Arise Morana!

For nearly 45 days she has slumbered, this goddess of death and winter. Her time is nigh, to come forth from the darkness of slumbering into the glorious light of a Devils Backbone glass.

Yes, tomorrow is the day when Morana Dark Lager makes its debut. The beer itself is a 14° Czech tmavé, a style of beer which is neither a dunkel nor a schwarzbier.

Historically speaking, most beer in Bohemia was warm fermented until the revolution started by Josef Groll's introduction of Bavarian brewing techniques in 1842, resulting in the creation of Pilsner. So in contrast to Franconia and Bavaria, there was no tradition of dark lager on which pale lager built. The dark beers of Bohemia switched to cold fermentation some time in the late 19th century, hundreds of years later than the Germans were making dunkel and schwarzbier.

So if you want to try an authentic Czech style tmavé, made with a double decoction mash, water that is softer than Plzeň and of course only Saaz hops, then Devils Backbone is the place to be in the near future. Personally speaking, I will be there tomorrow for dinner - hopefully with my Pub Guide collaborator Mark Stewart, and most definitely with growlers to fill.