On tap at Little Falls’ 381 Main, fine one-off prune-hued ‘dark common lager’ augments resinous Warrior hop bittering with dried fruited abundance. Ripe prune-raisin conflux and chocolate-spiced Belgian yeast funk saddle burnt toast bottom. A rich sessionable beer for more adventurous lager heads. 

Slick molasses-malted caramel toasting, disruptive metallic astringency, and acetous iodine driblet thankfully outdone by streamlined chocolate-cocoa spicing. Subsidiary tobacco-roasted gingerbread, pecan pie, dehydrated fig, raisin, almond, butternut and hazelnut illusions penetrate dry rye breading. As bottle drains, ample mocha prominence dissuades blunt alkaline acridity of wildly variable, thickheaded, coppery bronzed, medium-bodied dark lager.

Effective Munich dunkel lager (given noir-like dark ale labeling) contrasts cocoa-seeded black chocolate chalking, peat-smoked molasses malting and buttery toffee sweetness against coarse hop roast. Mild nut-roasted rye-pumpernickel breading overcomes fizzy phenol fizzing and slick schwarzbier-styled mocha plasticity. 2012 version boasted richer dark chocolate malting and deeper peanut-shelled hazelnut-walnut conflux.

Easygoing organically barley-malted Bavarian dark lager retains soft-watered flow, dewy earthen funk, and banana-browned fruit-dried nature to timid caraway-seeded rye-breaded spine. Amiable fig-date-prune sedation, reticent chocolate-covered raisin paucity, and meager chocolate nibs influence find space between. Likable light-bodied German beer may not have enough stylistic honeyed wheat efficacy but milder tastes will be appreciative.

Celebrating the 40^th anniversary of Jazz-fusion masterpiece, Bitches Brew, uncommon ebony-hued honey-brewed Imperial Stout-affiliated dark lager better defined as complex schwarzbier. On tap, shiny-leafed berry-like gesho influence affixes sarsaparilla flow to grain-seared cocoa-malted Baker’s chocolate frontage, tar-like hop-charred walnut-singed bitterness, and mildewed cellar-dwelled black grape dankness. Filmy black chocolate midst picks up espresso-milked Anisette reminder, spicy cardamom lilt, and gooey anise ascension. Rich port-bourbon wining fills out clean mocha finish. In bottle, kiln-smoked maple malting picks up chocolate-covered raisin sway and peppery-hopped Belgian chocolate spicing. Worthy salutation’s nearly as interesting as legendary artist Miles Davis.

Sumptuous soda-flowing tan-headed lager with cascading bubbles rising from bottom to top of mahogany body. Chocolate raisin fortitude given red ale-like spiced hop bittering to nutty cocoa finish, retaining up-front malt thrust along the way.

Silky amber-paled, medium-bodied “dunkel” (dark) lager retains moderate caramel creaminess and gentle barley-roasted candi-sugared malt sweetness, but hindered fruit blandness, stifled earthiness, and faint smokiness lost in midst.

Hefty strong Euro lager (9%ABV) placates sweet barley-roasted caramel malting with sullen citric-herbal wisp, initially disguising its ethanol alkalinity. Despite undeniable strength, bronze-hazed Pol needs more pronounced black tea musk, lemon-peppered spicing and sweet bread serenity plus better all-around distinction. Miserly green apple tartness, scant white grape mustiness and slick malt liquor pastiness don’t help matters.

Wait a second, this one’s brewed in Canada but given German recognition. Anyhow, unlike offensively sour Miller version forced on Americans since ’77, this dry premium has soda-like fizz and lasting consistency brought on by bitterer chocolate malts plus cocoa-seeded black licorice overhaul.

Second largest Budweis brewery in Czech Republic (formerly Burgerbrau) sure has a winner with this emphatic lager. Smoked wood dryness deepens fig-plum tagline above subtle hop-roasted caramel-malted graining and walnut-chestnut illusions as crisp water lightens brisk flow.

Dry roasted coffee entry anticipates heightened stout-like expectations for brewery’s staple, but lack of assertive black chocolate roast and nasty cocoa-soured earthen musk lessen resolve by semi-flat finish. Needs better mocha assertion and sturdier nut-shelled dried fruiting for distinction. A tentative cola-hued schwarzbier.

Brewed by Stoney Creek Brewery since ’04, this tepid caramelized German-styled lager lacks intensity from its bronzed mahogany body to its swirled tan-head. Dull hops, carbolic acidity, and displaced plum astringency ravage roasted barley spine, though herbal spicing and cola nut twinge save pithy dry-grained finish.