I need a beer that is BLACK and drinkable

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Some friends are recording their new album.

It is a Death Metal band, and they want me to make some brew for the party once they have them ready to go. I need an Ale that is Black, but poundable. Trying to figure out a good way to do an Ale Shwarzbier, or maybe just add some dark malts to an Irish Ale. They don't want anything thick or heavy, plus I only have about 2 months.

Any thoughts?





Band is called Flaming Tusk, by the way. If you like metal, you can listen to their first EP online here: FlamingTusk.com
 
I've brewed a Schwartzbier using Nottingham and could not tell it from the batch that was fermented as a lager.
 
Carafa III debittered malt gives you color but no roasty flavor. I would really keep it simple and go for something like Pale Malt, Carafa III and enough caramel to get you to your desired FG. I would go 1/4 lb per 5 gal as I think of poundable as less sugar. Try to hit the sweet spot of about 4-5% abv, so how about this.

8 lbs pale malt
12 oz Carafa III Special
4 oz Crystal 60L or 80L

Good luck, may the force be with you...always
 
Using Kolsch yeast and fermenting on the cool side (lower 60s F, wet t-shirt trick?) is a great way to get a crisp, lager-like Oktoberfest, so might work here with the grain bill of a Schwarzbier...
 
Couldnt you just darken up any ale with a few tablespoons of black patent?

I mean, wouldn't it be the equivalent of adding food coloring to a beer?
 
I brewed this the other day:

Might be good for a Death Metal band to drink... LOL. It is basically a IIPA (132 IBUs) with some Carafa III during last 15 mins of mash to gain black color. Of course you could easily cut it down to a basic Pale Ale if you wanted.

Heavenly_Scourge_Black_IPA.jpg
 

HILARIOUS!

I brewed this the other day:

Might be good for a Death Metal band to drink... LOL. It is basically a IIPA (132 IBUs) with some Carafa III during last 15 mins of mash to gain black color. Of course you could easily cut it down to a basic Pale Ale if you wanted.

Heavenly_Scourge_Black_IPA.jpg

IIPA is not my idea of "poundable." Don't want to spend that kind of cash on hops for someone to just chug. But, throwing come Carafa III in during the end of mash or sparge to knock an APA up to a BPA could work.
 
LOL - yeah an IIPA is at the outer limits of my ability to handle also. But cut down the grain bill and hops and you have a black pale ale. That's easily poundable!
 
While not the most elegant choice, this one is very simple. Brewer's best has a black lager kit that is very poundable. It is a clone of Sam Adams black lager if you want to try the taste before you brew. It is pretty black, but not heavy. Anyway, I would get 2 packs of notti and brew that up as an ale if you can't lager. Should be pretty good and pretty fast to mature. Oh, and inexpensive.
 
Best black quaffable beer I've had was a small beer made from third runnings of a strong scotch ale and a barley wine mixed together, you probably don't have enough time for that though.
 
I have had spme pretty poundable Shwarzbier, but I see the trick as getting the color you want without a TON of rosty flavor, because that might inhibit the ability to throw it in a bong :D

I will just +1 the idea of a Shwarzbier recipe and ferment with kolsch yeast or nottingham at like 60-65 deg.

In fact this sounds pretty good, I might have to do this for my next batch.....
 
I have had spme pretty poundable Shwarzbier, but I see the trick as getting the color you want without a TON of rosty flavor, because that might inhibit the ability to throw it in a bong
I've never had it but the New Belgium 1554 I linked above allegedly does not have the roasty flavors or bitterness from roasty grains (they speculated either dehusked Carafa or debittered Black malt and only enough to get the color).
 
Sinamar is a great way to darken up a beer without adding flavor. I'd say brew a low-hopped blonde ale (2-row, aromatic) and add Sinamar in order to get the darkness you want.
 
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