Yes, this is the
same brewery that I *may* have sworn a blood oath against, but I picked this up at the same time as the beers that had coffee in the can but not on the label. Will this
black lager have the same issue? Literally no way to tell before pouring it. I mean, I looked on the label, but I know they don't sully their cans with contents or descriptions of the beer, so I have to pour it.
That is one foamy beer. Yes, some of the
Belgian ales have sported thicker heads, but this one is pretty impressive, based on the significant lack of head I recall the sister beers having. The color is fairly black, but it is not impervious to photons, as I can see a very deep red color coming through the middle of the beer when I hold it up to the light. The aroma is charred brown sugar, plums, spice, and oatmeal.
First sip is... damn coffee. No, it's not like the others where it seems like they added coffee, but the malt is heavy into the coffee area, and I don't like it. Mind you. it's joined by chocolate, oats, and spices to cover up a bit of the coffee, so the beer isn't an immediate pour-down-the-drain beverage. Instead, I finish this review before deciding.
Tip-in is chocolate and coffee, but the coffee is muted enough to let the seared sugar start to come through while the carbonation really doesn't seem to be doing anything. The middle flows with oatmeal, chocolate, seared oats, seared sugar, creamy smoothness, and a pear/plum mix. The finish is a slam of coffee before gritty grinds trail off.
Bottom Line: It overcomes its coffee a bit.
1.75/5
