As one of the pioneers in the pumpkin beer category, Elysian Brewing is always releasing some new and interesting pumpkin beers every fall. Last year we sampled Punkuccino, The Great Pumpkin Night Owl and Dark O’ the Moon, and this year they will all return except Dark O’ The Moon which will be replaced by the beer we’re sampling today….Dark Knife Pumpkin Schwarzbier…so off we go.
Elysian Brewing Dark Knife Pumpkin Schwarzbier pours a deep mahogany (almost black) color with a soft cocoa-colored head. The aromas lead with toasted malt and finish with a bit malt and nutty notes. The flavor start with a bit of roasty somewhat-typical schwarzbier flavors, but the pumpkin and spices take it in a whole new direction. The beer has loads of subtle pumpkin flavors (about 90-pounds/batch) and the cinnamon and ginger cookie finish was really nice. We found a bit of roasty chocolate as the beer warmed, but the cookie-like flavors really ruled the day. This beer (as with all Elysian pumpkin beers) finds a way to deliver pumpkin flavors in a way that they stand out but also compliment the other flavors in the mix…and I think you’ll really like that when you do try it.
Overall I think Dark Knife is a really unique twist on a typical German Schwarzbier and I think this drinkable and sessionable (4.3%-AbV) beer is a great addition to the Elysian Brewing pumpkin family. The beer is brewed with German Northern Brewer and Saaz hops as well as pale, Munich, roasted barley and dark malts and it will be packaged in 22oz bottles for 2018 distribution. Be sure to try Elysian Brewing Dark Knife Pumpkin Schwarzbier as well as all of the other 2018 pumpkin beers from Elysian…and when you do, be sure to let us know what YOU think.
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