Hefeweissbier Dunkel
Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan

lastmango from Pennsylvania

4.51/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Poured a cloudy copper color with a big frothy three-finger cream head that dissipated slowly. Beautiful heavy lacing was present. Light malt and banana bread nose. Roasted malt, caramel, light banana, and fresh baked bread. Moderate-full body with moderate carbonation with a bit of slickness that feels so good rolling around on the tongue. This is an awesome beer that I could drink forever!

May 19, 2021

zac16125 from South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours hazy, dark copper, with a large dense light tan head with great retention. Aromas of dark malts up front with caramel and some candies sugar, followed by typical hefe notes of banana and some phenolic spice, a bit of clove. Some toasted bread and a subtle nutty character round out the nose. Taste is less hefe like, with some slight burnt toast notes, followed by nobel hop like earthy characters, wheat characters are noticeable but not much of the typical fruity esters, and the spice thats present is more subtle hop spice than the clove and cracked peppy spiciness of a standard hefe. It’s got an almost tart character to it which caught me by surprise. Mouthfeel is smooth, it’s full bodied and a bit filling as I find most wheat beers. Drinkability is average. Overall, this ones kind of a miss for me. I tend to really like dark German style beers and I love the original Weinhenstephaner Hefeweisbier but for some reason this beer didn’t really do it for me.

4.25/4.25/3.75/4/3.75

May 03, 2021

elnachooo from Spain

2.83/5  rDev -33.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

De color ámbar oscuro, con un dedo de espuma de buena retención. De cuerpo medio y carbonatación media/alta. Aroma a malta, caramelo y levadura. En boca es maltosa, con notas de trigos, a mí gusto algo empalagosa.

May 02, 2021

GrandpaMiltysMalts from Virginia

4.67/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

Foamed it out of the 500ml/pint+ bottle; small bubbles w/ decent lacing.
Look: Burnt Sienna
Smell: Bread & bananas as you might expect. Fantastic.
Taste: (In Austin Powers' voice) "Yes please!" Mild, pretty much a classic/great hefeweissen with a nudge from the dunkel. Much milder than you would guess given the color (others have mentioned this). Hops are minimal, barely there and not really missed if you like this type (which I do, wheats are my overall fave).
Overall: Love it, you could drink this all day, year round, it's very versatile. Draft must be phenomenal.

Apr 04, 2021

Sigmund from Norway

3.56/5  rDev -16.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Hazy brown colour, moderate white head. Pleasant aroma of ripe bananas, cloves and brown bread. The flavour has also notes of brown bread, hints of banana and cloves, but is far drier than the aroma makes you expect. Minimal bitterness. Refreshing and easy drinking - could easily be recommended even for pale lager drinkers who think that everything darker than piss yellow must be dangerous.

Mar 19, 2021

hbeimers from Minnesota

4.61/5  rDev +8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.75

Tasty! A beer for men who don't have trucks, and all women (happy international women's day). All of the best aspects of a wheat beer with the caramel goodness of the dunkel style. Egészségére!

Mar 09, 2021

DrBeergood from Ohio

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

L: Cloudy caramel brown. Plenty foamy. Looks good.

S: Tangy roasty toasty malt.

T: Follows the nose. Clove background. A sweet treat.

F: Feels like having another.

O: I think Andechs Dunkelweizen is better, but I like this more than Weihenstephaners Kristalweizen and Hefeweizen.

Mar 04, 2021

Jaystar from Massachusetts

4.39/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a nice frothy head. It feels slightly lighter than it's rich and remarkably balanced taste, so it is still refreshing - which is amazing given the complexity. The balance of bananas, roasted grain and sweetness is amazing. Some bottles are fresher than others - wish I could have a draught! Super wicked!

Jan 18, 2021

Chickenhawk9932 from Pennsylvania

4.24/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark amber with a tan head with very good retention, leaving lots of lace.

Banana, roasted nuts, yeasty wheat bread, clove, and bitter herb in the nose.

Banana, nuts, clove, bitter spice, and malted bread, finishes dry with yeasty earth notes.

Jan 11, 2021

jzeilinger from Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Hazy medium raisin color with a thick layer of creamy off-white head that stays on the top. Carbonation is moderate and steady.

S - Bready/yeasty, some dark fruit, banana, and caramel malt.

T - Yeasty caramel malt, banana, and some spice on the back side. Finishes on the sweeter side with bitterness remaining low. Nice lingering banana, caramel, and citrus on the palate with some clove spice.

M - Chewy with a big medium body, finishes more on the wet side.

O - This is a pretty fantastic beer.

Jan 05, 2021

zonker17 from Texas

4.47/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Light brown-orange with some haze, dense off-white head, great retention, significant lacing. Clean smell of coriander and related esters. Malty clean taste with the expected hefe banana tones. Above average body and below average carbonation. Classic!

Jan 02, 2021

robertfyffe from California

4.93/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Look: cloudy with an orange tint. Visible carbonation and a small head
Smell: banana and barley
Taste: hints of banana and other malts
Feel: nice to drink small carbonation with fine bubbles. Not heavy at all. Feels crisp.

Great beer and very easy to drink.

Dec 23, 2020

KRug from Massachusetts

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Once again, we have Weihenstephan leading the Weizen game. I've had their acclaimed hefe, and it damn near blew me away. A superb classic. Tonight we have the darker cousin of that beer. My first of the style, and the top rated, I really lucked out here

Pours a cloudy and turbid brown with orange glows and a 3 fingers of pillowy off white head that very slowly fades to a cap and leaves plenty of lacing

The aroma is akin to their OG hefe, just with a lot more depth. While there's tons of banana and clove still, it is contrasted with roasted barley, a bit of peppery spice, orange, and dark wheat bread, with a touch of bubblegum esters as well

The front end of the sip starts off a bit more intense but still soft, bringing forth notes of citrus along with the traditional banana and a touch of pepper. The swallow feels just like the original, but with some extra kick from the roast, allowing the bananas to truly feel overripe when contrasting the undertones of dark bread and even roasted nuts, also carries just a hint of clove and orange to finish it off

A light medium body pairs with moderate carbonation for a super refreshing beer, just perfectly sessionable despite the full flavor profile. Finishes mostly dry and sweet, coating the mouth a bit

While this feels like a natural continuation from the original, it is also a totally new experience. I could have either on any given day and I would be content. Such great expression in this awesome beer. I have their Kristallweizen up next, just waiting in the fridge for me to have a craving for something authentic

Dec 19, 2020

SimplySinister from Florida

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A - restrained pour into a chalice producing a cloudy caramel colored, brownish amber brew. One-two ginger head. Good retention. Beautiful lacing. Moderate carbonation. Unfiltered.

S - Banana, clove, malt, wheat.

T - Banana, clove, malt, and wheat. Sweet, sour, salty. Fantastic.

M - Clean. Zero aftertaste. Crisp, dry.

D - Another home run by weihenstephner. This is a top level beer by any standard whatsoever. Easy drinking and refreshing. Definitive German dunkel.

Nov 30, 2020

vinicole from England

4.01/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Bottle conditioned. Hazy amber orange. Dense light beige head.
Sweet malt and light spice aroma. Clove and banana discerned.
The wheat and barley malt arrive on the palate followed by the spicy fruit. Very mild bitter.
Light and smooth carbonation.
Very palatable.

Nov 28, 2020

jimmah120 from Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -15.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

500ml bottle pour into a fancy mans' wear

Great look, sticky lace on top of hearty orange-red body. Yeasty smell into the taste. Sweet bread yeast taste that is typical of a dubble or triple

it got me drunk

Nov 26, 2020

HappyBeers from Oregon

4.97/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is a stellar beer. Pours a beautiful golden brown with nice off-white, thick foamy head. The smell is slightly sour and sweet, like good bread, caramel and a little banana. It has a truly splendid aroma. It tastes great. I mean really, truly GREAT. Malty, honey, caramel, and banana, a little spicy too. I can't get enough of it! Medium body, and fine carbonation. The bubbles are tiny like a really nice sparkling white wine. I can't say enough nice things about this beer. I love it. Super drinkable, and pairs well with savory meats on a cool day.

Nov 26, 2020

Henrythegreat from Texas

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Pours a nice amber color with a tan head. Smells of banana and caramel. The taste is the same with banana, caramel, and a little earthiness. It has a creamy mouth feel. I find this beer to be just about perfect and one of my all time favorites. Truly a masterpiece beer!

Oct 27, 2020

Twerpin from New Jersey

5/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love this beer, I'm not sure how it's anything less than perfect.

L: A muddy brown with a lovely head.

S: Smells like bananas or banana bread. Smells malty.

T: Complex malty taste. Has that banana-ish taste. Slightly spicy. Malty. Not bitter at all.

F: Very enjoyable to drink, medium carbonation, the bubbles feel small (likely a product of the yeasted secondary fermentation). Full bodied but not heavy.

Really lovely. I think this is a great beer.

Oct 22, 2020

JonnoWillsteed from England

3.43/5  rDev -19.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

L- Dark amber, possibly a hint of red, notably cloudy. Pours with 2mm white head which holds right through.
S- Mild weissen notes.
T- Hmmm, I'm not convinced here. This is a bit more hopped than the [WS] Kristallweissen I've just had, and despite being a Dunkel it's a lower ABV%, 5.3% vs 5.4%. Counter-intuitvely I realise now I should have drunk these two in the reverse order. The Taste here is notably lighter than the Kristall.
F- It comes over as a quite thin vs the Kristall
O- What a surprise, I was expecting this beer, a Dunkel, to be more pungent on the palate than the filtered Weissen - but no, it's not! The beer looks darker, but I don't notice anything associated with such dark colouring coming through, that wasn't in the Kristall. The Kristall easily wins this head to head for me.

Bought from BeersOfEurope/UK for home delivery. 500ml bottle BB: 16/07/2021. It's doing very little for me, I wouldn't buy it again. But if you want 'World Class' from this brewery then try their Vitus, that happens to be my fav :)

Oct 20, 2020

HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

4.04/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light carbonation with a slightly thin body. Despite all that has a slight slick feel
Aroma isnt overpowering but theres banana, banana bread first and foremost. Some dark honey,malt, and a little dark fruit.
Taste is mildly sweet, banana bread, dark fruit and honey.
Overall its a really nice beer that went well with a heavy meal.

Sep 27, 2020

RDWHAHB_Tom from Maryland

4.37/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

9/15/2020

*NOTE* Purchased as import in US. Store did not keep at recommended temp (46-52F/7-11C), so it might be over-aged.

Info: 0.5L glass bottle, poured sea level at 40*F
Glassware: Tulip

L: Cloudy, rich, honey-amber brown. Lovely off-white head with oily bubbles (rainbow spectrum visible). Moderately-persistent, some lacing.
S: Clove, banana, straw, cardboard.
T: "Wheaties" cereal, honey. Clove/coriander. Light orange, banana, melon. Horsey, yeasty, buttery goodness. A touch of cream/milk (maybe because of the Wheaties association...) Really hammers home the straw on the backend!
F: Medium-bodied. Mouthcoating finish.

Overall: Imagine yourself seated at the edge of an open hayloft door eating a bowl of Wheaties while having a fresh, early-morning look at the Bavarian Alps.

Sep 16, 2020

NYRunner from New York

4.42/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I had had the Hefeweizen from Weihenstephaner before, but not the Dunkel. Purchased at a German specialty store.

Beautiful cloudy mahogany color and thick fluffy white head. Smelled and tasted of clove and banana with a medium-to-thick mouth feel and a nice dry finish. This was a real treat.

Aug 01, 2020

dunkel_weizen from Oregon

4.42/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Unkown age bottle poured into a pint glass. The color is a rich and thick burnt orange, with a really good cream white head and excellent crown and lacing. The nose is nutty, funky wheat, sweet cream, and cinnamon or rye bread. The flavor evolves from funky banana and bread up front, transitioning to the aforementioned nuts and spices, ending with a flourish of lingering sweet cream. The body is very rich, thick, and full, and the beer finishes neither wet nor dry.

This is a absolutley fantastic beer of my personal favorite style that I wish was more common. Beautiful!

Jul 12, 2020

kevanb from Illinois

4.26/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, no discernable date but "0040" stamped on the reverse label, poured into a stemless wine glass.

The beer pours a murky honey amber color, orange and copper hues with a foamy white head, about two fingers tall with modest retention and spots of lacing. The aroma is quite nice, lots of grain, a nice wheaty tang, lots of fruity yeast, clove and banana, a bit of citrus with some bubblegum as well. The flavors are nice, floral yeast with some light banana, a touch of orange peel, allspice and plenty of lingering wheat. The mouthfeel is good, super lively yet smooth medium body, coats well with an effortless finish.

Verdict: A very nice Dunkelweizen from Weihenstephaner. Simple, classic flavor profile that is so well balanced and well expressed that it's hard to go wrong. A surprisingly refreshing beer.

Jul 08, 2020