Can anyone provide some good examples that are widely available? My Schwarz is tasting pretty damn good but I want to compare it to a solid example of the style to see if I should enter it in a competition or not.
Where are you located? Rahr and Sons out of Fort Worth makes a great one called Ugly Pug. It’s in most bars around town. I’m not sure how far out of Texas they go however.
Koestritzer and Moenschof come to mind from my time in Germany.
Devils Backbone makes a very good one, don’t know if you can find it, I can’t.
I am near Denver. I believe I have seen Köstritzer Schwarzbier which is listed in BJCP
+2 Koestritzer and Moenschof are the hallmarks for me.
Does Xingu qualify? Damn good black beer.
Haven’t had Moenshof, but Koestritzer is very good. Binny’s used to carry this in the 5L mini-kegs. Maybe they still do.
I bought one of those mini kegs of Kostritzer a while back. It was excellent and went quickly.
mmm. I am transfering mine to lager this weekend. 8)
Have you tried Black Forest from Squatters? I think it is pretty darn good, but do not know how it matches up against German fare.
Thanks all. I will see what I can find. I am super excited about how this beer turned out and it is coincidentally my first lager.
Sending any out West?
Only if you pay shipping. 
Never have. Sounds good.
Man, that label is sharp, Keith. Pretty sure the beer’s good too.
Thanks. It’s fun to be the brewer and the designer. It’s currently my favorite schwarzbier too.
Agreed. I’ve been a fan of Xingu for a long time. It is also a lot easier to find up my way than the German schwarz’s for some reason.
+1
makes me think i’m looking at a classic rock album cover
+1 a fave of mine. have a nice glass set of Koes with gold rims.
Devils backbone clone i just did from his talk at NHC and it’s tasty except for to much mouthfeel from melanoidin. Will drop to lighter munich (11 to 15L) and much less melanoidin if at all. The Bohemian brewery in salt lake makes a tasty one (Cherny Bock)
BeerSmith 2 Recipe Printout - http://www.beersmith.com
Recipe: Schwartz
Brewer: Quattlebaum
Asst Brewer:
Style: Schwarzbier (Black Beer)
TYPE: All Grain
Taste: (30.0)
Recipe Specifications
Boil Size: 5.66 gal
Post Boil Volume: 4.16 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 3.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 3.25 gal
Estimated OG: 1.050 SG
Estimated Color: 28.3 SRM
Estimated IBU: 24.2 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 73.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 83.4 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes
Ingredients:
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
4 lbs 14.8 oz Pilsner (Betz) (1.7 SRM) Grain 1 75.9 %
8.3 oz Blackprinz (Briess) (500.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.0 %
6.0 oz Munich 20L (Briess) (20.0 SRM) Grain 3 5.8 %
5.9 oz Melanoidin (Weyermann) (30.0 SRM) Grain 4 5.7 %
4.8 oz Carared (20.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.6 %
0.63 oz Tradition [6.50 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 6 22.1 IBUs
0.20 oz Tettnang [3.80 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 7 2.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg Saflager Lager (DCL/Fermentis #W-34/70) Yeast 8 -
Mash Schedule: (208) Single Infusion, Light Body, No Mash Out, Fly
Total Grain Weight: 6 lbs 7.8 oz
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time
Mash In Add 3.00 gal of water at 159.3 F 148.0 F 60 min
Sparge: Fly sparge with 3.44 gal water at 168.0 F
Notes:
less melanoidin and lighter munich
I really like the Moenschof. Kostriker is ok.