Eminent Domain

I have been neglecting my beer reviewing duties way too much. I'm going to hoist one back tonight in honor of Judge Alito finishing his testimony today. Tonight's victim is a Samuel Adams Black Lager. Honestly, Sammy Adams and I are not very well acquainted. Before buying this sampler pack, I have only tried their Oktoberfest. I'm feeling in a dark beer kind of mood tonight, so I went with the Black Lager.

First impressions. It lives up to its name. This beer is black. When held up to the light, no light shows through at all. The aroma is incredible. It's got hints of chocolate and caramel, as well as a smell that I can only describe as "roasted". The first taste is great. There is a hint of spice that wakes up the taste buds, but the flavor is not overpowering. I think that many dark beers have too much flavor. They just end up being heavy in your mouth and even heavier in your stomach. I don't want a meal; I want a beer. The Black Lager is very smooth. It slides easily down your throat with a clean finish. There is a slight after taste, but it's a good one. There is a lingering light flavor of chocolate and caramel. I'm not sure it will do wonders for your breath, but it tastes great.

I have a love-hate relationship with dark beers. I love the taste. The flavors of dark beers are bold and just plain good. Unfortunately, a lot of dark beers are just too heavy. You get two of them in you and you're done. You end up with that "I have to go to the bathroom" feeling. The Black Lager gives you the flavors of a dark beer but not the full stomach. I'm pretty impressed with this beer. The next time that I'm in the mood for a dark beer, I know which one I'm going to buy.