Black Lagers

gonna review and compare two "black lagers".  

from wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzbier)...

• Schwarzbier, or "black beer", is a German dark lager beer. It has an opaque, black color and a full, chocolatey or coffee flavor. Although they share some similar flavors they are milder tasting and less bitter than British stouts or porters, owing to the use of lager rather than ale yeast and no roasted barley.
• They get their dark color from the use of particularly dark malts in brewing. The malt in turn gets its color during the roasting procedure.
• Dark beers are some of the original types of beers brewed, with lighter colors only becoming possible with lighter, short-roasted malts approximately one hundred and fifty years ago.

Fort Collins Brewery:  Kidd Black Lager

Serving Type: bottle poured into glass

Appearance(A):   very dark brown with tan head, not quite black, not quite opaque

Smell (S): light coffee

Taste (T): roast coffee and chocolate.  light smoke.  as described in wiki...tastes like a light stout  

Mouthfeel (M): mildly bitter and acidic

Drinkability (D): again, as described in wiki...seems like a light stout.  similar

Verdict:  pretty tasty and interesting beer. not sure if I've ever had a "black lager" before.  not sure if I'd ever seek this out but nice change of pace beer.  certainly wouldnt turn it down if offered. 

Rating: 7.5

http://www.fortcollinsbrewery.com/kidd.html

Sam Adams Black Lager

Serving Type: bottle poured into glass

Appearance(A): same as Fort Collins. maybe slightly darker   

Smell (S): nothing much to speak of. perhaps a very light coffee. nope....I take that back....nothing.

Taste (T):  distinct coffee flavor.  less "roasty" and "smokey" than the Fort Collins...has a "creaminess" to it that is not in the Fort Collins (not necessarily good or bad).  however,  there's some weird after taste that I dont like.

Mouthfeel (M): I'm gonna stop commenting. I dont really know WTF this means.  I guess you could say this is slightly creamy

Drinkability (D):  okay at first than comes that weird after taste

Verdict:  unlike the Fort Collins, dont think I'd drink this if offered.  it's not bad per se, just not good. 

Rating: 6.0

http://www.samueladams.com/enjoy-our-beer/beer-detail.aspx?id=6f4f9af0-0ebc-4637-be5f-bdeb3fc94724