In praise of Dunkel

I love Dunkel lager. In fact, it’s one of my very favorite styles. There, I’ve said it. In public. I’m sure proceedings have begun to revoke my beer geek credentials.

What is Dunkel? It’s an old style, certainly, dating to the time before malt could be lightly kilned to produce pale styles such as Pilsner or Helles, but I don’t think there’s really that much in common between today’s dunkels, and those smoky pre-pale malt beers. Today, it is largely a German specialty, though the odd U.S. craft-brewed example exists (tip of the hat to Capital Brewery and their fine Munich Dark). Dunkels are a rich brown in color and have a nose dominated by the toasty goodness of a hearty whack (or a complete grainbill) of Munich malt. Hops are a bit player in the style, though noble German hops frequently add a spicy complexity.

Why do I love a good Dunkel? First, it’s the flavor and aroma. The good ones are richly malty, with an irresistible toasty edge that draws me in. The malt never veers to the cloying crystal malt sweetness that plagues many of the more analogous ale styles (Brown, of the English, North and South, and American varieties, and Amber ales). Good dunkels also have a lightness and snap to them that makes them an outstanding beer for a session. Warsteiner Dunkel, which I currently have a 50l keg of in my kegerator, is one of those magic beers that (when fresh) simply disappears from your glass. One minute it’s full, then suddenly it’s empty, leaving you with nothing but a smile. I revel in Dunkel’s satisfying simplicity. Finally, Dunkel is a fantastic food beer. It may be the most versatile style at the table, working with a vast variety of meats and cuisines. The subtle sweetness supports, while the toastiness, I’m convinced, works some umami synergy, then the acidity and slight bitterness arrive to cleanse and refresh. Mmmmm.

The key with Dunkel, as with the vast majority of beer, is to find examples that are fresh, and have not been abused. The Warsteiner Dunkel I have on draft is nice because it is widely available and the 12 packs (which do a better job of preventing the beer from becoming light struck) are dated (first two digits are the year, last three are the # of the day of the year – i.e. 07265 would be September 22 (the 265th day of a non-leap year), 2007). I also have had good success with Ayinger’s fine Altbairisch Dunkel, Capital’s Munich Dark, and Konig’s Ludwig Dunkel (which I haven’t seen in a while).

Great food matches? Try beef and barley soup, an upscale grilled cheese using artisinal bread and cheese, mushroom risotto, miso soup, just about any roasted pork dish, though a simple roast chicken is brilliant too. Want more ideas? Let me know.