Köstritzer Schwarzbier, Bad Köstritz, Germany

Thus far, my favortie of the German beers has been the Köstritzer Schwarzbier from the Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei (Köstritzer Black Beer Brewery- "schwarz" means "black" in German and the umlaut was added for toughness), one of the few German breweries known for its dark beers. Despite the appearance, schwarzbier does not taste anything like a stout- it's more like a dark Belgian, in that it looks heavy but tastes lighter than expected and feels refreshing rather than filling. The flavor is roasty and malty but very smooth and not at all overpowering. If you're looking for a German beer that's little fuller than your typical pils or helles, Köstritzer Schwarzbier is an excellent choice. So far, I've only had it on tap but I will try to sample the bottled version as well. 4.8% ABV and a solid 4.0 on the Eileen scale. May the schwarz be with you.