 |
||
No, silly, it doesn't. It may taste stronger, just like french roast coffee tastes stronger, but color has nothing to do with alcohol content (no matter how hard you cross your fingers and wish). Dark beer is dark because it contains some "specialty" grains that are roasted to a darker color. Color is measured in units called "Lovibonds". Grain is roasted to different degrees of darkness and rated... for example, Munich 90L is a grain that has been roasted to 90 Lovibonds of color (darkness). Most pale malts are 5-10L, crystal malt ranges from 20-120L. Chocolate malt, which is brownish in color, is around 250L. Black patent, the darkest of all the roasts, is rated at 500L. Normally, a grainbill for a certain style of beer contains a "base" grain that is around 10L, with specialty grains of varying amounts and color, so that the color of the beer is crafted, as well as the body, sweetness and alcohol content.