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Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

Lagers

Not Your Grandfather’s Lager

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Dark Lager

Dunkel is the original style of lager, serving as the forerunner to the pale lagers of today. They originated in and around Bavaria, and are widely brewed both there and around the world. This is often what the average consumer is referring to when they think of dark beer. At their best, these beers combine the dryish chocolate or licorice notes associated with the use of dark roasted malts and the roundness and crisp character of a lager. Examples brewed in and around Munich tend to be a little fuller-bodied and sometimes have a hint of bready sweetness to the palate, a characteristic of the typical Bavarian malts used.

Interpreting the 100-point Scale

Consumers can translate the point score to the following quality bands:

Point Range Quality Band
96-100 points Platinum
90-95 points Gold
85-90 points Silver
80-84 points Bronze
Less than 80 Not Recommended
Legend
  • = Brewpub
  • ABV = Alcohol by volume
  • Date denotes the date on which the beer was tasted

89 Session Black Premium Dark Lager, Full Sail Brewing Co. (OR). 5.4% ABV (10/10)
Rich dark copper red color. Dark nut toast and chocolate aromas and flavor with a crisp, frothy, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a refreshing cocoa-dusted lemon soufflé and hay-like hop finish. Very nice.

89 Penn Dark Lager, Penn Brewery (PA). 5.1% ABV (11/08)
Reddish mahogany color. Toasted raisin nut bread and forest floor hop aromas follow through on a soft, mild entry to a dryish medium body with great balance and a delicately crisp, baked apple and mossy hop accented fade. Very drinkable and pure in style.

88 Zatec Dark Lager, Zatec (Czech Republic). 5.7% ABV (10/10)
Mahogany brown color. Rich chocolate covered nut, dried fruit, and bread aromas with a round, supple medium-to-full body and a juicy citrus and autumn fruit and grassy, minerally hop finish. Tasty.

88 Organic Dark Lager, Neumarkter Lammsbräu (Germany). 4.8% ABV (9/10)
Bright copper color. Aromas of cocoa and molasses drizzled roasted nuts. Round and silky with a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body. Notes of raisin bread toast, hay, and citrus cream round out the finish nicely. A nice easy drinking dark lager that will shine with sausages and roasted vegetables.

86 St. Pauli Girl Special Dark, St. Pauli Brauerei (Germany). 4.8% ABV (10/08)
Deep copper brown color. Faint dark caramelized nuts, melted chocolate, and raisin toast aromas follow through on a smooth, supple entry to dryish, even light-to medium body with good balance. Finishes with a dash of nut,straw, and earthy hops on the finish. A pleasant, easy drinking dark lager.

86 Negra Modelo Dark Lager, Cerveceria Modelo (Mexico). 5.4% ABV (10/10)
Aromas of frittata and lemon marmalade and lotion with a zesty, dryish medium body and a crisp, frothy lemon curd, corn pudding, and wheat grass finish. A lively Mexican food beer.

86 Dunkel Fester, River Horse Brewery (NJ). 4.7% ABV (10/08)
Dark reddish mahogany color. Roasted coffee, herb crusted cheese, and cocoa aromas follow through on a round, vibrant entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with date and roasted vegetable notes. Finishes with a chocolate covered nut, citrus, and coffee bean fade.

82 Dark Cloud Dunkel, Mother Earth Brewing (NC). 4.6% ABV (10/10)
Dull copper mahogany color. Soapy, scrambled egg, burnt toast, and lemon yogurt aromas with a soft, silky light-to-medium body and a creamy egg custard and spicy earthy hop, nutskin, and clay finish. A bit of a roller coaster.

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