Titletown Dark Helmet Schwarzbier

Brewed by Titletown Brewing Company
Style: Schwarzbier
Green Bay, Wisconsin USA

Name: Dark Helmet
Date: 06/24/2007
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewpub

dark with ruby edges, short lived fine beige head, drops of lace, dark chocolate and roasted malt aroma with a touch of sweetness, creamy body, rich chocolate flavor, nice dark caramel sweetness, touch of roasted comes in to balance and assist with a light bitter finish,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

On tap at the brewpub on 6/24/07: Barely transparent dark mahogany with a thin ring of light tan head. Aroma of lightly sweet dark caramel and roasted malt with a hint of noble hops. Body starts with decent viscosity and semi-sweet earthy dark roasty malts and bitter German hops toward a roasty finish with a touch of dark chocolate. A pretty good schwarzbier.

On tap at the Titletown brewpub, this beer pours an opaque dark brown brew with a thick, off-white head that dissolves slowly. Aroma of thick molasses, dark chocolate and toffee. Taste is that of toasted dark malt, a little lactic acidy with some flowery hop flavor. Finish is slightly bitter and a touch of tartness. As Mel Brooks may be proud to see as it was written on the brewery menu chalkboard, "May the Schawrz be with you."

The flavor has appears to be slightly different each year.

2007: Toasted dark malt with some tart berry character

2008: Toasted dark malt with some dry hop and smoked character

2009: Toasted dark malt with some chocolate and a very smooth finish

On tap at Titletown. Poured deep brown, near black with a short cap of beige head. The aroma was very rich with deep chocolate and coffee upfront.. wafts of vanilla and earth accented.. not much of a hop presence here, but the malts were presented well. The flavor found sweeter chocolates than the nose indicated, along with black patent, coffee, and a touch of vanilla.. the bitterness that surrounded was hard to place and lacked direction.. sweet overall and a little spicy on the back. Medium-bodied with scratchy carbonation on the palate.. OK flow.. only the bitterness stuck on the finish. Aiight.

A solid schwarz that drinks more like a porter - medium-bodied, with a strong roasty character and bitter chocolate flavor - a bit of coffee and sweet cream flavor - the sweetness gets stronger in the finish, but the roasted flavor keeps it in balance - quite good.

An excellent summer time brew. Poured a clear dark brown colour with a reddish hue. Head was large and creamy. Aroma was noticeably nutty. Taste was soft and creamy with hints of milk chocolate and almonds.

Beer #23 at GTMW ’09. They called it "Dark Helmet #3" when poured. Dark beer, head starts brown at point of beer contact, but is quite white at the top. After a note of root beer to start, the taste tends more toward a stout in taste, with dark roasts, but no chocolate or coffee. Goes down very nice.

Sampler draft at brewpub. Smoke aspect in the nose. Almost fully opaque with dark reddish hues evident when held to light. Not much lace. Thin flavor; does not deliver on the promise the aroma provided. Smooth. Not a drain pour by any stretch. Would probably be better if served a little colder, although a beer of this style should actually be better a little warmer. An ok beer.