Now I know for a fact that some of my readers are already
"Wow, that's a dark beer, I'm not really interested". But hold
on, this one is different, and maybe you should think about giving this one a
try! For starters most dark beers you have probably had before are Ales,
meaning it was brewed with top fermenting yeast and brewed at warmer
temps. This here is a Lager brewed at
colder temps with a bottom fermenting yeast.
Still not interested, wait there is more…
As a lager it will carry a nice robust taste, but won’t
leave you with that heavy feeling you would get from a stout. And according to The
Oxford Companion To Beer dark lagers can sometime lean towards a coffee or
chocolate flavor more often than not they have a clean matiness to them with
hints of caramel or toffee (Oliver, 2012). Also the hops are going to be more moderate
and forward in this beer then with others.
This will make this beer more familiar to those who like beers like
Newcastle. A lot of stouts and porters
like to push past the 6% ABV barrier.
Not so with Dark Lagers which tend to be down around the 5% ABV, the
Chimney Sweep above carries a 5.2% ABV.
This make Dark Lagers less heavy to consume and you can enjoy a couple without
feeling the effects as much (but still, make sure you are drinking responsibly
and not driving!) These things combined
make a beer, like Chimney Sweep, more in line with a pilsner then with a stout. So if you are one of those out there seeking
to increase their beer horizon and start adding darker beer, then this is my
recommendation of a place to start!
Can’t find Chimney Sweep in your area? Then try one of these
other great Dark Lagers:
Midwest:
- Chimney Sweep –August Schell’s Brewing Co. (Seasonal)
- Black Bavarian –Sprecher Brewery
- Dark Helmet Schwartzbier –Titletown Brewing Co.
National:
Bibliography
Oliver, G. (2012). The Oxfor Companion To Beer.
New York: Oxford University Press.
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