Sprecher Black Bavarian

Brewed by Sprecher Brewing Company
Style: Schwarzbier
Glendale, Wisconsin USA

Black Bavarian is a schwarzbier or "black beer" by style, and is one of the finest examples I have ever had the pleasure to taste. This style of beer originated in Eastern Germany, and it is a darker, roastier version of Munich Dunkles. This beer is just packed with lots of flavor, and being a lager, it is just so drinkable. Sprecher Black Bavarian pours to an ebony color with a thick, tan, bubbly head, and a good bit of carbonation. When held to the light, this beer is really a beautiful dark ruby color. The nose on this beer is a joy. Aromas of roasted malt, sweet malt, and a touch of smoke flood the nose. The palate is just packed with malt flavors, lots of good sweet malt, a bit of roast, and a touch of coffee. This is a lager, so the body is very smooth and round. Black Bavarian finishes with a long, dry, roasty, finish that slightly lingers. Without a doubt, this beer is one of the best I have ever tasted, and an all time favorite of mine. This beer goes great with German fare of course. I have matched it with grilled bratwurst, or grilled chicken. It also works very well with barbecue. Seek this beer out if you can find it, it is one of the few domestic examples of schwarzbier, and in my opinion, the best example on the market today.

Pours dark brown almost black with thin tan head. The aroma of this beer is very distinct with noticable hints of vanilla, malts and caramel ( kind of reminded me of A&W cream soda ). The flavor of this beer has hints of caramel, coffee, malts, and vanilla and is extremely well balanced with a very smooth and creamy palate. An OUTSTANDING beer !!

Deep black color, like staring into my empty soul. Virtually no head (just a thin ring on the sides). Has a mild roasty coffee aroma. Pleasant roasty flavor. Body is decent, with a decent amount of carbonation. Overall, this is a nice beer, and I would enjoy it again.

In the bottle at Bill B.’s birthday party. Black colored beer with a weak watery head. Makes up for appearance with its delicious rich flavor. Outstanding roasted flavor and aroma. Has a nice mild tartness and well-balanced hops. Has a molasses sweetness that lingers beyond the last sip.

Aroma of malt and coffee. Body is thin and has an earthy too dry finsh. Tastes like cold coffee with a hint of malts. Blah!

(16 oz bottle: Obtained in trade with hopdog, thanks Steve!) Back in February of 1999, I threw a big "1000th Beer Party" complete with t-shirts. That night, I rated my 1000th beer, and it was Sprecher Black Bavarian. Nearly seven years have passed, and I’m well over 3100 now. But this was an awesome beer to celebrate on that historic evening, and I still really love this beer. Malty, very roasty, and moderately bitter, this beer also presents a light sourness, but also a hops flavor I can actually taste, some light spices, very tasty chocolate and molasses, and a moderate smokiness. Overall, superb balance and a real nice complexity here. Aromas are more basic: roast, chocolate, molasses, spice, light smoke. Medium-full bodied with lively carbonation on the palate, and a greater variety of intriguing flavors to spice up the mouthfeel. Very dark brown, ruddy highlights at the edges, but nearly black through the center. The light tan head barely rises to a quarter inch in height, and then settles to a ring, leaving no lacing on the glass. Even after all these ratings, it’s still one of the best dark lagers I’ve ever tasted. I really wish this saw some west coast distribution, I’d be a regular customer.

Bottle. Strong molasses aroma. Black-brown color with little head. Strong molasses malt. Has more of a stout flavor than a schwarzbier.

Bottle - big complex dark malt nose. Black as the name implies with a beige head the is smallish, but creamy and has good retention. A delicious brew. Chocolatey and roasty with a touch of coffee. A very soft and creamy mouthfeel. I really like this one alot and would love to have some on draft!