Our beer this is a another in the Stag Series from the August Schell Brwing Company in New Ulm, Minnesota. It’s called Czech Dark Lager:
The Stag Series is a collection of limited edition, experimental brews released periodically throughout the year. On tap for Stag #5 A Czech Dark Lager.
Background:
The Czech Republic is famous for the golden lagers of Pilsen and Budweis, but they also have a history of producing darker versions as well. Some Czech styles have a dark red hue and a nutty malt accent while others are closer to black, richer and spicier in flavor, and sometimes have hints of licorice. The most famous in that vein is the house beer at U Fleku, the 15th-century brewpub in Prague, and the oldest brewpub in the world.
Keeping with Tradition:
With this brew, our brewmasters drew their inspiration from the famous rich, dark, and spicy house beer at U Fleku, the world's oldest brewpub located in Prague, Czech Republic. Throughout the brewing process our brewmasters strived to keep the beer as traditional as possible. Stag #5 utilized a complex malt bill, built around a strong base of floor malted Bohemian Pilsner malt. This special, labor intensive malt was produced from the Bohemian spring barley "Hanka," and hand turned at an original floor malting facility in the Czech Republic. Keeping with tradition, we used a long, energy intensive, decoction mash to help give the beer a rich, full body. Finally, it was generously hopped with the spicy Czech Saaz hop. The beer was then fermented with a Czech lager yeast and stored at freezing temperatures for a crisp dry finish.
The Final Product:
Schell’s Czech Dark Lager is a medium bodied Czech specialty beer with a dry, toasted, dark bready malt character and spicy earthiness. It has a pleasant aroma of fresh grain with hints of licorice & dark fruit.
A six-pack of 12oz bottle sells for $9.99. Classic Schell’s label that follows the Stage Series’ style.
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 6.0%
COLOR (0-2): Dark brownish-black color. 2
AROMA (0-2): Malty and bready. 2
HEAD (0-2): Off-white with good volume that settles slowly and laces the glass nicely. 2
TASTE (0-5): Rich roasted malty flavors up front with a nice hop bite at the end. Flavors of sweet fruit, nuts, and spices are also present. Medium-bodied with a mouthfeel slanted toward the creamy side. Rather drinkable. 4
AFTERTASTE (0-2): The finish is clean and the flavors linger. 2
OVERALL (0-6): This rather rare style of beer has a unique flavor palate that I found quite good. While still providing the refreshment and drinkability that you would expect with a lager, Schells’ Czech Dark Lager also has more complex tastes that make for a pleasant and fulfilling drinking experience. Another winner from the Stag Series. 4
TOTAL SCORE (0-19): 16
