Medvedgrad: Crna Kraljica (Croatia: Schwarzbier: 4.7 % ABV)
Visual: Opaque black body. Massive mounded small bubbled browned head.
Nose: Sour dough. Touch of sharp lime. Dry roasted peanuts.
Body: Sour dough. Roasted. Sour cream and chives. Charring. Blackjacks.
Finish: Light chalk. Sour dough. Sour cream. Chives. Charring. Blackjacks. Liquorice.
Conclusion: This seems odd for a scwarzbier in some ways, possibly its the unfiltered character, not had many unfiltered takes in this style, but whatever it is it gives a different expression to some o the elements here.
It is lightly sour, mainly in a bready sour dough style, but also feels like a bit of sour cream spread over that bread as well. The breadiness is in mouthfeel as well, while mainly smooth lager style, it is more gripping and filling than most. Again I’m guessing this is part of the unfiltered influence.
Closer to expected style we have a kind roasted, kind of charred character, delivered in quite a dry way. More unexpectedly we have a slight black jack sweets style into touches of more familiar full on liquorice. When subtle it is not too bad, but I am not a fan when it gets more present.
Overall it is fine, quite savoury, quite bready. I don’t hate it, don’t love it.
An adequate beer of unusual styling.
Background: This was a gift from my friend, Edd, many thanks! He had grabbed a bunch of black lagers of varied stripes as he is a big fan of them and donated a few to me, so I decided to do notes on one of them. This one in fact. This is an unfiltered black lager, which is unusual. I’ve seen a bunch of unfiltered lager styles over the years but cannot remember and unfiltered black lager off the top of my head. Always a fan of unfiltered, tends to add that bit extra to a beer. Had very few beers from Croatia, so glad to be able to add one to the list. Music wise been on a bit of a Lesbian Bed Death kick recently, so went with their Midnight Lust album. I do like the can art on this one, very evocative.
