Schwarzbier by the Numbers

OG    ..................     1.044–1.051 (11–12.75° P)
FG    ..................     1.008–1.012 (3–4° P)
SRM..................     26–30
IBU    ..................     22–26
ABV.................     4.1–5%

Schwarzbier is to lager what stout is to ale. This is the quickest and easiest way to understand the true nature of this beer style. Schwarzbier is German for black beer. As such, it is a darker version of the Bavarian dunkel. The schwarzbier style originated in southeastern Germany. Among the best-known of today’s commercial versions are the Kloster Mönchshof Schwarzbier from the Franconian city of Kulmbach, in northern Bavaria, and the Köstritzer Schwarzbier from the Thuringian spa town of Bad Köstritz, not far from Germany’s cultural capital of Weimar.

Schwarzbier is very opaque. Its color ranges from solid black to almost deep sepia, depending on the choice and quantity of black malt in the grain bill. But unlike British-style dark ales, this German-style black lager does not display the roasted grain flavors and aromas found in most stouts. Schwarzbier also leaves next to no perception of diacetyl or fruitiness on the palate. Instead it produces very mild, almost bittersweet, notes of chocolate, coffee or vanilla. Like most traditional German lagers, schwarzbier has very little nose and up-front bitterness. Considering its dark color, schwarzbier is unusually clean tasting. It has a rich, malty, faintly nutty-sweet middle, but the sweetness is never cloying or overpowering. The beer is moderately to well attenuated. The finish is dry, but never harsh or acrid.

A prehistoric beer style

It is a little-known fact that schwarzbier is the oldest European beer style for which we have hard, scientific brewing evidence. It is also a well-kept secret that, from today’s perspective, Kulm-bach is probably the place with the longest uninterrupted brewing tradition in the world. The oldest evidence of brewing in Kulmbach comes from an amphora-shaped crock that was discovered in a prehistoric burial site seven miles west of Kulmbach in 1935. The grave dates from around 800 BC and belongs to the so-called Hallstadt culture. The crock is now in the Beer Museum in Kulmbach. On the inside of the crock, scientists identified residues of crumpled, blackened barley bread — the standard raw material of ancient Germanic brews. Because the beer made from such toasted loaves would be dark, too, we can reasonably assert that the Hallstadt crock contains residues of an ancient ancestor of the schwarzbier!

Bestowing the title of the world’s oldest, still-active brewing center to Kulmbach may come as a surprise to most people. We know that the Sumerians, who lived during the Stone Age in what is now southern Iraq, started making beer at least 4,000 years earlier than did the Germans. The Sumerians eventually taught the art of brewing to the Babylonians, who, in turn, taught it to the Egyptians. And by the time Caesar, the Roman conqueror, had his fling with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, he found a thriving brewing industry up and down the Nile. However, when Islam became the dominant religion in the Middle East about seven centuries later, the breweries in the region had to shut down because the Koran demands total sobriety.

No such calamity befell the Kulmbach brewers. The oldest documentary evidence of modern beer brewing in Kulmbach is a reference in a charter letter from 1174, written by the Bishop of Bamberg. Another document dating from 1349 confirms that, by that time, local Augustine monks were already operating a complete brew house in their cloister. Though we have no clear evidence of brewing activity in Kulmbach proper between 800 AD and 1174 BC, there are scattered archaeological finds from other parts of Bavaria, as well as written records of Germanic brewing, for much of that period. These strongly suggest that the practice of brewing, once learned, was never forgotten by the Germanic tribes.

It is likely that the fourteenth-century monks of Kulmbach brewed ales instead of lagers. Lager brewing took hold in Bavaria only in the sixteenth century. However, the Kulmbach brew house is significant for our topic because it served as the original source of the now classic Kulmbacher Kloster Mönchshof Schwarzbier. Hence the brew’s name, which literally translates to “black beer from the monks’ courtyard cloister.”

The cloister brewery of Kulmbach was secularized in 1791, and its schwarzbier is now made by the Kulmbach A.G. brewing conglomerate. The Kloster Mönchshof is brewed to an original gravity of almost 1.050 and it finishes at roughly 1.011. This gives the beer an alcohol-by-volume level (ABV) of 4.9%. The Kloster Mönchshof Schwarzbier has a lingering hop aftertaste that is well balanced on the palate by a strong, dark maltiness.

The Köstritzer Schwarzbier Brewery lies to the east of Kulmbach, in the neighboring state of Thuringia. That brewery was founded in 1543. The Köstritzer Schwarzbier is a bit heftier than the Kloster Mönchshof Schwarzbier and is today the biggest seller among all the German dark lagers. It has a slightly bitter-toasty to chocolatey middle that is almost edgy, followed by a smooth, rounded aftertaste that lingers gently in the dry finish. The Köstritzer starts at a relatively low original gravity of barely 1.046 and finishes low, too, at about 1.008. So the beer still has an ABV of 4.8%.

Outside of Germany, prominent commercial schwarzbiers are made mainly by Japanese breweries. Asahi, Suntory, Kirin and Sapporo all make black lagers. Another interesting black lager is the Xingu Black Beer from Cervejaria Colonia in Brazil.

Several North American microbreweries, too, have started to take an interest in this venerable lager style, as evidenced by the fact that German-style schwarzbier is now one of the categories judged at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). (Schwarzbier is Category 25.)

In 2001, twenty-two schwarzbiers competed for honors at the GABF. The gold went to Squatters Pub Brewery in Salt Lake City, Utah for its Black Forest Schwarzbier. John Harvard’s Brew House of Wayne, Pennsylvania, took the silver with its Springfield Schwarz Beer. Another Salt Lake City brewery, the Uinta Brewing Company, captured the bronze with a schwarzbier named King’s Peak.

Schwarzbier ingredients

The foundation grain for schwarzbier is German Pils malt, a pale malt with a color rating below 2° L. The schwarzbier’s color comes from generous portions of Munich malt and the addition of some roasted malt. Here is a rough guideline for the composition of a generic schwarzbier grain bill: Use about 20–30% Munich 10–20° L, 10 percent caramel 60° L, and about 1–1.5 percent black malt of up to 488° L. The remaining half (or more) is Pils malt. If you prefer a more full-bodied beer, you can also add about 5 percent dextrin malt, such as Briess CaraPils, and reduce the amount of Pils malt accordingly.

As for the black malt, you must make your selection very carefully. Black malt is the critical variable that can ruin your schwarzbier. Never use black (patent) malts that are designed for robust, British-style beers, because they impart an intense toasty-roasty flavor that is not proper for a schwarzbier. If you can taste strong, roasted notes in a schwarzbier, the beer will not taste authentic.

Remember, in a schwarzbier — just as in a Bavarian dunkel — the requirements for color and flavor are at odds with each other, yet both must come from the same grain source. You need to get the darkness from the grain into the beer while keeping the toastiness out!

The best way to accomplish this tricky objective is through black grains that have been malted specifically for dark lager making. The ideal roasted malt (röstmalz) is the dehusked version of Weyermann Carafa I, II or III. Carafa I has a nominal color rating of 300-375° L; Carafa II, of 375-450° L; and Carafa III, of 450-488° L. Depending on how “schwarz” you want your schwarzbier to be, choose your color weapons. Any one of these malts will do, but I find that Carafa II gives you the best color bang with the least roastiness for your homebrew buck. If you cannot obtain the dehusked Weyermann product, use ordinary black patent malt, but the taste of your brew will not be quite as authentic.

For a partial-mash schwarzbier, substitute the Pils grain with light lager or Pilsner malt extract. You might even substitute the Munich grain with amber Munich-style malt extract. Then steep the specialty grains. With the disappearance of Ireks malt extracts from the market, the homebrewer has really only two choices for authentic German extracts: Bierkeller malts in the 1.5-kilogram can and Weyermann malt extracts in the 15-pound Jerry pack. For a partial-mash schwarzbier, Bierkeller plain light or Weyermann Bavarian Pilsner are suitable malt extract brands.
 
For extract-only brewers, schwarzbier represents a real challenge, because there appears to be no pure schwarzbier extract on the market. The dunkel (dark) malt extracts from Germany are not dark enough, and the stout extracts from Britain, Australia, and the United States are too roasty-toasty. The best way out of the dilemma — but it is a compromise — is to brew the schwarzbier from a mixture of mostly German plain dark extract for maltiness, some German amber malt extract for depth, and some plain stout extract for the needed “schwarzness.”

Use roughly the following proportions: 60 percent Bierkeller plain dark, 20 percent Weyermann Bavarian amber or Bierkeller amber, and 20 percent stout extract, such as John Bull, Coopers, or Alexander’s. Yes, the stout extract goes against the grain, but it’s probably the best we can do. Using this method achieves some of the required color values. However, the color comes at the expense of authenticity because of the burnt stout flavors.
 
As for hops and yeast, there are no surprises. Any German or American-grown noble hops, other than the highly aromatic Saaz, will work. Ferment your schwarzbier with a standard Bavarian lager yeast such as Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP830 (German lager) yeast.

Horst Dornbusch’s next “Style Profile” column will examine oatmeal stout.

A Special Treat: Schwarzbier-Cheese-Fondue

When pairing food and drink, you usually have two fundamental choices: contrast or complement. While wine and cheese are classic complements, make the conceptual leap to Schwarzbier and cheese...and think contrast. Here is a nifty recipe that brings out that delicious combination:

One fine haute cuisine wine-and-cheese complement is the traditional Swiss cheese fondue made with white wine. When served in a kerosene-fuelled réchaud set, it’s a great party pleaser. Now, how about making a similar dish with Schwarzbier instead of white wine? It’s unusual but absolutely wonderful. This dish is guaranteed to impress your friends and make your Schwarzbier famous. Here is how: Heat about a quart of Schwarzbier on the stove or (if you own one) in a réchaud set. While stirring, add about three quarters of a pound of cubed or grated melting cheese. I like a mixture of Emmenthaler and Gruyere. Thicken the mixture with a cornstarch paste made from 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Keep stirring, while you bring the fondue to a brief boil to cook the cornstarch. Take off the heat, season with a pinch each of black pepper, nutmeg, and cloves, and add one jigger (or two...) of vodka. Place in the middle of the table and let everybody dip skewers with toasted cubes of Italian bread into the fondue. The above amounts are for two people. Increase quantities to match your numbers. Present the fondue with plenty of your Schwarzbier, of course. Bon appétit and Prost!


Medieval Cloister Schwarzbier
(5 gallons, all grain)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.012
SRM = 30 IBU = 24 ABV = ~ 4.6%

Ingredients

5.5 lbs. Pils malt (<2° L)
1.0 lbs. Munich malt (10° L)
1.0 lbs. Munich malt (20° L)
1.0 lb. Briess CaraPils (1.5° L)
1.0 lbs. caramel malt (60° L) or Weyermann CaraMunich
    III (53-60° L)
2 oz. Weyermann dehusked Carafa II (375-450° L)
5.4 AAU Hallertauer (bittering) (1.2 oz. of 4.5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (flavor)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (aroma)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP830
    (German Lager) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for bottling)

Black Gold Schwarzbier
(5 gallons, all grain)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.010
SRM = 27 IBU = 24 ABV = approx. 4.6%

Ingredients

6.5 lbs. Pils malt (<2° L)
2.0 lbs. Munich malt (10° L)
0.5 lb. Briess CaraPils (1.5° L)
1.0 lbs. caramel malt (60° L) or Weyermann CaraMunich
    III (53-60° L)
1.5 oz. Weyermann dehusked Carafa II (375-450° L)
5.4 AAU Hallertauer (bittering) (1.2 oz. of 4.5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (flavor)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (aroma)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP830
    (German Lager) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for bottling)

Step by Step

Use a step-mash schedule of 30 minutes at 122° F, 30 minutes at 146° F and 30 minutes at 156° F. Finally, raise the temperature to 170° F for the mash-out. Sparge slowly for about 90–120 minutes. Boil between 90 and 120 minutes. Add the bittering hops about 15 minutes into the boil, the flavor hops about 30 minutes before shut-down and the aroma hops about 15 minutes before shut-down. Heat-exchange, aerate the wort and pitch your yeast. Ferment in the 50–60° F range, slightly above the standard temperature for lager fermentation. Primary fermentation should be finished in two weeks. When the beer is virtually still and has reached the final gravity, rack it to your secondary fermenter for lagering.

Start the lagering period by gradually reducing the brew’s temperature by about 2° F per day. Eventual-ly, get the temperature down to at least 38° F, at which point all yeast activity stops. If possible, drop your beer’s temperature to 28° F, the lagering temperature preferred by German brewers. Lager your schwarzbier for at least four weeks.

Rack the schwarzbier before priming and bottling. Then let the packaged beer rest at about 40° F (4° C) for about a month to mellow out. Serve it at around 45° F (8° C).

Medieval Cloister Schwarzbier
(5 gallons, partial mash)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.012 SRM = 30
IBU = 24 ABV = ~ 4.6%

Ingredients

4.5 lbs. Bierkeller plain light or Weyermann Bavarian
    Pilsner malt extract
2.0 lbs. Munich malt (10° L) (or 1.5 lbs. of Bierkeller or
    Weyermann amber extract)
1.0 lb. Briess CaraPils (1.5° L)
1.0 lbs. caramel malt (60° L ) or Weyermann
    Cara Munich III (53-60° L)
2 oz. Weyermann dehusked Carafa II (375-450° L)
5.4 AAU Hallertauer hops (bittering) (1.2 oz. of 4.5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer hops (flavor)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer hops (aroma)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP830
    (German Lager) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for bottling)

Black Gold Schwarzbier
(5 gallons, partial mash)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.010 SRM = 27
IBU = 24 ABV = ~ 4.6%

Ingredients

6.5 lbs. Bierkeller plain light or Weyermann
    Bavarian Pilsner malt extract
2.0 lbs. Munich malt (10° L) (or 1.5 lbs. of Bierkeller or
    Weyermann amber extract)
0.5 lb. Briess CaraPils (1.5° L)
1.0 lbs. caramel malt (60° L) or Weyermann Cara Munich III (53-60° L)
1.5 oz. Weyermann dehusked Carafa II (375-450° L)
5.4 AAU Hallertauer hops (bittering) (1.2 oz. of 4.5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer hops (flavor)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer hops (aroma)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for bottling)

Step by Step

Place the caramel, dextrin and Carafa II malts in a muslin bag. Steep the Munich malt, if used, by itself in a separate muslin bag. Immerse the bag(s) in three gallons of cold water. Heat slowly to about 170° F. Turn off heat. Lift bags, rinse with 4–5 cups of cold water, and discard. Add extract and stir. Bring to a boil and follow the remaining brewing instructions from the all-grain recipes.

Medieval Cloister Schwarzbier
(5 gallons, extract only)
OG = 1.048 FG = 1.012 SRM = 30
IBU = 24 ABV = ~ 4.6%

Ingredients

4.5 lbs. Bierkeller dark malt extract
2.0 lbs. Bierkeller or Weyermann amber extract
1.0 lbs. Coopers, John Bull, or Alexander’s stout extract
5.4 AAU Hallertauer hops (bittering) (1.2 oz. of 4.5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (flavor)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (aroma)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP830
    (German Lager) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for bottling)

Black Gold Schwarzbier
(5 gallons, extract only)
OG = 1.046 FG = 1.010 SRM = 27
IBU = 24 ABV = ~ 4.6%

Ingredients

5.0 lbs. Bierkeller dark malt extract
2.0 lbs. Bierkeller or Weyermann amber extract
0.5 lbs. Coopers, John Bull, or Alexander’s stout extract
5.4 AAU German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (bittering)
    (1.2 oz. of 4.5% alpha acid)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (flavor)
0.5 oz. German noble hops, such as Hallertauer (aroma)
Wyeast 2206 (Bavarian Lager) or White Labs WLP830
    (German Lager) yeast
1 cup corn sugar (for bottling)

Step by Step

Stir all malts into at least three gallons of water. Bring to a boil and follow instructions for hopping, fermenting, lagering, and bottling from all-grain recipes.