The world needs more Dunkel

Right, the "dunkel" here is the descriptor of the Doppelbock. It's not a subject as in the style "Munich Dunkel."

That said, I always call Munich Dunkel Doppelbock's little brother because of the malt characters they share -- if not the complexity and alcohol.

 

I absolutely love that style of beer. There are really not a lot of dunkels to choose from by me; Hofbrau, Von Trapp, Warsteiner, and that’s really about it. I can’t find the Spaten or Ayinger dunkels anywhere on shelves.

P.S. It’s not a dunkel, but Kostritzer schwarzbier is a really well made dark lager, similar to a dunkel in style. That’s been a go to for me for many years when I need a quality, yet reasonably priced, dark lager.

 

Spaten Dunkel isn't imported anymore. And when it was, this last go-round, it seemed a shadow of its former self.

When HB is fresh it's spot-on for Dunkel enjoyment.

Isn't Warsteiner just their Pilsner with food coloring?

 

It would be nice to have at least a couple options for the style but I personally don't need to have several dunkels on rotation. One excellent dunkel is fine enough with me and if I can't find it then to have another option is cool. We won't ever live in a world where there are as many dunkel as IPA so I don't feel it's necessary to wish for that. I'm in my own world

 

Sorta like “Living in your own private Idaho”?

Cheers!

 

As the title of this thread (The world needs more Dunkel) intimates, the Dunkel beer style is not commonly available.

A beer style that I have been seeing more available today (as compared to the past) is Czech Dark Lager. In my area these beers are more often a draft product and available on a rotating basis. I have read where there seems to be a fair bit of packaged (canned) Czech Dark Lagers in the Chicago area. @FBarber

Will Czech Dark Lager become more of a ‘thing’ over the next few years?

Needless to say that a Czech Dark Lager is different from a Dunkel. Below is something I have posted in a past thread:

“You are correct that there are a spectrum of flavors here. Below is my crack at this from more 'intense' to less intense:

Stouts (or Porters)

Roasty Schwarzbiers

Czech Dark Lagers

Dunkels

Mexican Amber AAL beers”

I enjoy dark lagers of various types (Schwarzbier, Czech Dark Lager, Dunkel).

Cheers!

 

Used to have a Hofbrau restaurant near me, and fresh liters of dunkel were about the greatest thing on the planet. The warsteiner I tend to shy away from, tastes very cola-esque to me.

 

Me too, and it was before the brew-pub HBs they opened -- used to import all the beer in kegs direct from Munich. Best Bavarian beer I ever had outside Bavaria.

 

But how many have truly enjoyed a well-brewed Munich Dunkel? There's the rub in your original post.

Ever since I enjoyed my first Dunkel at the HB Munich, I've always looked for that same experience here in the US -- usually to little avail.

It's one of those styles that brewers here just can't nail down. Ingredients? Mashing processes? Don't know, but I'm disappointed by roasty, Schwarzbier-like renditions more often than not.

Gonna talk about this with a local brewer who's brewing some great German styles (and actually brewed a Dunkel a while back, but didn't quite hit the mark) -- wonder what he'll tell me?

 

Yes to the process/technique, but not necessarily to the ingredients. Terroir in growing barley -- not to mention malting that barley -- can make a big difference.

 

Lots of choices for imported European malt (especially German malting companies) in the US.

It appears 'popular' for US craft breweries to buy Weyermann Malts (and I can testify they produce high quality malts) but there are plenty of other German malting companies producing high quality malts.

Cheers!

 

Yeah, answered the OPs post before reading through the thread to see all the usual looky loos beat me to the punch w/the dunkel vs. doppelbock.

 

The label is actually providing clearer information than typical… and it’s the style guides that are confusing consumers. Dunkles just refers to color in this case. Starkbier and Doppelbock just refer to strength (not color). It’s a bottle of “dark, strong beer.”

 

I've never seen Spaten Dunkel or Optimator here. When I look at the labels I assume they were/are brewed exclusively for the "international" market (?)

 

How available is the Dunkel beer style for you? Can you buy a number of brands at your local beer retailers?

Cheers!

 

Not sure, but I have had Spaten Dunkel in Munich in the past.

That said, I've heard most Spaten beers are becoming difficult to find in Munich, though they're still a presence at the Oktoberfest.

Oh yeah, and it sucks that you don't see Optimator -- you're missing a good beer.