lcing. Coffee grounds and a bit of fruit in the aroma. A lot of coffee grounds in the taste along with a burnt maltiness. A pretty nice, light body, but a bit on the fizzy side of things.

On tap at Toronado. Death and taxes are certain, the fact this a schwarzbier? Not so much -- The murk and the chewiness are more like a porter. Pours opaque blackish brown with a dense and lacy beige head. Medium body, minimal carbonation. Brown sugar, chocolate and pine in the nose and taste, dry pine finish.

On draft, pours almost opaque black with a ruddy aura, with a whipping cream mocha head. D&T has a robust character and thick palate yet is light-bodied and moderate in alcohol. Vienna roast coffee aroma persists in flavor-- with mild licorice, bittersweet cocoa and pistachio notes. Moderate effervescence and good lacing, and a low acid hop pull hovers in the long dry-malt finish.

Poured on tap at Lanesplitter pub an inky black with thin tan head and little carbonation. Aroma is roasty with grains and toffee. Flavor is a bit nutty, roast coffee, toffee, some slight graininess and a touch of smokey carcoal. The after taste is quite hoppy but doesn’t come out in the body. Palate is stick chewy an a touch sweet at first and then lightens up in the middle and end with strong flavor and touch of bitter. Wow, liked this one it brings lots of strong flavor yet easy drinking.

On tap at Flavor in Santa Rosa. Dark red-brown-black color with a fine, creamy, tan mocha head. Quite sweet caramel and toffee aromas with a coffee edge and some light fermentation notes. Flavor posesses lots of dark roasted grain bitterness with intense smokiness. The body is disarmingly light which really puts the intense flavors front and center.

Tap @ Hamilton’s in SD. Totally opaque black with scattered lacing. Slight diacetyl and oil in nose. Excellent roasted malt flavors, some pleasant huskiness, excellent and one of the best schwartzbiers I’ve had outside Europe.

On tap at The Trappist in Oakland, CA. Dark, dark black with thick, pillowy head. Rich, very strong aroma of fresh roasted cofee beans, more moderate air of dark chocolate, along with some earthiness and rich malty nuances as well. Flavor is VERY dry; tons of roasted malt and with substantial hoppiness. Ashen, smoky finish. Dry and roasty to the extreme. Not my thing, but could be just it for someone. I dig the aroma, but it could do with some more balancing sweetness.

How appropriately, rated the week of April 15th. Did the taxes, feel like death.... Pours almost black with nice off white head. Nose and flavor are the same, with malt and a light smokiness. Mouthfeel is somewhat creamy with a clean, dry finish.