Köstritzer Schwarzbier, Dark and Mysterious

This beer, like the Bashah was also consumed under the guise of a pseudo-funeral for a now, not so dear, acquaintance. I chose this beer because Michael Jackson of "Beer Hunter" fame classified it as the classic example of the German Schwarz, or black, beer style. I had no idea what to expect from it but I was really happy that it only cost me 1.99$ for a pint at BevMo and if Mr. Jackson said it's good then I'm more than willing to shell out a couple bucks.

The beer poured an inky black, though not as opaque as I thought a "black" beer would be. There was a good sized off white head on it that dissipated pretty quickly and left a bit of lacing on the glass. The first whiff smelled of lightly roasted coffee, some charcoal maybe. There wasn't a whole lot of distinct aromas to pick out. It basically smelled like a thin porter. The taste followed smell as this beer tasted like a relatively thin porter. Not having tasted the Bashah yet I was unable to compare the two but in hindsight/sip I am now very impressed with my two dollar brew. I would pick this one up long before I would pay an exorbitant price for an over-hyped beer. Far from outstanding because it lacked layers, and complexity, Köstritzer, however, is enjoyable to drink and really has grown on me as I think more about it. At 4.8% ABV, and not so thick like a porter, it is an easy session brew. I will be having more of this.