Pilsners!

That seems to be the trend in the US, and I supposed I don't mind it. I think I'd rather have some non-style experimental pale lagers than beers incorrectly labeled as a pilsner.
I'm still curious why there are so few dunkels or American spins on brown lagers.

 

I love that BBC Czech Pils gets released then. By late July I am always under the assumption that all the Summer Seasonals are out and then bang, BBC's hits me upside the head. Love it.

 

i thought it was a wreck, but to each their own.

 

Prima Pils is really terrific--probably my favorite out of anything that's widely available. Of the imports, a really great one that's not been mentioned is Schronramer.

Beyond that, I can only mention a couple we have in Northern California that I doubt can be had on the East Coast: Trumer pils from Berkeley and Sudwerk Imperial Pils from Davis. Also very good but in more of czech style are Czech Pils from Lagunitas and Scrimshaw from North Coast.

 

"Old," as in last year's? That ain't right.

 

A.)Too much competition with Brown Ales/Stouts/Porters, B.) Not enough appreciation/understanding of the style(s), C.) Not enough breweries wanting to take the time to do one well.

All very unfortunate for us.

 

Don't bother with Imperial Pilsners. Total BS IMHO.

 

Dunkels are more like milds to me, the stronger milds at least.

Agree that it is unfortunate.

 

Nope - "old" meaning that a batch hit the shelves here a few months ago...many places have sold out and not gotten a replenishment.

 

I personally enjoy Sly Fox Dunkel Lager:

“A traditional Bavarian style Dark Lager, made with imported Munich, Pils and German Roast malts and a variety of Bavarian hops. This became the third Sly Fox beer to be canned in October 2006.”

Another tasty Dunkel is Penn Dark from Pennsylvania Brewing Company (Pittsburgh)

 

Milds are definitely Ales with their fruity esters from yeasts and fermentation, not to mention their malts are more on the roasted side. Dunkel should be smooth, clean, bready and toasted in malt character -- no fruity esters.

 

Dunkels should not be roasty. Stouts and Porters are roasty, even Schwarzbier has some roastiness, Dunkels need to be bready and smooth.

I have yet to find a well-made US Dunkel. Has to be one out there, right? I've heard that the new one in the Sam Adams Longshot sixpack is more roasted than it should be too.

 

That makes me feel better.

 

I understand your personal opinion of “Dunkels should not be roasty.”

The roasted malt aspect of Sly Fox Dunkel Lager is very low as per the BJCP description for Munich Dunkel Lagers: “Medium-low to no caramel and/or roasted malt flavors (and may include hints of coffee, molasses or cocoa).”

I think the low level of roasty flavors adds an interesting dimension to this particular beer but I can understand that you would think differently.

“I have yet to find a well-made US Dunkel. Has to be one out there, right?” I doubt that you will find one that is 100% consistent with your personal definition of a Dunkel Lager.

Cheers!

 

The dunkels are like milds in that they are German milds due to the hopping rate. Lagers with dark bready malt flavors, just enough hops to balance the sweetness of the malt. Was drinking some German milds 2 weeks ago, my friend, in Aying and Tegernsee to name a couple of places.

Ron Pattinson calls them German milds too.

Edit - there is one I brewed on tap right now, that I think is very much on par with the German Dunkels we had.

 

I've had a couple good US dunkels, but they're all been draft-only small microbrewery items. Granted, that's kind-of in the spirit of the whole "fresh from the source" thing, it's kind of unfortunate that we don't have a bottled US version to point to as a great example of the style. I tend to get my fix from the Ayinger version since it actually comes in brown bottles...and their distribution isn't bad.
I know that the old Tabernash Munich Dark was apparently a very, very good one but that's one of those beers Left Hand didn't keep. Maybe one of these days they'll resurrect it like they did with Haystack and the O'fest.

Funny enough, while there are no fruity esters in dunkels, I do often get a raisin-y note from them. It's malt-based, but it's definitely a fruit character.

 

Yeah. Pumped up IPAs to Double and Imperial status work a treat but to do the same to a pilsner just ain't right. Of course I'm sure there's the odd Imperial Pilsner I might actually like but (to repeat) it makes as much sense as putting a 440 Hemi in a Prius.

 

I haven't had one lately, but the Odell Imperial Pilsner used to be quite good. It's considered a maibock, but I've always thought of SN Glissade as being the imperial pils I've been looking for.

 

I think you have a counterfeit version of the BJCP Guidelines:

Not my opinion, but it is my perception after having sampled many Dunkels throughout Bavaria.