Ding Points: 60.00

Pour: 60.00, Nose: 60.00, Palate: 60.00, Mouth: 60.00, Global: 60.00

Tasting Notes:

Brown with reddish highlights. Pitted, frothy tan head. Head fades badly with little or no lace.

Nose has some mid-caramel notes and not much else.

Guinness Black Lager

The body here is quite thin but the tastes definitely have some of the typical Guinness roast, bitter notes about them. The taste element reminds me a little of the old bottled Guinness days of the 1970’s, and it’s certainly a lot more bitter and charcoal-like than I was expecting. It’s roastier than I was anticipating, and is quite drinkakble, if somewhat forgettable.

Mouthfeel is a bit disappointing here, with the beer fading quickly in terms of presence, but it does pack a bit of a green, hoppy bitter punch for me. I have to admit, I was pretty surprised at how hoppy I found this. There’s a green, leafy feel about it, almost as if it were dry-hopped – surprising! I wasn’t expecting a beer that was quite as forward and aggressive as I found, and it took me a second to adjust to it. I was expecting a sweeter, maltier affair. I think I was expecting more of a Schwarzbier I guess.

Guinness Black Lager

This is an odd beer. I don’t know if my palate is playing tricks on me, or I really am tasting what I’m tasting, but there is a definite edge to Guinness Black lager that I was not anticipating. The beer leaves a bit of an impression on me.

Other: 4.5% ABV, Euro Dark lager.