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Dark

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Firm malt flavor finishes dry beside the herbal bite of Czech Saaz hops in this dark lager, built on dark Bohemian malt and Czech lager yeast. Live Oak released it as a long-awaited limited offering at 4.5% ABV and recommends it from a side pull in a dimple mug, while it lasts. The brewery's toast: Na zdravi!

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
herbalmaltynoble hop
herbal
malty
noble hop
roasted
clean
Aroma
The nose leads with herbal, resinous notes from Czech Saaz hops, followed by subtle roasted undertones and a soft, clean malt base.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Dark

◎ Appearance

Deep mahogany to near-black in the glass, with substantial clarity and a tight, persistent tan head that clings to the sides. Carbonation is moderate and even, characteristic of a well-conditioned lager. The color reflects the dark Bohemian malts at its foundation.

deep mahoganyclearlasting headmoderate carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with herbal, resinous notes from Czech Saaz hops, followed by subtle roasted undertones and a soft, clean malt base. There is no yeast-driven fruitiness or sulfur; the profile remains restrained and dry. Noble hops dominate without aggression.

herbal Saazroasted grainclean lagerdry

◐ Taste

The palate opens with firm malt character—earthy and slightly sweet—then transitions to a crisp, herbal hop bite that builds steadily. Bitterness is balanced and finishes dry, never harsh. The low ABV allows clarity of both malt and hop to shine through equally.

firm maltherbal hop bitebalanced bitternessdry finish

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and refreshing, with the herbal character of Saaz lingering gently into the aftertaste. No lingering sweetness or astringency; the dryness persists to the end.

lingering herbalcleancrisp
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
84
Appearance
82
Finish
82
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Dark

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About Czech Dark Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Czech Dark Lager?

Czech Dark Lager 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 Czech Dark Lager

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

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