Schwarzbier
A dark German lager with roasted malt character.
Schwarzbier, which translates from German as "black beer," is a dark lager with roots in Germany. Its appearance is opaque and black, and it often carries flavors reminiscent of chocolate or coffee. The alcohol content is typically around 5% ABV. Like stout, it gets its dark color from roasted malt.
These beers are classified as lagers because they are made using cool fermentation, though historically, warm fermentation was the method used. Alcohol content generally falls between 4.4% and 5.4%. The dark color comes from using particularly dark malts or roast malt extract during brewing, with the malt itself being colored during the roasting process. The flavor can range from bitter to slightly sweet.
The history of Schwarzbier traces back to the regions of Thuringia and Saxony. The oldest known black beer is Braunschweiger Mumme, brewed in Braunschweig since the Middle Ages, with the first documented mention in 1390. The earliest known mention in Thuringia comes from the Köstritzer brewery in 1543, which still produces Schwarzbier today. Eastern Germany is home to many unique regional varieties of this style.
Examples of modern Schwarzbiers include Köstritzer, Sprecher Black Bavarian, Red Hawk Brewing Schwarzbier, Samuel Adams Black Lager, New Belgium 1554 Black Lager, Shiner Black, and Xingu Black. Dark Czech lagers, known as tmavé and černé, also range from dark to black beers.
- Abv range
- 4.4% to 5.4%
- Typical abv
- around 5%
- Colour
- opaque, black
- Flavour notes
- chocolate or coffee
- Fermentation method
- cool fermentation (lager), though historically warm fermentation was used
Lore & Background
The roots of Schwarzbier lie in Thuringia and Saxony. The oldest known black beer is Braunschweiger Mumme ('Brunswick Mum'), brewed since the Middle Ages; the first documented mention is from 1390 in Braunschweig. The earliest documented mention in Thuringia is of Köstritzer brewery from 1543, a brewery which later started producing Schwarzbier and still produces it today. Present-day eastern Germany has many unique varieties of this style from regional breweries.
Schwarzbiers are made using a cool fermentation method, which classes them as lager, though historically warm fermentation was used. They get their dark colour from the use of particularly dark malts or roast malt extract in brewing. The malt, in turn, gets its colour during the roasting procedure. Its flavour may vary between bitter and slightly sweet.
Reader's Guide
Schwarzbier is notable as a dark lager that originated in Germany, distinguished by its opaque black colour and hints of chocolate or coffee flavours. Its alcohol content usually ranges from 4.4% to 5.4%. The style is similar to stout in its use of roasted malt, which gives it its dark colour, but it is classified as a lager due to its cool fermentation method, though historically warm fermentation was used. The roots of Schwarzbier lie in Thuringia and Saxony, with the oldest known black beer being Braunschweiger Mumme, first documented in 1390 in Braunschweig. The Köstritzer brewery, first documented in 1543 in Thuringia, later started producing Schwarzbier and still produces it today. Present-day eastern Germany has many unique varieties from regional breweries. Modern examples include Köstritzer, Sprecher Black Bavarian, Red Hawk Brewing Schwarzbier, Samuel Adams Black Lager, New Belgium 1554 Black Lager, Shiner Black, and Xingu Black. Dark Czech lagers range from dark to black beers, known as Czech tmavé and černé.
Did You Know?
- Schwarzbier is German for 'black beer'.
- Köstritzer brewery, first documented in 1543, still produces Schwarzbier today.
- Schwarzbier is made using cool fermentation, classifying it as a lager, though historically warm fermentation was used.
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