Beer of the Week 48: Baba Black Lager

Uinta Brewing Company’s Baba Black Lager

From their website:

Robust and smooth, this full-flavored lager is exceptionably drinkable and pitch black in color.

From my notes:

Dark, nearly opaque black a dark cherry color at the base of the glass and near the top where the light hits it. A fine bubbled, quickly dissipating chocolate milk colored head, no lacing. Hits the nose with milky chocolate and light roast coffee beans. Taste reinforces the smell backed up with some nice malt roasts. Not thick like a stout or porter. Medium carbonation.

Did you know Baba Black lager is a Schwarzbier ?

Schwarzbeirs aren’t terribly common in the United States. I’ve only ever seen Baba Black Lager and Sam Adam’s Black Lager in stores before though you’ll have better luck at a pub, beer shop, or brewery. Unlike porters and stouts Schwarzbeirs tend to the light side of the spectrum as well as not being as heavily bitter and roasted as porters and stouts. This is because they do not rely on malts for their flavor profile. Schwarzbeirs, and Baba in particular, are good winter beers when you are looking for lighter fare. Sometimes you want to drink a thick, heavy, dark beer as your meals and sometimes you don’t!

Rating (out of five):

Beer of the Week 44: Summerfest

Sierra Nevada’s Summerfest

From the bottle:

Summerfest is a Pilsner-style lager brewed for enjoyment on warm summer days – featuring a slight malt sweetness, delicate spicy and floral hop flavor, and a crisp, refreshing finish.

From my notes:

Straw colored beer with medium bubbled white head. Smells of grass, lemon, and some malty sweetness. Tastes like it smells with some orange/lemon in there as well.  Crisp dry finish with some hop highlighting. Like a really mild Pilsner.

That’s a fine looking lager!

Like a lot of Sierra Nevada’s beers Summerfest is good without being amazing. If you’re sick of drinking Pacificos or Coronas at your summer/fall BBQs pick up a six pack of this instead!

Rating (out of five):

Beer of the Week 41: Primator Maibock

 

Pivovar Náchod a.s brewery’s Primátor Maibock

From the bottle:

In 2008, prominent Beers of the World magazine awarded Primator Maibock as the World’s Best Lagar. Original gravity: 16 degrees Plato; alcohol by volume: 7.5%.

Golden amber color. Subtle fruit aroma. Crisp, medium-bodied palate. A blend of rich fruity malt and tangy hops produces this complex yet perfectly balanced maibock.

From my notes:

Cool amber color with large bubbled white head. Floral hints, yeast, and malts on the nose. Nice balance of spice, citrus, some nut, and toasty flavors on the tongue. Medium body with a clean feel on the tongue, creamy almost.

I know Maibocks aren’t served in a tulip glass, shut up!

Maibock’s like other robustly flavored beers need to be paired with similiarly robustly flavored foods. Spicy food works as does BBQ and fried foods (fried chicken!), would also work with more flavorful cheeses! If you’re having this beer with dessert I recommend a good strudel or cheesecake.

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