Beer of the Weekend #1,109: Czech Dark Lager

The beer of the weekend is Czech Dark Lager, brewed by Barn Town Brewing of West Des Moines, Iowa.

Serving type: 16-ounce can. “JAN1625” is part of the off-center text printed and smudged on the bottom of the can.

Appearance: Poured into a nonic. (BA recommends a mug or stein, but I don’t have a beer-specific mug or small stein.) The color is very dark brown. One finger of light tan, dense, bubble-spotted, buttery head settles slowly and evenly.

Smell: Roasted malt but not much else. There is a fleeting hint of dark fruit.

Taste: Roasted malt and roasted bitterness. The flavor is light and mostly inaccessible; it is just out of reach. It is coffee-like in the sense that it is, in my humble opinion, dark, bitter, and promising but really watered down and flavorless.

Fun facts about Czech Dark Lager:

• Style: Czech dark lager.

• Price: $11.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

• Alcohol content: 5.5 percent ABV.

• Here is the description via the brewery website: “This traditional Dark Lager balances malty sweet flavors with the smoothness of a lager, delivering notes of dark chocolate, caramel and bread crust paired with an earthy, floral aroma from Saaz hops.”

The Quiet Man’s grade: C-.