Buyer's Guide for Beer Lovers

Lagers

Lagers Get Some Love

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 average consumers are 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

93 Primator Dark Lager, Pivovar Nachod (Czech Republic). 4.8% ABV (11/09)
Deep mahogany brown color. Lavish aromas of roasted nuts, honeyed dried peach, and artisanal chocolate follow through on a round, frothy entry to a fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body with earthy hops and superb balance and crisp drinkability.

93 Hofbräu Dunkel, Hofbräuhaus München (Germany). 5.5% ABV (11/11)
Deep copper brown color. Rich caramelized nut, dark peach bread, and melted chocolate aromas with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a rich roasted corn and kale-accented finish. A delicious robust dark lager.

93 Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel, Privatbrauerei Aying (Germany). 5% ABV (11/11)
Deep copper brown color. Aromas of dark roasted grains, malted toffee, and mocha with a delicate hint of dried spiced meat with a supple, dryish medium-to-full body and a touch of melted wax, saffron and turmeric on the frothy, creamy, grilled root vegetable-accented finish. A robust, earthy beer with tons of flavor.

92 Dunkel, Privatbrauerei Hofmühl (Germany). 4.9% ABV (11/11)
Deep chestnut brown color. Mild roasted nut and toast aromas with a supple dryish medium body and a crisp, cocoa and pepper-accented finish. A clean, precise dunkel.

90 Hermann’s Dark Lager, Vancouver Island Brewery (Canada). 5.5% ABV (11/09)
Aromas of baker’s chocolate, smoked jerky, and crayon follow through on a soft, frothy entry to a dryish medium body with creamy milk chocolate mousse and molasses drizzled nut notes. Finishes with a smooth, mild light hop fade. A very tasty, easygoing dark lager.

90 Capital Dark Lager, Capital Brewery (WI). 5.4% ABV (11/09)
Deep copper brown color. Lightly yeasty bread dough, dried fruit, and toffee aromas follow through on a round, supple entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with great balance of savory roasted vegetable and honey baked bean notes. Finishes with a long, crisp, citrusy and mossy hop accent. A delicious and highly drinkable food beer that will go fantastically with chili con carne.

90 Bock-Damm, Damm Brewery (Spain). 5.4% ABV (11/11)
Rich brown color. Malty aromas of toasty nut bread, chocolate with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a crisp, earthy hop finish.

89 Session Black Premium Dark Lager, Full Sail Brewing Co. (OR). 5.4% ABV (11/11)
Deep brown color. Hoppy chocolate covered citrus aromas and flavors with a crisp, dryish medium body and a refreshing lettuce, pepper and cocoa finish.

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 easydrinking dark lager that will shine with sausages and roasted vegetables.

88 Zatec Dark Lager, Zatec (Czech Republic). 5.7% ABV (11/10)
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.

87 Munich Style Dunkel, Frankenmuth Brewery (MI). 5.1% ABV (12/11)
Copper brown color. Aromas of toasted date bread, mocha and roasted nuts with a soft, frothy medium body and a tangy, cocoa-dusted orange rind, grilled bread and leafy greens-like hop finish.

83 Negra Modelo Dark Lager, Cerveceria Modelo (Mexico). 5.4% ABV (11/11)
Caramel honeyed fruit aromas and flavors with a dryish light body and a frothy, quick breezy finish with nut bread and cayenne jicama notes. Uneventful.

82 Dark Cloud Dunkel, Mother Earth Brewing (NC). 4.6% ABV (11/10)
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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