Thoughts on dunkels.

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by RochefortChris, Mar 20, 2013.

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  1. RochefortChris

    RochefortChris Grand Pooh-Bah (3,017) Oct 2, 2012 North Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I know this isn't the most exciting style but, it's one I'm starting to fall in love with. Why aren't they very popular with American craft breweries? I know of a few. To be honest I prefer German imports at the moment. Thoughts, opinions?
     
  2. Providence

    Providence Pooh-Bah (2,628) Feb 24, 2010 Rhode Island
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    Good question. Dunkels have always confused me as they seem like a style I would like, yet I don't. Whenever I try a dunkel I am never excited about the results. It's hard for me to even describe what I don't like about them. Perhaps it's not so much that they don't have good characteristics, perhaps it's that they lack the things that I do look for in a beer.
     
  3. socon67

    socon67 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,611) Jun 18, 2010 New York
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    I think you answered your own question. They are not a particularly exciting style. And, the best best examples are imports which are often easy to get and not expensive.
     
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  4. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,848) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
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    I'm with you- it's too bad that there are precious few quality examples these days. I can't say that I've had an American one that made much of an impression (though I see Old Mecklenberg seems to make a good one), and usually the imports are a crapshoot in terms of freshness.

    Thankfully Ayinger Altbairisch is plentiful and seems to move (new labels, too- keep an eye out for them), and is about as good as the style gets. They not only get the melanoidin-like malt character correct, but more importantly they nail the balance and drinkability so that it is pleasurable even after a few.
     
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  5. keysburg

    keysburg Initiate (0) Mar 28, 2012 Massachusetts

    Munich dunkel or dunkelweizen? For the former I think American craft breweries find stouts and porters styles more easy to experiment with. For the latter wheat styles don't get much respect in general.

    I like 'em both.
     
  6. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,206) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Been wondering this forever. I absolutely love a good dunkel. They're easy drinking and relatively low ABV-wise, but still have a ton of super-malty flavor. Lots of American breweries play around with the Schwarzbier style, but I still find dunkel to be more approachable since schwarzbiers have a lot of the same roasty acidic notes that scares the general public away from stouts.
    I'm sure one reason they aren't super common is that they're a lager (which take more time), but more and more we are starting to see craft brewers making more lagers.
    I dunno.
    Funny enough, a lot of the "American bock" beers resemble a dunkel far more than a bock. Not sure if they sell well universally, but Shiner certainly seems to.
     
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  7. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
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    Most U.S. craft versions take numerous short cuts -- the most egregious one being adding chocolate malt to get that "dark" character. The resultant roastiness ends up tasting more like a watered down porter...which is understandably disappointing. True German Dunkels have a toasty, rich, bready character that results from using large amounts of Munich and Pilsner malts and decoction mashing. If you can get your hands on a fresh, authentic version (which, I admit, is tough here in the U.S.), you'll probably be duly impressed. This year's Olde Meck Dunkel was very nice. And I have heard excellent things about Prost's Altfraenkisches Dunkel as well. The Ayinger one TongoRad mentioned is probably your best, most readily available bet, though.
     
  8. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I've said that about a few American Bocks too -- try Anchor's Bock (if you were approved for that loan). Haven't had Shiner Bock in a long time, but I may have to try it again -- their Schwarzbier is just about perfect to style.
     
  9. CellarGimp

    CellarGimp Initiate (0) Sep 14, 2011 Missouri

    Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel is the bees knees.
     
  10. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,030) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Which Dunkel imports have you been drinking? I was disappointed in Spaten's introduction into the market. Its lackluster character is probably due to what HerrB mentions about freshness. When you have a Dunkel in Munich proper it's so damn good.

    Here's a pretty decent example that's available in a lot of places.
     
  11. VitoFerrante

    VitoFerrante Initiate (0) Sep 11, 2012 Pennsylvania

    Anyone I have ever made try a good Dunkelweizen has absolutely loved it! It is one of my fav style.
     
  12. yemenmocha

    yemenmocha Grand Pooh-Bah (4,092) Jun 18, 2002 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah Society

    PROST Dunkel in Denver is fantastic and is the only American attempt I really like. I'm with the others above in going with Ayinger and reserving praise for the authentic German examples.

    It's a lager so it's not cool to a lot of people, both brewers and self-styled consumers. Lagers in general can often show flaws easily. Even if most American brewers tried it, they would screw it up by making a chocolate one or a Lapsang Souchong one or a Birch Syrup one or a Maple Syrup one or an Oyster one - exactly as they try to "innovate" the doppelbock style. :rolling_eyes: Brewer, please. :rolling_eyes:
     
  13. 1up

    1up Initiate (0) Mar 5, 2013 District of Columbia

    Victory Moonglow is really good
     
  14. yemenmocha

    yemenmocha Grand Pooh-Bah (4,092) Jun 18, 2002 Arizona
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    That's a weizenbock though. :slight_smile:
     
  15. Pegli

    Pegli Initiate (0) Aug 30, 2006 Rhode Island

    Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel is sublime...at the source anyways. This is a style that I brew at home quite often and is definitely not boring when fresh and served in very large mugs.
     
  16. herrburgess

    herrburgess Grand Pooh-Bah (3,053) Nov 4, 2009 South Carolina
    Pooh-Bah Society

    At the source, I agree. I find the bottled version to verge on the slightly cloying. If I were introducing someone in the U.S. to the style, I'd definitely point them toward the Ayinger first. Now, if they were to make it even remotely close to Weltenburg, that's a different story. What a great place to enjoy that beer!

    [​IMG]
     
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  17. BoneyardBrewer

    BoneyardBrewer Initiate (0) Apr 24, 2005 Michigan

    Ettaler Kloster Dunkel is fantastic. Warsteiner Dunkel was one of my first go-to craft beers.
     
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  18. grantcty

    grantcty Pundit (952) Feb 17, 2008 Minnesota
    Trader

    Was just going to mention this one too. A really, really good dunkel.
     
  19. Pegli

    Pegli Initiate (0) Aug 30, 2006 Rhode Island

    [​IMG]

    I must admit - I'm drinking the Asam Bock in this photo...
    I agree that the flavor characteristics should come from the high percentage of Munich base malt.
     
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  20. 1up

    1up Initiate (0) Mar 5, 2013 District of Columbia

    True, was thinking it was a dunkelweizen for some reason
     
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