Dark European Lager - Schwarzbier - Beer Recipes | Brewer's Friend
Brew your best beer EVER. Start your Free Trial of Brewer's Friend today! Sign Up ×

Dark European Lager - Schwarzbier


A dark German lager that balances roasted yet smooth malt flavors with moderate hop bitterness. The lighter body, dryness, and lack of a harsh, burnt, or heavy aftertaste helps make this beer quite drinkable.

Flavor Profile: Light to moderate malt flavor, which can have a clean, neutral character to a moderately rich, bread-malty quality. Light to moderate roasted malt flavors can give a bitter-chocolate palate that lasts into the finish, but which are never burnt. Medium-low

Ingredients: German Munich malt and/or Pilsner malts for the base, supplemented by a judicious use of roasted malts (such as Carafa types) for the dark color and subtle roast flavors. Huskless dark roasted malts can add roast flavors without burnt flavors. German hop

BJCP Style Guide

Top 10 Schwarzbier Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
The Schwarzbier radius
2.5 gal 5.25% 27.64 1.052 1.012
BIAB 3931
Schwarzbier Gordon Strong
23 L 4.94% 24.75 1.050 1.013
All Grain 3785
Schwarzbier
12 gal 5.03% 29.55 1.046 1.008
All Grain 3162
SchwartzenbierenFahrvergnügen
5.5 gal 5.27% 20.54 1.049 1.009
All Grain 3018
JZ - German Schwarzbier
23 L 4.83% 29.53 1.047 1.010
BIAB 2632
Black rice lager
24 L 4.06% 24.58 1.040 1.009
All Grain 2547
Kolsch/Schwarzbier
3 gal 4.74% 30.98 1.047 1.011
Partial Mash 2035
Bakke Brygg Schwarzbier 25 L
25 L 4.93% 25.06 1.050 1.012
All Grain 2026
JZ - Doing it in the Dark Schwarzbier
23 L 4.8% 29.29 1.048 1.012
BIAB 1885
#38 - Schwarzbier/Czech Dark
4.7 gal 4.41% 22.29 1.047 1.014
All Grain 1547

Newest Schwarzbier Recipes

Title Size ABV IBU OG FG Color Method Views
Black ale with coconut
76 gal 5.34% 19.43 1.052 1.012
All Grain 20
Schwazbier/Dark Czech split batch
9 gal 5.44% 0 1.051 1.010
BIAB 26
May the Schwarz be with you
5.5 gal 5.86151% 0 1.056 1.011
All Grain 26
Schwarzbier 64L
65 L 5.61% 24.79 1.055 1.012
All Grain 118
Smoked shwarz w/ tangerine
5.5 gal 5.22% 32.61 1.048 1.008
All Grain 41
Awesome Recipe
6.5 gal 7.79% 0 1.079 1.020
All Grain 21
Schwarzbier
11 gal 4.72% 33.29 1.048 1.012
All Grain 77
Awesome Recipe
155 gal 5.06% 29.67 1.048 1.009
All Grain 35
Arnold Schwarzenlagger 3
5 gal 5.43% 31.59 1.050 1.008
All Grain 50
Schwarz
263 gal 4.95% 21.63 1.049 1.011
All Grain 174

Fermentables Used In Schwarzbier Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
Munich - Light 10L 189 Grain specialty malt 10°L
33 29% 5% - 94%
German - Pilsner 178 German Grain base malt 1.6°L
38 61% 8% - 100%
German - Carafa II 174 German Grain roasted malt 425°L
32 5% 1% - 16%
American - Chocolate 140 American Grain roasted malt 350°L
29 4% 1% - 11%
German - Carafa III 113 German Grain roasted malt 535°L
32 5% 1% - 13%
Munich Dark 20L 107 Grain specialty malt 20°L
34 28% 2% - 99%
American - Pilsner 99 American Grain base malt 1.8°L
37 60% 7% - 98%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 77 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 5% 2% - 16%
Weyermann - Carafa Special Type II 61 DE Grain roasted malt 425°L
29.9 5% 2% - 11%
Weyermann - Pilsner 55 German Grain base malt 1.5°L
36 60% 21% - 100%

Hops Used In Schwarzbier Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Average AA Avg. Usage Usage Range
Hallertau Mittelfruh 167 3.75 40% 1% - 100%
Magnum 118 15 34% 2% - 100%
Saaz 109 3.5 46% 5% - 100%
Tettnanger 85 4.5 42% 13% - 100%
Hallertau Hersbrucker 57 4 38% 10% - 100%
Perle 55 8.2 47% 5% - 100%
Domestic Hallertau 46 3.9 39% 17% - 100%
Hallertau Tradition (Germany) 35 5 37% 1% - 100%
Northern Brewer 20 7.8 47% 22% - 100%
Willamette 20 4.5 52% 20% - 100%

Steeping Grains Used In Schwarzbier Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Country Category Type Color PPG Avg. Usage Usage Range
American - Caramel / Crystal 120L 8 American Grain crystal malt 120°L
33 35% 16% - 100%
German - Carafa III 7 German Grain roasted malt 535°L
32 49% 30% - 100%
German - Carafa II 5 German Grain roasted malt 425°L
32 17% 11% - 31%
Crisp Malting - Chocolate Malt 4 GB Grain roasted malt 450°L
32.66 28% 14% - 40%
American - Black Malt 3 American Grain roasted malt 500°L
28 56% 17% - 100%
American - Chocolate 3 American Grain roasted malt 350°L
29 17% 12% - 24%
United Kingdom - Pale Chocolate 3 United Kingdom Grain roasted malt 207°L
33 31% 21% - 36%
Weyermann - Carafa III 3 German Grain roasted malt 525°L
32 28% 19% - 36%
Weyermann - Carafa Special Type II 3 DE Grain roasted malt 425°L
29.9 47% 18% - 72%
Caramel / Crystal 60L 2 Grain crystal malt 60°L
34 31% 29% - 33%

Yeasts Used In Schwarzbier Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Laboratory Type Alcohol Tolerance Flocculation Attenuation Min. Temp Max. Temp
Fermentis - Saflager - German Lager Yeast W-34/70 181 Fermentis / Safale Lagers .105 High 83% 48°F 72°F
Fermentis - Saflager - German Lager Yeast S-23 51 Fermentis / Safale Lagers .105 High 82% 48°F 72°F
White Labs - German Lager Yeast WLP830 48 White Labs Lagers Medium Medium 76.5% 50°F 55°F
White Labs - German Ale/ Kölsch Yeast WLP029 29 White Labs Ale Medium Medium 75% 65°F 69°F
Wyeast - Bohemian Lager 2124 28 Wyeast Lagers 0.09 Medium 75% 48°F 58°F
Wyeast - Bavarian Lager 2206 26 Wyeast Lagers 0.09 Med-High 75% 46°F 58°F
Imperial Yeast - L17 Harvest 23 Imperial Yeast Lagers Medium 70% 50°F 60°F
Lallemand - LalBrew Diamond Lager 19 Danstar Lagers High High 80% 50°F 59°F
Omega Yeast Labs - Lutra Kveik OYL-071 15 Omega Yeast Labs Norwegian Ales High Medium 78% 68°F 95°F
Lallemand - LalBrew NovaLager™ 12 Lallemand Lagers High Medium 81% 50°F 68°F

Other Ingredients Used In Schwarzbier Recipes (View More)

Name Recipes Type Use Avg. Usage Usage Range
Gypsum 126 Water Agt Mash 15% 0% - 100%
Calcium Chloride (dihydrate) 82 Water Agt Sparge 19% 0% - 100%
Epsom Salt 78 Water Agt Mash 9% 0% - 50%
Whirlfloc 78 Fining Boil 57% 0% - 100%
Lactic acid 73 Water Agt Mash 69% 6% - 100%
Baking Soda 47 Water Agt Mash 11% 0% - 58%
Chalk 42 Water Agt Mash 21% 0% - 100%
Irish Moss 35 Fining Boil 64% 0% - 100%
Calcium Chloride (anhydrous) 31 Water Agt Mash 15% 0% - 71%
Yeast Nutrient 25 Other Boil 26% 0% - 67%

Photos