Shiner Bohemian Black
Lager
Review Date 9/25/2008
Try?
Re-buy?
A while back, I
sauntered into my local Kroger supermarket to pick up a few things. As I am
normally wont to do, I strolled down the beer aisle to see what was new and
exciting. And as I did, there was one particular six-pack facing that stuck
out and immediately caught my attention: Shiner Bohemian Black Lager.
The flat-black six-pack carrier offset by the classic shiner logo etched in silver was a real eye-catcher, and I couldn't help but think, "Now that's marketing!" I didn't coin that phrase, incidentally. An old boss of mine, who happened to own a liquor store, blurted it out on sight of a bottle of Simpatico beer, which was also attractively packaged in basic black.
Anyway, I bought some of the stuff.
"Bohemian Black Lager" is a style otherwise known as "Schwarzbier", which is German for black beer. Most, but not all, of the beers Germans make are lagers, and black beers are no exception. They are in fact a bit like porters, though drier and cleaner than those beers tend to be. Shiner's Bohemian Black Lager, first offered as a specialty offering as Shiner 97 Anniversary Brew, is now sold year-round.
Shiner Bohemian Black
Lager pours to a (you guessed it) black hue, albeit a
lighter, almost brownish-black color. The beer is not opaque like many
stouts and you will see light pass through if you hold it up to a lamp. A
very light head formed on my pour, and quickly faded away. The nose is
invitingly roasty and coffeeish.
The first thing I notice as I sip as that the body is a bit thinner than I would like. To be sure, a schwarzbier should not be as big in body as a stout, but that said, I'd like a litte more mouthfeel here. I do get some very good roasted barley character, and it gives the beer a very appealing coffee and licorice dimension. The thinness rears its ugly head again in the finish, where the roasted barley more than hops adds bitterness and a dry finish.
By all means, this isn't Kostrizer Schwarzbier, the classic example of the style. Still, it's rather tasty, eminently drinkable, and not all that far off the mark of what a Bohemian black lager should be.
The flat-black six-pack carrier offset by the classic shiner logo etched in silver was a real eye-catcher, and I couldn't help but think, "Now that's marketing!" I didn't coin that phrase, incidentally. An old boss of mine, who happened to own a liquor store, blurted it out on sight of a bottle of Simpatico beer, which was also attractively packaged in basic black.
Anyway, I bought some of the stuff.
"Bohemian Black Lager" is a style otherwise known as "Schwarzbier", which is German for black beer. Most, but not all, of the beers Germans make are lagers, and black beers are no exception. They are in fact a bit like porters, though drier and cleaner than those beers tend to be. Shiner's Bohemian Black Lager, first offered as a specialty offering as Shiner 97 Anniversary Brew, is now sold year-round.
Shiner Bohemian Black
Lager pours to a (you guessed it) black hue, albeit a
lighter, almost brownish-black color. The beer is not opaque like many
stouts and you will see light pass through if you hold it up to a lamp. A
very light head formed on my pour, and quickly faded away. The nose is
invitingly roasty and coffeeish.The first thing I notice as I sip as that the body is a bit thinner than I would like. To be sure, a schwarzbier should not be as big in body as a stout, but that said, I'd like a litte more mouthfeel here. I do get some very good roasted barley character, and it gives the beer a very appealing coffee and licorice dimension. The thinness rears its ugly head again in the finish, where the roasted barley more than hops adds bitterness and a dry finish.
By all means, this isn't Kostrizer Schwarzbier, the classic example of the style. Still, it's rather tasty, eminently drinkable, and not all that far off the mark of what a Bohemian black lager should be.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
