Its winter time and dark beers seem to taking a bit more prominence on tap lists and store shelves. One such new beer is Never Too Loud Schwarzbier from Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery.
The Hood River, Oregon based brewer decided to brew a beer that pays homage to one of Germany’s oldest beer styles. A Schwarzbier is described as being dark in color, but light and crisp on the tongue.
In brewing Never Too Loud, Double Mountain used a yeast strain of German and Australian decent, fermenting it low, slow, and clean, accentuating the malt and yeast profiles. The brewery experimented with a new malt: Black Prinz and Midnight Wheat from Briess. It sheds the husk, giving us color without the astringency, and lending some lovely head retention.
The hops play second fiddle, balancing and adding subtle nuances to complement the yeast and malts. It’s low in ABV (per style) and drinks light for a darker beer. Hold it up to the light. It’s fecking gorgeous. The darkness gives way to a rich ruby hue. There’s some toffee and baked bread, a Midas touch of dry baker’s chocolate, and an easy, crispy boi finish. A dark beer that drinks like a lager.
Never Too Loud Schwarzbier Description
Well, we followed the rules until the knob broke. This dark German lager carries aromas of espresso bean and rustic bread that riff hard over a clean biscuit and baker’s chocolate chord progression. This one looks like a porter and drinks like a lager. In the immortal words of Danko Jones, it’s never too loud! 4.6% ABV 25 BU
The label artwork was created by the longtime industry friend and well-known Portland graffiti artist, Bose One, who can be followed on Instagram at @throwingbose.
Never Too Loud can also be paired with the following Spotify playlist created by Double Mountain Brewers and the Warehouse Manager – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2xVGUY8iXUuSl4l0Q6olnW.
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.
