How to Identify Dunkel-Style Beer

Dunkel is a style of dark German beer that originated in Bavarian villages. Dunkel is the German word for dark, in this case, a reference to the color of the beer. Dunkel beer became less popular in the late 19th century when lighter-colored lagers became easier to produce. The following steps will show how to identify a dunkel-style beer.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Look at the color of a dunkel beer. It is typically a dark lager that ranges from amber to a dark reddish brown. The coloration is caused by the use of Munich malts in production, although other malts also may be added as flavoring.

2. Examine hops and alcohol content of a typical Munich dunkel lager. It usually has just enough hops to balance out the sweetness, typically German noble varieties such as Hallertau and Tetnang. The alcohol content is in the range of 4 to 6 percent.

3. Study the effect of Munich malt on a dunkel beer. It is less fermentable than a pilsner malt, which gives the beer a fuller body and sweeter flavor.

4. Taste the distinctive malty flavor of a dunkel beer caused by the triple decoction process. Decoction mashing is the process of mashing the grain and boiling the mash to extract volatile compounds, especially hops, for a fuller flavor.

5. Sample the flavor of dark wheat beers or "dunkel weizen" in Germany. These beers are sweet and fruity with slightly more malt than light wheat beer or "hefeweizen."

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Resources

• Learn more about dunkel-style beer at Doctor Beer.