And the Valley Drinks: Great Raft's Reasonably Corrupt

Look, we've all made Shreveport jokes. I've made them. You've made them. It's like a way of life here on the interwebz, especially the SB Nation corner. But brothers and sisters, I am here to tell you that Shreveport HAS AN HONEST TO GOODNESS EXPORT!

And a good one. Not like Jared Leto!

I had heard of Great Raft Brewing a few years back, but it was virtually impossible to find them outside of the city. Definitely down south. But starting in the fall, they finally made their way down here, mostly with some canned offerings. Their black lager, Reasonably Corrupt, is a particularly outstanding selection:

A black lager with dark and roasty malt sweetness. Don't let the darkness fool you - this is a sweeter, fuller-bodied version of the premium lager you know and love. It has a smooth, crisp finish, with depth of color and taste.

It's technically defined as a schwarzbier, which Beer Advocate defines as a German style of dark beer that usually features a lighter texture and less of a roasted malt flavor. This one checks in at a 5.5 percent alcohol-by-volume.

Review

They call this a black lager, but it's more of a rich brown color, similar to an English-style brown ale, and likewise, you get that similarly nutty flavor from the bouquet. But this beer comes with a much lighter texture that makes it tremendously sessionable. You really could drink on it for some time. There's just a hint of a nutty flavor from the roasted malts, not the bitterness you sometimes get from a browner beer, with a closing kick of sweetness that's almost fruity. It's very refreshing for a darker beer. Give it a strong 4.5 out of 5 stars.