Tradition
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

Viaduck from California

3.91/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Hazy copper-burnt orange in color, with an impressive head. Faint but pleasant caramel, sweet grain & earthy aroma. Slightly sweet with caramel, ripe fruit, apple, banana, bread & earthy flavor. Feel is a bit thin with initial dryness immediately followed with a very wet finish. Carbonation seems to appear late but provides plenty of entertainment for the tongue. Needs to have florid & aroma turned up a notch but overall very good.

Oct 17, 2020

flyingpig from Scotland

3.78/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

500ml bottle from Beers of Europe (£2.69):
Caramel brown to copper coloured with quite a foamy & thick head about 2.5cm tall that holds pretty well too. The nose is slightly sweet with some caramel & light bread malts but it's not quite as strong as expected; I got a nutty aroma around the middle with faint fruits right at the end. The taste is fairly similar, albeit slightly stronger with earthy malts & some roasted flavours with a bit more sweetness from a combination of sugars & a tiny bit of chocolate too. It's well-balanced at least & quite easy-going with a smooth, moderately carbonated feel to it, it's just a shame it wasn't stronger on the nose.

Jun 19, 2020

Nofoba

4.22/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

It pours a clear, mahogany colored body. Thick, beige head, with nice lacing.

It has an earthy, sweet aroma of rye bread, mushrooms, plums, dark chocolate and mämmi; very pleasant.

The taste has roasted malts, dark fruit and caramel. Medium-bodied and syrupy, with light bitterness and low carbonation.

A well balanced and pleasant dark lager.

Oct 22, 2019

JonnoWillsteed from England

3.05/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Bought from the Reykjavik/Iceland downtown Vinbudin shop. 500ml bottle BB: 12/02/20. Isk599, as near as matters £4.
L- Deep chestnut, clear, 5mm fine off-white head.
S- Surprisingly mild, just mild grains.
T- The flavour is also very mild, I just get a bit of roasty/toasty right in the tail.
F- Medium dry, refreshing.
O- I'm rather disappointed in this. Weihenstephaner usually have leap-out quality traits, but this seems entirely pedestrian.

Sep 17, 2019

StJamesGate from New York

3.77/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Chestnut with tan fluff; brown soda crust, goji berrries, tin, hazelnuts + autumn leaves; base of lager grain, then brown bread, carob, and mild grassy end; light + crisp. Cola sweetness as it opens.

4 3.75 3.75 3.75 3.75

Cleanly executed and to style, no doubt. But I’m surprised how not rich + deep this is - no Carafa chocolate, low crystal caramel, and even melanoidins are tame. IBUs are minimal vs expectations, too. Even Weltenburger is better. Rare misstep out of the world’s oldest brewery.

Dec 21, 2018

Hoppsbabo from England

2/5  rDev -47.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Cardboard and a touch of burned toast. Absolutely naff all else. Oh, a very soft touch of rhubarb crumble in the finish.

Sorry, buyer's remorse. If this is a good representative of the style then I've found a style I dislike. Boring rubbish. Amazing considering the same brewery pump out what I consider some of the best beer in the world.

Dec 15, 2016

Bierliebhaber3 from Massachusetts

4.02/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This particular beer, from one of my favorite breweries, I have only seen in Germany and not in the States, so I am pretty excited to try this out. This dunkel pours a deep, russet brown color with a fairly thin white head. The smell is malty and sweet with fairly prominent caramel tones. The flavors are really nice though not as complex as some of their other beers. There is a nice bready maltiness to it with flavors of caramel, molasses, and maybe a little bit of raisin also. This is a really well done traditional Munich dunkel and as such it is of course delicious, however, this doesn’t blow me away as much as some of the other beers that I’ve tried from this brewery, some of which number among my favorite beers of all time.

Jun 12, 2016

Andrewharemza from Australia

3.99/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

clear brown colour, 1.5 inches of beige-ish head; aroma of toast, some ash, herbal and dark fruity notes; taste of malty sweetness with slight roasted bitterness, hints of spicy and fruity notes; really good dunkel

Jul 20, 2015

kitch from Hong Kong

3.54/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A 500ml bottle with a best before date of 2nd July 2015 bought in Bangkok, Thailand, carried back to Hong Kong and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

Appearance: The beer poured a deep dark copper/amber brown with a slightly off white two finger head that dissipates over about a minute leaving some nice lacing.

Aroma: Light aromas of sweet and roasted malts, brown sugar and overripe plums.

Taste: Some bready roasted malts, dark fruits especially plum and also a hint of chocolate and caramel. As it warms, more grape and bubblegum appears in the flavour.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, light carbonation and smooth but seems a bit thin (watery).

Overall: This went down easy but perhaps a tad bit ‘watery’. I prefer their Hefeweissbier Dunkel more.

Jun 24, 2015

damndirtyape from Ohio

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

On tap at the Weihenstephaner restaurant in Berlin, Germany. Served in 0.5l Rastel stein mug.

Appearance: Clear bright dark amber with some ruby red highlights. 1/16" persistent light tan head. Plenty of persistent lacing including sheets and strands.

Smell: A bit herbal and floral, otherwise very little aroma. Some occasional smells of toasted malt and burnt sugars, but not with every sip. A bit more noticeable as the beer was fully warmed up.

Taste: Malty, metallic, noble hop bite/bitterness at the finish.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation, but not fizzy. A bit dry and mildly astringent. The description for the beer at the restaurant was "having a notable bitterness" and indeed this has a notable bitterness when combined with the mouthfeel.

Overall / Drinkability: This beer definitely fit the outside cafe with a German meal experience, but I think I would have problems finishing a whole liter of this stuff. The bitterness is not massively hoppy, but the initial sips are "huh?" and then it settles down a bit, but is still not always a good bitter finish. Still, the beer overall went well with food and I polished off the half liter slowly over an hour and enjoyed it. Definitely a good looking beer, but I can see how this beer may not be to everyone's liking.

Jun 20, 2015

Decko from Australia

4.06/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - deep copper in the glass with decent off white head which left some lacing. S - heaps of sweet coffee maltiness on the nose which brings up lovely roasted images. T - follows the nose in that the coffee malt comes through although I found the sweetness balanced out with a little dryness pretty well. Made it much more drinkable than some sweet dark ales. M - reasonably light body for the flavour and good carbonation. O - really enjoyed this dunkel and would have it again. May not be a classic going by other comments but very drinkable session like beer but when you want more rich flavours than a pale ale might give.

May 02, 2015

magpieken from Australia

3.41/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle. 26.08.15. Pours a bright, deep amber colour with a creamy, frothy beige head which lasted well and left some nice lacing. Gentle aroma of brown sugar, nuts and roasted malt. Comes across as quite nutty on tasting, medium sweetness. Bitterness develops in the dry finish. Light bodied; thin, creamy texture and soft carbonation. Went down very easily but didn't grab my attention. 7.

Feb 05, 2015

IchLiebeBier from Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Dark amber/copper; medium, beige head

Aroma: Sweet malt; molasses-like smell; sweet, dark fruit

Taste: Juicy, creamy start with slight bitter notes; semi-sweet mid and finish, with slightly bitter, nutty aftertaste

Remarks: Did not score A, T, S, M at that time; disregard those scores

Jun 16, 2013

DoubleJ from Wisconsin

4.43/5  rDev +16%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Weihenstephan's biergarten and served in a half-liter mug. On to the beer:

Here's a dunkel which is ruby red cololred with orange hues. That head on top retains very well. The aroma of toasted malts set the table for dabs of caramel and a surprise of fudge. Even greater things are set to taste, which is not only complex, but tasty and very balanced between the notes. More toasty with some raisin and chocolate at first, but more sips bring the beer to be a little bit sweeter. Caramel comes into the picture, yet it doesn't disrupt the whole picture. Medium bodied and very smooth.

Weihenstephaner can only do good, and this is a very good dunkel. An absolute must try for dunkel lovers.

May 10, 2013

GodOfBeer from Canada (ON)

3.65/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep chestnut brown..thick off white head

Smells of nutty malts, and something else...not sure what though...very intriguing smell

Tastes very nutty, nuts all around!!

A bit weak on the mouthfeel but a very delicious and well rounded beer, still doesnt beat their heffe however..

Nov 08, 2012

Parrotshake from Australia

4.12/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Translucent brown with red bits and a big pillowy head. Malted milk and toffee all over the nose, slight lagery/German yeasty note. Not sweet, but smells like it would make a nice dessert.

All malty and delicious. Some brown bread and nuts in addition to the characteristics mentioned in the nose, and enough bitterness to counter all that malt without contributing any specific hop flavors. Clean, no rough edges. Slightly creamy feel, low to medium carbonation. Probably great with porky German fare or a roast, that sort of thing. Certainly fine by itself as well. If you can appreciate subtler old-timey beers like this, you'll probably love it as much as I do.

Apr 15, 2012

Everydayoff from Thailand

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle poured into a pils glass by freshness date.

A:
Clear brown color with slight orange tinge, very thick off-white creamy head with very good retention, it leaves plenty of elegant lacing clusters all around.

S:
The smell is dark/caramelized malt, lightly toasted, coffee, creamy note, yeast and fruitiness from dark fruits. All blend well together but fruitiness seems to roam overtly on front row. By the way, malt finally reclaims its place.

T:
Well balance between caramelized malt sweetness and dark fruitiness component. Dark fruits portion also yield slight sourish note through the palate. Malt is creamy that lick in the finish along with subtle yeasty sourish note, bitterness is subtle from hop and likely roasted trait.

M:
Moderate body with rather light carbonation but proper and yields smooth as silk mouthfeel, dry finish.

O:
A fan of dark German lager should never miss this. There is a big malt and fruit trait along with all round balance character that bring this beer into high pleasurable drink and well sipping.

Jan 23, 2012

dansmcd from Australia

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - Clear, dark red-amber, 2 fingers of soapy head, rings of lace.

S - Sweet roasted barley, caramel, banana, grass.

T - Roasted barley, dried apricot, lemon, fresh bread. Smooth and clean with a mild hop finish. Subtle yet very tasty.

M - Moderate body, moderate carbonation. About right for the style.

O - This wont blow you away but is an easy drinker that most will enjoy. Highly sessionable. Very happy to drink these in any situation.

Sep 20, 2011

eric5bellies from Australia

3.77/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Drank from my Weihenstephaner Weizen glass.

A - Pours a dark deep Ruby / Mahogany colour with an Ivory coloured head that retains OK.

S - Nice roasted caramelised aromas. Malt dominates but I detect a little hop.

T - Plenty of roasted malt up front. Mid palate there is plenty of grains before a slightly sweet finish that is bitter.

M - Medium body and carbonation.

O - A very solid brew that is made for trying with a hunk of meat of some description, Some Kaiser chops perhaps.

Aug 20, 2011

doktorhops from Australia

3.65/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

German bier?! Again?! Yeah well lets just say that beer is one thing I can agree on with the German people (their terrible "pun" driven sense of humor, no thanks!).

And with that thought I open a 500ml bottle of "tradition", yes it does come in a bottle, and poured this fine brew into a 500ml Stein.

A: Deep mahogany. Yeah that's right - I compared the appearance of this beer with wood. The 1cm slightly tanned head dissipated quickly enough that I turned my head and found a light lacing left... how very un-German this beer.

S: Toffee, toasted biscuits, very inviting indeed. Did I also detect a hint of gingerbread or am I going crazy... that was a rhetorical question by the way. The grain is the forefront of this ale-like brew, I suspect it will be a fairly malt driven affair.

T: Sourdough flavours crop up to the front palate, followed by a toffee note and ending with a fat malty finish (with a slight bitter aftertaste reminding you that there were indeed hops invited to the Dunkel party). It's full flavoured without being some obnoxiously expensive Belgian brew (don't get me wrong - I love Belgian beers), yet it's also no competition for it's Hefeweizen cousin... sorry Herr Bayerische Dunkel.

M: Smooth and creamy, an excellent combination! The carbonation is a little light but no complaints here.

D: This beer is a likable chap, though less likely to excite than it's Hefeweizen cousin it's still a bit more social than it's Hefeweissbier Dunkel brother, in other words if you had to pick between the three my recommendation would be: 1. Hefeweissbier, 2. Bayerische "Tradition" Dunkel, and 3. Hefeweissbier Dunkel... it's still very likable though.

Food Match: Baked potatoes with whatever slab of meat you get your hands on, or large flat fried mushrooms for us vegetarians.

Jun 14, 2011

lacqueredmouse from Australia

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a pleasant deep reddish brown with a full and frothy boisterous German head of off-white foam. Lacing is pock-marked and speckled down the inside of the glass. Pretty still in the glass, however, leaving it flat and heavy. Looks good though.

Nose is full of German yeast character with a slight whiff of roasted cereal. Quite bright and roasty, dark but leavened, and with a refreshing twinge of noble hop coming through giving a slight greenness. Nice.

Taste is similar. That very constructed and clear German palate. Nice malt on the front, with a good grain mesh behind it holding it up. Dry finish, with a surprisingly lingering back of light roasted goodness. Feel is clear and crisp.

Nice brew. Very clear and clean and very classically German. It must be, I've mentioned "German" in every paragraph of this review. A good exemplar of the style. Light and subtle in places, but with loads of character in others.

Oct 02, 2010

FreshHawk from Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Deep copper amber color with an average to slightly below average sized head that is off-white, foamy, and a bit creamy. Decent retention with a nice lace left over.

S - A good amount of toasted grainy malts and some caramel and toffee.

T - A lot like the smell. A lot of toasted, grainy malt taste upfront make up the base. Also a good amount of caramel and toffee. Hints of some fruit, a bit of apple and some raisin. On the finish is just the slightest taste of some grassy and earthy hops along with some bread taste.

M - Somewhere between light and medium body with moderate carbonation. Crisp taste and somewhat smooth.

D - Easy to drink beer that is well balanced and has a good amount of malt flavors.

Notes: Nice easy to drink beer that is a touch light on flavor and mouthfeel. Good session type of beer, and a solid beer from a very solid brewery.

Mar 28, 2010

Stavage from Australia

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a weizen glass, got a nice frothy head on top of a dark browny red body. The head retention was good for a lager and left a decent lacing.

Dark malt smells, with a mild caramel scent, perhaps more honey like than anything. A biscuit body, and there are some light hops notes too.

Smooth biscuit malt body with a honey like aftertaste. Hops is noticeable but very minimal. Theres a pleasant roasted nuttiness and a slight bitterness. The taste is watered down a little by the end of the mouthfull but overall enjoyable enough.

Medium bodied, carbonation was good, though I did get the impression this beer didn't know whether it was supposed to be crisp or chewy and achieved neither.

I quite enjoyed this. Easy enough to drink, enough complexity to enjoy

Jan 22, 2010

juju7 from Australia

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark copper/amber, a good two finger head, laced well. A fruity, malty, slightly syrupy nose with some floral hop action. Low carbonation, alittle creamy on the palate with mild bitterness. A kind of sticky malt aftertase which I don't really dig much. It's a good, well made beer and I recommend it but it's not really my thing.

Nov 13, 2009

ADZA from Australia

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a dark amber colour with average carbonation that leaves a one finger head with average lacing,the aromas are toasted caramel infused banannas and the taste is very sweet almost like caramel malty syrup straight away followed by some nice hoppy notes to balance out its taste to make it neither sweet nor bitter and very drinkable as a session beer could drink alot of these.

Sep 26, 2009