Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel Unfiltriert
Ayinger Privatbrauerei

Enjoying a half liter in their Biergarten in Aying across from their hotel where I’m staying for the night. So nice to just walk back after a couple beers. Hard to put this beer into words. Absolutely world class. Such a special Dunkel. Malt bill is spectacular, with super roasted qualities yet properly balanced and drinkable. This could almost be a Porter. Or even a Doppelbock. This is a special beer.

 

 

 

 

 

The colour is very dark warm brown, the liquid is clear. The three fingers high foam is compact; it sinks slowly to a thick lid leaving very little lacing on the glass.

The smell is roasted with fresh hay-like hoppy notes. Fried meat, cocoa and a touch of lactose. Elegant.

The taste is smooth with an initial passing bitterness. Light yet distinct roasted dry flavours (cocoa, pumpernickel, toffee) and hints of BBQ meats. Medium body. The aftertaste got a hint of salted dark bread, rye crispbread and a hint of coffee-flavoured candy. The finish is fresh with hayish bitterness, malt candy and roasted nuts.

The carbonation is medium strong with large short-lived bubbles. The liquid is semi-smooth and a bit dry.

A solid highly balanced Dunkel.

 

Hazy, dark red-brown beer with athree finger high, beige, fluffy head.

Roasted malt, a lot of malt here! Dark bread, caramel, grain and earthy notes.

Medium brown with a finger-thick foam that stays as lace. Clear. Light enough to indicate that probably no röstmalz was used for colour?

Aroma is subtle; classic dunkel, a bit of roasted notes, but mostly dark bread and grain. Münchener malt aroma in a word, and of the lighter type I would say.

Taste is again complex but not in an obvious way.. all the münchener trademarks with a malty but not heavy body, bready notes, light hoppiness and a bit of licorice at the very end. Longish aftertaste. Not as bold it could be, understated but not simple, short or powerless.

Mouthfeel is good, carbonation highlighting the details of taste and enlivening essentially what could otherwise be too muted.

Overall a benchmark for probably 100% (light) münchener malt dunkel.