Deschutes/Bell's Schwarzbier

Aroma: “Moderate rich bread crust with moderately low chocolate, coffee, and bready. Low roast and very low caramel malt. No hops, very clean.” Flavor: “Rich bread-crust melanoidin malt character comes through more in the flavor, which has moderate sweetness and low bitterness. Low levels of herbal and grassy hops also come through in the flavor. Molasses, peat smoke, chocolate-coated orange, bread crust, and stewed prunes. Clean lager fermentation characteristics give it a clean finish with a hint of roasted malt and smoke without being harsh and smoky or peaty. Light body overall.” Overall: “Malt-forward with very light hops character in the flavor. Rich but balanced. Very drinkable and tasty beer.”

Clean, crisp, and refreshing. This brilliantly clear pale yellow helles hits all the right notes whether you're relaxing in the yard, at a ballgame, or just looking for a beer at the end of the day. A beer that highlights the perfection of a simple grain bill that's executed well.

**Aroma:** “Big dark chocolate and coffee aroma. Big plum, dates, moderate cherry, light acidity, moderate caramel, light umami, light earthy hops, some brown sugar notes. A backbone of bready malt. I’m sitting by the fire with a snifter of...not barleywine, but this beer. Rich malt complexity with sherry, dried figs, and raisins, and warming alcohol. More caramel than roast, but the coffee and chocolate are there.” **Flavor:** “Lovely complex malt sweetness—like chocolate-covered Fig Newtons, or maple syrup, with a touch of earthy hops to help balance. Like a shot of strong expresso, no cream. Complex and deep, but a bit intense so sessionable is not part of this section. Big cherry, light plum, big chocolate, moderate coffee, light hops bitterness, touch of alcohol, moderate caramel. Aftertaste: big chocolate, touch of coffee, light bitterness. Starts out like a thinner-bodied barleywine, but the hops and roast bitterness crack that illusion. The promise from the nose is here, but it doesn't quite mesh as well in the flavor because the lingering hops and slight astringency add some harshness. Hops flavor is as big as the roast. Sherry, malt, dried fruit and esters are still nice, though.” **Overall:** “Very tasty, but could use a bit more carbonation to help the flavors pop. Love the fruitiness. Fun dark-fruit dominated imperial stout. The chocolate, caramel, and roast notes are present throughout with just enough hops to balance. It is fairly well carbonated, but that works to bring out the brighter fruit notes. The nose had me, but the flavor not so much.”