Black beer (in German Schwarzbier) is a type of German lager that is opaque, very dark in colour and has a strong taste reminiscent of chocolate or coffee.
At ForBeerLovers we're going to tell you everything you need to know about Black beer, one of the most popular and widely consumed types of beer in the world.
Characteristics of Black Beer
Although they taste similar, they are milder and less bitter than British stouts or porters, due to the use of lager yeast instead of ale and because they are made from roasted malt, which gives them their dark colour.
Some of the characteristics of Black beer are as follows:
Aroma
Aroma of dark malt, caramel and hops
Graduation
Black beer is a type of beer with a high alcohol content ranging from 4 to 6 degrees.
Appearance
Intense black with ruby highlights in the background. Thick, long-lasting, light-brown foam similar to espresso
Taste
The taste of black beer tends to be slightly sweet
How to serve the Black beer
When serving it, you must incline the glass 45º and put it upright when you have poured 75% of the beer.
What to eat with
One of the recommendations for pairing this drink is chicken wings, postas, cheese boards or matured hams, as you could do with a glass of wine or champagne.
Ingredients of Black Beer
This type of beer has ingredients like the ones below. Take note!
For 10 liters of black beer:
Malta
- 2.5 kg of pale malt
- 350 g. of caramel malt
- 75 g. chocolate malt
- 75 g. black malt
Oats
- 150 g. oatmeal
Hops
- 30 g Cascade hops
Yeast
- Brewer's yeast
How it is made
Do you want to make Black beer at home? You should know that by following the all grain method, you can make a great quality beer yourself. To do so, follow these steps:
- Brew the cereal for an hour and a half at 67ºC with 8 litres of water.
- we added another 7 liters to wash the bagasse. It is then time to boil the must for one hour. At the beginning of the bubbling, we add 20 grams of hops and reserve the remaining 10 grams for ten minutes before the boiling ends.
- In this way, we have to ferment the beer at a temperature close to 20ºC for a week or ten days, as well as leaving the equivalent of maturation time.
History of Black Beer
The roots of black beer are in Thuringia and Saxony. The oldest known is the Braunschweiger Mumme, brewed since the Middle Ages (first documented mention is 1390) in Brunswick. The first documented mention in Thuringia is from 1543 to the Köstritzer, a popular black beer that is still produced today.
Types of Black Beer
Currently, there are different types of Black beer depending on the practice carried out during its production. Here are the most common types.
Porter
Probably the most popular stout in the world, thanks to its malty taste and strong color. Its main ingredient is barley and its fermentation is typical of ale beers.
Imperial Stout
These usually correspond to the stronger black beers, with a powerful taste and an alcoholic percentage of approximately 10%.
Cream Stout
In this variety, the barley is not malted, but caramelized. The result is a beer with a slightly sweet taste and a slightly lighter color than porter.
Bock
Brewed with malt, resulting in a full-bodied, mild-flavored beer.
Schwarzbier
It is a German beer of low fermentation, with an alcohol content that can reach 5%.
The 3 best brands of Black beer
We conclude this article by talking about the most outstanding Black beer brands of the moment. Although there is a wide variety of options, here we are going to leave you with a list of the 3 best ones you have to try, yes or yes!
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Kaiserdom Black: Dark Lager. Dark mahogany red almost black. Brownish foam and in quantity that leaves lace in the glass. Malt and caramel notes are distinguished in the nose in a very pleasant sensation, soft but with depth. In the mouth it is smooth, with medium gasification, with a predominance of caramel flavour with a toasted counterpoint.
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Black Model: Barley Beer. Bright deep amber color, with an abundant, white and compact foam. Aroma of dark malt, caramel and hops. Good body, light and excellent taste.
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Oyster Stout: These are dark beers, made from roasted malt or barley, with some structure. To be enjoyed at leisure.
