A black lager from Eastern Germany — surprisingly drinkable despite its color, with light roasted malt character that stops short of the heavy roast of a stout or porter. Clean lager fermentation, medium-light body, medium bitterness. Typically 3.8–5% ABV.
In the glass
Origin
A Thuringian and Saxon (Eastern German) tradition — the Köstritzer brewery in Bad Köstritz, first mentioned in inheritance tax documents as “Köstritzer Inheritance” in 1543, is one of Germany’s oldest breweries and remains the style’s commercial standard-bearer. For most of the 20th century schwarzbier was virtually unknown in West Germany; after reunification in 1990 it spread westward quickly, and in 2009 German production hit roughly 1.1 million hectoliters (Köstritzer alone accounting for 390,000). American craft brewers picked it up at the same time, drawn to the combination of bold black appearance and easygoing drinkability.
Notes
Schwarzbier looks like a stout but drinks nothing like one. It’s darker than dunkel but typically lighter-bodied and drier, with a light cocoa and restrained roasted character instead of stout’s coffee-and-bittersweet-chocolate punch. If it tastes acrid or heavily roasted, it’s drifting out of the style. Utah is a surprising American stronghold — the state’s long-standing low-ABV laws pushed local brewers to get very good at mild-but-flavorful lagers, and schwarzbier is among the standouts.
Defining examples
Köstritzer Schwarzbier·Samuel Adams Black Lager·Sprecher Black Bavarian·Uinta Baba Black Lager