Samuel Adams Black Lager (grrrr I hate that their website asks you twice—twice!—for age verification! Plus it’s unlinkable Flash…) is a schwarzbier and one of their "Brewmaster’s Collection" beers. It’s a nice, drinkable session beer at only 4.9% alcohol and a good general introduction to the schwarzbier style.

Appearance: Very dark brown with red highlights when held to the light—like a root beer. Very light brown head.

Smell: Dark—burnt and slightly smoky. A sour character from burnt charcoal. Slight undercurrent of sweet malt.

Taste: Dark and roasty with burnt chocolate and some coffee—like a porter but much lighter. A little of that (very mild) sourness, reminds me a bit of charcoal again. "Black" is a suitable description for the taste.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied—not watery or anything, and thicker than a plain lager. Fairly smooth, a little burnt dryness/astringency.

Overall: Refreshing and surprisingly drinkable.

On BeerAdvocate, it scores 86 out of 100 with 98% approval. On RateBeer, it scores 3.42 out of 5 and is in their 79th percentile.