Posts Tagged ‘black lager’

Cervecería Colón

Saturday, November 24th, 2012

This is the first of a three post series reflecting on my beer experiences from my recent trip to the Galápagos Islands.

During my layover at the Bogotá airport, I stopped at the only place serving beer: the Orleans Bar and Grill. They were out of the pilsner, but I was able to try the red and black lagers from Cervecería Colón.

Colón NegraI tried the black lager first. Colón Negra pours a crystal clear mahogany. The thick, off-white head is a little spongey, yet lasting. Malt leads the nose, dark caramel notes joined by hazelnuts and roasted almonds.

A taste of the Negra is light intially. The malt and roasted almond character fades quickly to a cloying sweetness. The lingering palate is somewhat characterless.

Colón Roja is likewise crystal clear, and is a bright copper color. There is some white head and almost no nose. A bit of clean bread-and-toast maltiness is intriguing, elusive, like gossamer.

Colón RojaThe flavor is also malty and clean, but seems a bit simpler. A hop bitterness appears, which I described in my notes as “sanded-down”, though I don’t know now exactly what I meant. It is accompanied by the faintest fruity herbal hop flavor. The Roja’s light and refreshing palate make it easy drinking, but don’t discount its character.

On the way back through I stopped by the Orleans again. This time they were out of not just the pilsner, but also the red.

+Colón Roja

3.5 (3-7-6-4-15)

+/-Colón Negra

2.9 (4-7-5-2-11)

12 Beers of X-Mas: Magic Hat Howl

Monday, January 9th, 2012

Magic Hat HowlThe winter seasonal from Magic Hat Brewing Company in Burlington, Vermont, is a black lager called Howl.

Howl is an intensely dark black beer with just a hint of caramel brown at the thinnest part of the glass. The creamy head is a dark buff color. Some roast malt and a little caramel are all I get from the mild aroma. Inviting, but not revealing.

The flavor is clean, dry, and malty. Roast malt character like burnt toast is key, with just a hint of sweetness and plenty of robust lager character. Finishes dry and drinkable. The roast character is restrained, the malt flavor dry, and there is no detectable sulfur: this is pretty much the ideal execution of a black lager.

++Magic Hat Howl

4.0 (4-8-7-4-17)