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Black Giraffe

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Black Giraffe first appeared in 2010 as a black lager brewed with coffee from a Queensland roaster, using hundreds of kilos of freshly roasted beans. Barley, wheat and specialty malts are fermented with the lager yeast the brewery uses across its lagers, and the hopping draws on American varieties. It pours deep mahogany to black under a tan head. Espresso and chocolate lead the nose with a hint of cola, and the full-bodied palate joins caramel and toffee malt with cocoa and roasted coffee bitterness before a crisp, drying finish.

ABV
5.3%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark30
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Silver
World Beer Championships
★Silver — World Beer Championships
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
coffeechocolateroasted
coffee
chocolate
roasted
caramel
malty
clean
Aroma
The nose leads with prominent espresso and dark chocolate notes, underpinned by roasted grain character from the specialty malts.
not found:hoppy,bready,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Black Giraffe

◎ Appearance

Black Giraffe presents a deep mahogany to black pour with excellent clarity beneath a tan, persistent head. The carbonation is moderate and well-integrated, supporting stable lacing that clings to the glass throughout the drink. The color sits at the darker end of the Schwarzbier spectrum, conveying the substantial roasted malt foundation.

deep mahogany to blacktan head with lacingmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with prominent espresso and dark chocolate notes, underpinned by roasted grain character from the specialty malts. A subtle hint of cola adds sweetness to the profile, while the American hop varieties contribute restrained floral and herbal complexity without dominating. The freshly roasted Queensland coffee beans remain the aromatic anchor throughout.

espresso, dark chocolateroasted malt, cola hintAmerican hops, restrained

◐ Taste

The palate opens full-bodied and malty, with caramel and toffee notes establishing a sweet mid-palate foundation. Cocoa and roasted coffee bitterness develop mid-sip, creating a balanced interplay between the brewed coffee adjunct and the lager's clean fermentation character. The finish transitions crisp and drying, with lingering roasted notes and a moderate bitter edge that clears the palate cleanly.

caramel, toffee, cocoaroasted coffee bitternessfull-bodied, clean lager

◑ Finish

The finish is crisp and drying, with the roasted coffee bitterness persisting without harshness. A brief wave of malt sweetness fades quickly, leaving a clean, mineral-like aftertaste that invites another sip.

crisp, dryingroasted coffee fade
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
85
Appearance
80
Finish
78
Serve at 7–9°C

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

Pint glass

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

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Black Giraffe

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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 coffee, chocolate, full-bodied character as Black Giraffe will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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