Guinness Black Lager is IN the House!

Not very often does a common Irish Guinness-loving lad such as me get such an honor as I have enjoyed tonight.  Yes I had a great time touring the Irish southwest back in June, but tonight really takes the cake.  Sitting in my ‘fridge, (and now in my belly) is the new Guinness Black Lager.  We brought you the news of this new brew back in April, and before I even talk about the beer, I have to say a big thank you to Fergal & Liam from Guinness for brewing and distributing this beer in the US…and I’m honored to be among the first to sample some.

Guinness Black Lager is “cold brewed with roasted barley to deliver the refreshing taste of lager with the unique character of Guinness.  Enjoy Ice Cold straight from the bottle.”  Now I will admit I just returned from two weeks of enjoying Guinness in Ireland, so my standards were pretty high.  I’ll also admit I did chill the Guinness Black Lager to a pretty cold temp AND also tried it both straight from the bottle as well as a proper pint…and in all cases I have to say I loved it.  If you’re expecting standard Guinness Stout, you won’t find it here.  This is a unique brew that retains the family resemblance to Guinness Stout, but stands proud on it’s own.  I really enjoyed this beer, and my only complaint may be that if you drink it straight out of the bottle and ice cold….it’s SO easy drinking that the 11.2oz bottle goes down really quickly.  In a sampling glass, the pace slows enough to enjoy the complexity and unique character of this beer…so of course I’d recommend a glass.

Guinness Black Lager is perhaps the near-perfect combination of easy drinking, refreshing, complex and flavorful…all in one beer….and my thanks and congratulations to Liam and Fergal for a beer I know will be a hit in the US and abroad.  Cheers lads!