Scratch Beer 91 - 2013 (Dunkel Lager)
Tröegs Brewing Company

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From:
Tröegs Brewing Company
 
Pennsylvania, United States
Style:
Munich Dunkel
ABV:
5.5%
Score:
87
Avg:
3.83 | pDev: 5.48%
Reviews:
4
Ratings:
10
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 19, 2014
Added:
Apr 05, 2013
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
Another first in the Scratch series, this Dunkel Lager is based on a recipe by Tröegs brewer Jeff Campbell. A traditional Bavarian dark lager, the Dunkel is typically regarded as “the world’s first true beer style.” Keeping our roots in traditional German brewing in mind while simultaneously exploring a beer style that we had yet to visit, we brewed Scratch #91 with Chocolate and Munich malts and German noble hops. The result is a smooth, rich and complex lager without the heaviness of many other dark beer styles. Combining a slightly dry chocolate note and bready sweetness with the roundness and crisp character of a lager, Scratch #91 is a refreshing, slightly gentler take on the Dunkel Lager style.

20 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.75 by DrBier from Pennsylvania

Sep 19, 2014
Photo of REVZEB
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Had on tap. Clear ruby brown with a white head and thick lacing. So much bready malt in smell and taste, very true to style. Smell has leafy hops to balance. Taste does too plus caramel mixed in. Feel is smooth, a malt bomb, full, but not heavy. Does great with a bavarian pretzel
May 04, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by beerturtle from Pennsylvania

Apr 29, 2013
Photo of stakem
Reviewed by stakem from Pennsylvania

3.79/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Draft offering at Troegs. The brew pours a mildly hazed copper to amber color with a quick dissolving white cap. Some faint strings of lace stick to the glass and a finger revives effortlessly to the surface with a swirl.

The aromatics include notes of bready malt but with a spice of cinnamon and mild fruit almost like pear/apple skins. Some herbal hops also come into play with more sniffs. There is an earthy aspect almost nutty reminding me of cinnamon/nutmeg. Is this a pumpkin beer in my glass, a dunkel lager or some hybrid blend?

The flavor has a bready malt inclusion with a mild spice again almost like cinnamon, nutmeg and some fruity qualities like apple and pear. The bready malt flavor lingers into the aftertaste with a bit of buttery aspect. The aftertaste is spiced like what you would expect in a pumpkin beer, not a dunkel.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. It is somewhat crisp in the finish as you would expect of a lager. Also, the alcohol is very well hidden but this was a bit more flavorful and complex than I was expecting for a dunkel lager. Troegs scratch lagers are among my favorite offerings as they just nail it with that crisp snappy, clean finish. I almost feel like I need to drink this again because something strange was going on here. Ive never had noble hops and chocolate malt make me feel like I was drinking a pumpkin beer. Either some funny business is going on here or someone washed my glass out with ginger snap cookies...
Apr 09, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by whatname from Pennsylvania

Apr 07, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by JohneHoodlum from Pennsylvania

Apr 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by Bdel34 from Pennsylvania

Apr 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by TheNightwatchman from Pennsylvania

Apr 06, 2013
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Reviewed by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

4.17/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
I had this on tap at the Brewery tasting room served in a stange.

The color is deep nut brown with translucent clarity and thick beige cap with good retention and small bead. The smell is very pleasant with light toasted malt with munich bready aroma and light sweetness with mild yeast accent and subtle hint of herbal hops. The feel is good with medium light body with moderate carbonation and moderately full maltiness with an accent of spice and low alcohol on the palate with semi-dry finish.

This has a great munich malt flavor with dark bready toasted elements combined with mild almond-like nutty sweet but not quite caramel flavors with some gentle herbal hop qualities balancing the flavor nicely like a slightly darker vienna - a very good representation of the style, I enjoyed this almost as much as some of the other lagers in the scratch series like More Helles less bock it is a high quality beer which is quaffable for the strength.
Apr 05, 2013
Photo of orangesol
Reviewed by orangesol from Pennsylvania

3.81/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served on-tap at the brewery.

A - Pours deep amber orange with a small half finger fizzy head, dissipating down to a small ring around the outer edges, leaving little to no lace down the glass. Swirling in the glass doesn't drum up much action either.

S - Smells of mildly toasted Munich malt, caramel and toffee sweetness, light nuttiness and some backing noble hop bitterness. Nothing earth shattering in this nose but still pretty solid all things considered.

T - Starts off with plenty of toasty sweet malt that lasts through the finish. Hints of noble hops, toffee and a bit of fresh roasted nuts. Finish is sweet initially leaving the palate dried long after the finish.

M - Medium body with moderate to low carbonation. Smooth, sweet feel makes it quite easy to consume.

O - A very nice take on the style. I wasn't expecting a whole lot from this one but it was pretty solid. A nice malty lager for all this extra cold weather we have been having. Give it a try while you can, it won't last very long.
Apr 05, 2013
Scratch Beer 91 - 2013 (Dunkel Lager) from Tröegs Brewing Company
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 10 ratings