If you've come across any form of dark lager from an Aussie brewer in the past, there's a good chance it's been an interpretation of the German schwarzbier stle. Any time from the middle of autumn until the arrival of spring, you'll find such beers arriving as limited releases offering some of the dark appeal of porters and stouts but with a lighter, typically softer finish.
Modus' entry into limited release dark lager territory for 2023 isn't that, however; it's a dark Czech lager that's a few degrees lighter on the colour spectrum and, indeed, favours malts that have enjoyed a few less degrees celsius in the kiln. Brown rather than borderline black, Bohemian Night is soft of texture and impact, and acts as a showcase of the subtleties to be found in malt.
Even though there's little in the way of roasted, more bitter specialty malt characteristics in there, there's much else. Depending on how long you want to spend pondering its makeup, there's chocolate and a wholemeal breadiness aplenty but also a nougat-like nuttiness, a little cola-esque caramel, and a finish that mixes raisins with a drying toastiness. Alternatively, you can leaving pondering to one side completely and know you've got an easy-drinking, seasonally-appropriate beer in your hand.
James Smith
Published August 7, 2023 2023-08-07 00:00:00
