Rahr & Sons Ugly Pug Black Lager

Type: Schwarzbier/black lager
Origin: Forth Worth, TX
Price: ?
ABV: 4.5%
NSP: ?
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Had a nice houseguest bring me a selection of beers from Rahr and Sons in Fort Worth, so here's the first review of three.  The last schwarzbier I had was Chatoe Rogue's Dirtoir.  I can't honestly say that I remember a lot about that one other than what's in the review.  But this one's only 4.5%, while Dirtoir was 6%.  This better be tasty, dammit.  The label's kind of funny, with a picture of, you guessed it, a butt-ugly pug.  With an eye patch.  And to the right of the pug, it says in big bold lettering, BEER.  Thanks for reminding me, I'd forgotten what I was drinking.

It looks like what I expected, sort of like a fizzy porter.  It smells pretty tasty- nice coffee bitterness- actually almost exactly like iced coffee (to begin with), now that I think about it.  I say almost because there's something a little starchy about it, kind of like dried pasta or uncooked beans.  As it warmed a bit, the iced coffee smell transitioned into, yup, refried beans.  I don't know if that made me more or less excited to drink it.  I love refried beans, but I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of refrito-flavored beer.

It really does taste like refried beans- refried black beans in particular.  I mean, if you could ferment frijoles negros, this is what I'd expect it to taste like.  I know that probably seems overly specific, but to me it's a strong enough feature that it leaves no doubt.  The coffee's there too, along with a light bitterness (coffee bitterness as opposed to hop bitterness).  But the starchiness takes it away from the porter-type flavors and towards bean territory.  Definitely one of the weirdest things I've tasted beer-wise.  But it doesn't make it off-putting since I dig refried beans.  The body's light, the flavor's robust, and in the end I didn't mind it in the slightest.  I think I'll save the other two I have for other Non-Snobbers to try, because I'm curious if they'll have the same opinion.