When one sees a beer with a darker complexion these days, more often than not it’s a porter or a stout. But looks can be deceiving. There exists a style older than both and generally less well known; the schwarzbier, which literally translates to “Black Beer.” Unlike its dark cousins which are ales hailing from Britain, schwarzbier comes from Germany and uses a bottom fermenting lager yeast.  Samuel Adams Black Lager is brewed in the tradition of the latter. A medium bodied beer brewed using several different roasts of malt to create a smooth body and depth of malt character that has to be tasted to be believed.