Schwarzbier

This dark German-style lager took home gold from the 2023 World Beer Cup in Nashville, Tennessee, and then went on to impress our blind-review panel. Smooth and easy-drinking, it offers subtly complex roasted malt character and a dry finish.

When the team at Incendiary in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, gave brewer and QC manager Adam Goetz the chance to design a recipe, he knew what he wanted to make. Then it won gold at the 2023 World Beer Cup, and it scored a stellar 99/100 with our blind-review panel. So, we asked Adam what makes it tick.

From longer decoctions to key considerations when using dark malts in the mash, Bierstadt cofounder Bill Eye explains how their approach to darker lagers differs from that of paler ones—and also why they avoid dextrin malt.

In Portland, Oregon, Zoiglhaus brewmaster Alan Taylor and his team brew this award-winning schwarzbier with German ingredients and in accordance with German brewing traditions.

With this fresh recipe from his Make Your Best series, Josh Weikert goes for relatively restrained roast in this dark lager—and you can tinker with it from there.

Here is an online-only recipe, perfect for autumn, with special thanks to Fiction Beer of Denver, Colorado.

Not all dark beers—and most especially not all dark lagers—are the same. Take some time to parse the different dark lager styles out there and consider not only how they differ but also how we can modify our brewing approaches to produce them.

We reached out to brewers’ guild directors and asked for recommendations on dark-colored lagers (from a state other than the one they represent) that have tickled their fancy. Here’s what these proponents of craft beer reach for when they travel.

The key to making and drinking dark lagers is to remember that despite their color they should stay true to the lager hallmarks.

Dark brown lager full of toasty malt with a touch of caramel and roast.