Another Schwarzbier: Köstritzer

I stumbled across this at Spec's – a rather timely discovery since Texan beer lovers are buzzing about the version of schwarzbier ("black beer") that Shiner just released. This one obviously has a bit more history – we're pretty proud of the fact that Shiner goes back to 1909, but when you see that Köstritzer was established in 1543, that puts a bit of perspective on it. I definitely give this a bit of an edge over my homeboys — whereas I'd rate the Texas version a "B," this is definitely an A-minus, not too far behind Xingu, a Brazilian black.

It's a fascinating style. It has the warmth you expect from a rich, dark beer, yet with a lighter feel than most beers of this color — you could drink several of these and not feel bloated. I went into Spec's looking for an Oktoberfest, but I like black lager on these fall days, too, and we're finally having some cool ones after a couple of weeks of unseasonably warmth weather (even for Texas). I love the roasted malts, which come out more as the beer warms.