This traditional Dunkel comes from what is claimed to be Germany’s third oldest brewery (behind only Weihenstephan and Weltenburger), the former monastic Klosterbrauerie Weißenoher, which has been owned by the same family since 1827.
The Dunkel is a traditional German style, and was in fact the first style of beer to be regulated by the Bavarian Beer Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) of 1516. The name Dunkel means ‘dark’ and this was Bavaria’s original brown lager. It was the most popular style of beer until sometime around the 1830’s to 1840’s, so is a very important style of beer throughout Germany’s brewing history.
Most German breweries will produce a Dunkel, so they remain a firm part of the brewing industry now, though it isn’t a common style for Australian brewers.
Our beer pours a lovely deep chestnut colour with a really thick white foam that slowly settles to a thin lip around the outside of the glass.
An inviting aroma of roasted malts and some dark dried fruits hints at the flavour to come. The taste is a lovely balance of just enough malt sweetness to match the roasted malt and hop bitterness. I do think balance is the key word – no one attribute really jumps out, but together it makes for a very easy drinking, flavoursome dark lager.
