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Bortz

Highland Park Brewery
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🌍 United States · Schwarzbier · One of 53 Schwarzbiers in hopIQ

Bortz is the brewery's dark lager, named after a former brewer's tabletop role-playing character, a gnome wizard. It pours dark mahogany with red glints and keeps a light body that lets the malt do the work. Chocolate, toasted bread crust and gentle roast lead the flavor, with a restrained herbal hop note in the background, and the finish is crisp and dry at 5.5 percent, without the weight a darker beer might suggest.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
dark30
See all Schwarzbier alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Medium body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

The texture leads here, with everything else held in gentle reserve.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Schwarzbier.
No character signal.

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Bortz

◎ Appearance

Bortz presents a dark mahogany body shot through with ruby-red glints when held to light, characteristic of a well-crafted Schwarzbier. The head is modest but persistent, with fine carbonation contributing to clean, even lacing around the glass. The beer maintains excellent clarity despite its dark color, revealing the depth of its malt character.

dark mahoganyruby highlightsfine lacingclear and bright

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with toasted bread crust and chocolate notes, grounded in a soft, biscuity Malz foundation. Beneath these primary elements sits a gentle herbal hop character that does not overpower, creating balance rather than assertiveness. There is no sharp roast or burnt character—instead, the malt presents warm, inviting breadiness with subtle cocoa undertones.

toasted grainchocolateherbal hopsbread crust

◐ Taste

The palate opens with soft chocolate and toasted bread flavors that define the beer's mid-section, allowing the delicate Malz sweetness to shine without cloying. A restrained herbal bitterness threads through cleanly, contributing structure without dominating. At 5.5% ABV, the body remains light and sessionable, letting each flavor element breathe rather than accumulate weight.

light bodychocolate maltrestrained bitternessclean malt sweetness

◑ Finish

The finish is notably crisp and dry, with the hop bitterness fading quickly to leave a clean palate. No lingering sweetness or heaviness remains—the beer closes with the brevity and clarity expected of a well-attenuated dark lager.

dry finishcrisp aftertaste
81
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
80
Appearance
82
Finish
80
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Bortz

Serve at 7–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Bortz

About Schwarzbier

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Schwarzbier?

Schwarzbier is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Schwarzbier

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same flavor character as Bortz will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Schwarzbiers in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Schwarzbier beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →